Review of the textbook «Theory of state and law»

The work under review (The theory of state and law: textbook, editor in chief Doctor of law, professor V.V.Kozhevnikov, authors: V.V.Kozhevnikov, V.B.Kozhenevsky,V.A.Rybakov.-M.Prospect, 2016- 464 pages) presents a completed, comprehensive and consistent textbook on the theory of state and law. It consists of a small introduction (pages 3-4) and 32 themes (pages 5-458) embracing practically all issues of state and its legal character, revealing the place and role of state and law as well as their institutions in the society. The structure of the textbook is traditional and logical; all themes can be roughly divided into three independent but interrelated sections: metatheory of state and law (theme1), the theory of state (themes 2-8) and the theory of law (themes 9-29). Three cross-cutting themes «Historical types of state and law» (theme 30), «Soviet and current Russian state and law» (theme 31), «State and law in the period of globalization» (theme 32) finalize the work. Thus, the authors of the textbook point out an organic interrelationship between state and law and the impossibility to study them separately. The textbook under review has an obvious advantage over the majority of similar publications since it has been characterized by a problematic approach to a number of questions and its authors do not use such general phrases as « there are other approaches to the problem under consideration» or «in the viewpoint of many scientists» etc. but analyse different opinions on the same issues while regarding to the original source. This makes the textbook a scientific research and shows the level of its culture; it encourages students to search for information independently. It is important that the authors demonstrate their own scientific position and state this in the introduction (page 3). The volume and number of themes dealing with the problems of legal theory considerably prevail over those dealing with the state and its institutions. Such a structure of educational material seems to be understandable and corresponds to the Russian legal tradition. When describing law and its institutions, the authors tend both to describe legal phenomena and show their essential characteristics; this can be seen in the following sections: «Concept of law» (theme 9), «Legal conscience and legal cul-ture» (theme12), «Legal regulation» (theme 20), «Legal responsibility» (theme 29) etc. In conclusion, it is worth noting that all our remarks are of a challenging, disputable character and cannot influence the positive evaluation of the textbook under review. Undoubtedly, it presents a significant phenomenon among the similar publications and is helpful for all seeking to gain necessary, modern, professional knowledge in the sphere of the theory of state and law.

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