“Both markets and contract law are central institutions of modern liberal societies through which citizens come to see themselves as free and equal persons and acquire the virtues that fit them for participation as such. Although we standardly assume the importance of this relation between markets and contract law, and the economic analysis of this relation is now well-developed, it is striking that contemporary contract theories have not explored the moral status of markets and the way they may fit with and serve the ends, both noneconomic as well as economic, of contract law. In The Dignity of Commerce, Nate Oman meets this important need by providing a systematic, thoughtful, and clearly written account of markets and contract law that presents their relation in a new and subtle light and through this illumines a wide range of doctrines and topics in contract law.”

Peter Benson, University of Toronto, editor of The Theory of Contract Law

“Oman is a careful analyst and commentator who offers novel and interesting insights into contract law and contract law theory. He has grounded his argument on an impressively wide range of legal and nonlegal scholarship and case law, and his argument is consistently clear and persuasive.”

Brian Bix, University of Minnesota Law School

"Oman’s contribution is to argue, first, that market economies—and, in particular, the prosperity they have generated—could not have arisen without a robust respect for the sanctity of contracts; and, second, that there is an important connection between contracts, the markets they support, and the 'liberal virtues' markets encourage....For those
reasons, the books repay close attention and are welcome additions to the ongoing conversation about the moral place of markets in a humane and just society."

Review of Politics