Now available in English for the first time, Dictatorship is Carl Schmitt’s most scholarly book and arguably a paradigm for his entire work. Written shortly after the Russian Revolution and the First World War, Schmitt analyses the problem of the state of emergency and the power of the Reichspräsident in declaring it. * Carl Schmitt is widely recognized as one of the most important political theorists of the 20th century. This is the only remaining work by Carl Schmitt which has not yet been translated into English. Translator’s IntroductionForeword to the fourth edition (1978) Foreword to the third edition (1964) Foreword to the second edition (1928) Preliminary remarks to the first edition (1921) I. Commissary Dictatorship and the theory of the stateII. The praxis of royal commissars up to the 18th centuryIII. The transition to sovereign dictatorship in the theory of the state of the 18th centuryIV. The concept of sovereign dictatorshipV. The praxis of the people’s commissars during the French RevolutionVI. Dictatorship in the contemporary constitution (the state of besiegement)Appendix: The Dictatorship of the Reichspräsident according to Article 48 of the Weimar Constitution pp. 211-57ICommon interpretation of Article 48, Paragraph 2 today.IIThe regulation of Article 48, Paragraph 2 as a provisorium.IIIGeneral limitation of competence based on Article 48, Paragraph 2.IVThe law of implementation [Ausfüngsgesetz] regarding Article 48 RV.INDEX OF NAMESINDEX OF SUBJECTSGLOSSARY