If you’re looking for a thought-provoking dive into the history of natural law and human rights, Douglas Burgess's When Hope and History Rhyme is a must-read. Spanning from ancient Greece to modern America, Burgess explores the evolution of legal principles that have shaped human rights throughout history.

Burgess, a professor of legal history, highlights key moments and figures that have contributed to the development of natural law. From the philosophical debates of the Greeks to the medieval period, and through the Enlightenment, Burgess meticulously traces the arc of legal thought. He brings us to the 20th century with FDR’s “Four Freedoms” and the Nuremberg Trials, grounding his discussion in both historical context and contemporary relevance.

The book’s depth and detail might make it a challenging read, but it's a rewarding one. Burgess doesn’t shy away from tackling complex philosophical debates and historical nuances. Each chapter is packed with insights that illuminate how past events and ideas continue to influence current issues, making it particularly timely in light of recent assaults on human rights, including the 2021 attack on the US Capitol.

One of the standout aspects of Burgess’s work is his ability to draw connections between historical events and modern-day legal challenges. His examination of the League of Nations and the United Nations, for instance, offers a balanced perspective on the successes and failures of these institutions. He also provides a critical look at the use and abuse of legal principles in recent history, particularly during the Trump administration, which he critiques for undermining the very foundations of human rights.

When Hope and History Rhyme is ultimately an optimistic read. Burgess argues that while the path toward justice is fraught with setbacks, the steady progress of legal principles gives reason for hope. He suggests that learning from the past can help build a more just future, even if the journey is slow and arduous. As the world again turns into a fascist hellscape, I can't really agree. But for anyone who has children or other long-term hopes for the planet and wants to sleep at night, maybe this will help.

Thank you to the publishers and NetGalley for the opportunity to review a temporary digital ARC in exchange for an unbiased review.

Douglas Burgess, When Hope and History Rhyme Natural Law and Human Rights from Ancient Greece to Modern America, Charlesbridge, Imagine, 2022.

Thank you, NetGalley, for providing me with this uncorrected proof in exchange for an honest review.

Douglas Burgess has written a dense book that requires careful and sustained reading. Although I found that I needed to read it in between easier works, I always returned and found it truly worth the effort. When Hope and History Rhyme presents a compelling discussion, replete with a philosophical framework, in which historical and political events are placed in context.

Burgess develops the argument that Natural Law has its place in debate about the way in which law has been enacted, refined, debated and defiled. He uses examples from the past, immediate past and present. The arguments and debates around establishing the League of Nations, and later, the United Nations, are particularly informative. They are at once uplifting and depressing. Looming large in the latter response is the insidious impact of colonialism and racism in attempting to introduce inspirational organisations. At the same time, the argument can be made that the organisations worked, albeit in a limited fashion.

Former President Trump’s use of the law is held up against the principles Burgess has outlined and found egregiously wanting. These last chapters are particularly enlightening, even though they reiterate much of what we know. By putting the four years of the Trump Presidency in context greater clarity is given to the way in which the principles which have impacted America’s stance towards enacting the law as it governs international events have been undermined. Particularly instructive is the way in which relativism can be used to insidiously change the way in which human rights can provide a foundation for legal changes. Another area which I found instructive was the debate about the Nuremburg Trials and the debates around the way in which the law could be used.

Although there is much to admire in the way legal principles have been invoked, Burgess is also devastatingly honest about the limitations imposed by various governments and leaders acting in their own interests. It would be hard to leave this book feeling smug about any government’s rectitude. However, it is also an optimistic read, as the gradual building of a body of law, attitudes, behaviours and understandings augers well for learning from the past. Perhaps improvements will not take as quickly or as smoothly as would be desirable, but Burgess’s material and analysis does suggest that indeed there is hope.

As I noted at the beginning of this review, this is a dense book, the philosophical debates requiring sustained, and for those unfamiliar with them, repeated reading. The political discussion around the development of legal policy and international relations and bodies is a far easier read, and totally engrossing. This is a work to which I shall return, to gain a fuller understanding of the philosophical debate, and even more captivating, to relish again some of the quotes which are so often a pointed reflection on events and government policies.

This far-left progressive diatribe is not worth anyone's time. Prof. Burgess is so consumed with hatred and anger that he actually conflates the Trump Administration with events like the Young Turks and the Armenian genocide. And he even goes so far as to compare Donald Trump to Adolf Hitler. Moreover, this allegedly scholarly tome has over thirty citations to the NY Times, hardly a serious source.. I would waste my time reading this deeply slanted tome.