Alf Ross’ two approaches to legal competence

Abstract

Alf Ross was one of the most relevant legal philosophers of the past century. Because of that it can hardly be doubted that he has made an important contribution to the problem of norms of competence (or power-conferring norms). Notwithstanding this fact there are very few works on the matter. It is the purpose of the present work to mend that oversight through the critical analysis of Ross’ two approaches to the matter in two of his most important works: On Law and Justice and Directives and Norms, in order to then offer a judgement of both theories.