AUTOLIMITATION

autolimitation,n. An authority’s establishment of rules that, in effect, limit the authority’s own

power. — auto-limit,vb.

“The theory of Jellinek (Allgemeine Staatslehre), so far as the writer understands it, is not an

explanation either. In his view something which he calls the State, not defined, but, as it seems, a

group  of  persons,  finds  itself  in  pos-session  of  power,  and  establishes  rules.  These  are  the  law.

This process he calls ‘autolimitation.’ It is true that a body with supreme power does make law. An

autocrat, man or group, without rules, may do justice, though it probably will not, but it does not

make  law  —  there  is  no  Rechtsstaat.  But  autolimitation  is,  as  Professor  Brierly  notes  …  ,  a

contradiction in terms. If the State’s power is limited, it must be by some superior power. But even

accepting the analysis, we are no better off.” W.W. Buckland, Some Reflections on Jurisprudence

24 (1945).[Blacks Law 8th]