Maine, Sir Henry

Maine, Sir Henry

▪ British jurist, historian, and anthropologist
born August 15, 1822, Kelso, Roxburgh, Scotland
died February 3, 1888, Cannes, France

      British jurist and legal historian who pioneered the study of comparative law, notably primitive (primitive culture) law and anthropological jurisprudence.

      While professor of civil law at the University of Cambridge (1847–54), Maine also began lecturing on Roman law at the Inns of Court, London. These lectures became the basis of his Ancient Law: Its Connection with the Early History of Society, and Its Relation to Modern Ideas (1861), which influenced both political theory and anthropology, the latter primarily because of Maine's controversial views on primitive law. To trace and define his concepts, he drew on Roman law, western and eastern European legal systems, Indian law, and primitive law. Although some of his statements were modified or invalidated by later research—Ancient Law is noted for its general lack of reference to authorities and its failure to cite supporting evidence for its conclusions—his study helped to place comparative jurisprudence on a sound historical footing.

      A member of the council of the governor-general of India (1863–69), Maine was largely responsible for the codification of Indian law. In 1869 he became the first professor of comparative jurisprudence at the University of Oxford and, in 1887, a professor of international law at Cambridge. He was knighted in 1871. His other books include lectures on the Early History of Institutions (1875), a sequel to his Ancient Law. Maine was the recipient of a remarkable number of honours, medals, and distinctions. He was also known for his extensive writing in popular periodicals.

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Universalium. 2010.

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  • Maine, Sir Henry James Sumner — (1822 88) Sir Henry Maine was a pioneer of comparative jurisprudence. Like Lewis Henry Morgan , he was convinced that the legal basis of ‘primitive societies’ lay in ties of blood and kinship . In his two best known works, Ancient Law (1861) and… …   Dictionary of sociology

  • MAINE, SIR HENRY —    English jurist, legal member of the Council in India, and professor of Jurisprudence at Oxford; wrote on Ancient Law, and important works on ancient institutions generally; regarded the social system as a development of the patriarchal system… …   The Nuttall Encyclopaedia

  • Maine, Sir Henry (James Sumner) — born Aug. 15, 1822, Kelso, Roxburgh, Scot. died Feb. 3, 1888, Cannes, France British jurist and legal historian. He taught civil law at the University of Cambridge (1847–54) and lectured on Roman law at the Inns of Court. These lectures became… …   Universalium

  • Maine, Sir Henry (James Sumner) — (15 ago. 1822, Kelso, Roxburgh, Escocia–3 feb. 1888, Cannes, Francia). Jurista e historiador del derecho británico. Enseñó derecho civil en la Universidad de Cambridge (1847–54) e impartió clases de derecho romano en las Inns of Court. Estas… …   Enciclopedia Universal

  • Maine, Sir Henry James Sumner — (1822 1888)    Jurist, ed. at Christ s Hospital and at Camb., where he became Regius Prof. of Civil Law 1847 54. Called to the Bar in 1850, he went in 1862 to India as legal member of the Government. On his return he was in 1870 appointed Prof.… …   Short biographical dictionary of English literature

  • Henry James Summer Maine — Henry Sumner Maine Pour les articles homonymes, voir Sumner. Henry Sumner Maine. Sir Henry James Sumner Maine (Kelso 15 août …   Wikipédia en Français

  • Henry James Sumner Maine — Henry Sumner Maine Pour les articles homonymes, voir Sumner. Henry Sumner Maine. Sir Henry James Sumner Maine (Kelso 15 août …   Wikipédia en Français

  • MAINE (H. J. S.) — MAINE sir HENRY JAMES SUMNER (1822 1888) Le nom de l’Anglais Henry Maine est associé à la naissance du droit comparé, dont il posa les fondements dans son célèbre ouvrage Le Droit antique (Ancient Law , 1861). Celui ci ouvrit une perspective… …   Encyclopédie Universelle

  • Maine — es uno de los estados que conforman los Estados Unidos y recibe su nombre de la provincia francesa de Maine. Se encuentra situado en la zona de Nueva Inglaterra, situada en el noreste de Estados Unidos; limita al norte y al este con la provincia… …   Enciclopedia Universal

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