Alexy undertakes to develop a general theory of fundamental rights of the Basic Law, taking into account primarily the jurisprudence of the Federal Constitutional Court. Its core components are a theory of principles and a theory of the structure of subjective rights. The theory of principles is a value theory cleansed of untenable assumptions. The theory of the structure of subjective rights makes the diverse relationships of fundamental rights precisely constructible. On this basis, major problems of fundamental rights dogmatics are addressed. The concluding chapter is dedicated to the role of fundamental rights in the legal system.