Gun Politics

Guns, and in particular the private ownership of guns, is a contentious political topic around the world, but perhaps especially in the United States, where the Second Amendment guarantees that "the right of the people to keep and bear arms shall not be infringed".

In both the United States and around the world, debates about firearms policy centers on the role of privately owned firearms in crime and crime prevention, as well as on the role of these firearms in the balance of power between governments and the people. See [/Crime and Crime Prevention]? and [/Balance of Power]?

In the United States, the debate is also heavily centered on historical and other claims about the exact meaning of the Second Amendment. Federal courts since 1939 have fairly consistently ruled that the right protected is not an individual right, but a broad consensus of scholars appears to be that this interpretation is novel and not historically accurate.

Some prominent researchers in this field:

[Michael Bellesiles]?

[Clayton Cramer]?

[Gary Kleck]?

[Arthur Kellerman]?

[John Lott]?

[David Mustard]?

Some prominent organizations in this field:

[Handgun Control]

[Center to Prevent Handgun Violence]

[National Rifle Association]

[rkba.org]

[Gun Owners of America]

/Talk