Postulates of the school of critical legal studies (based on the example of social-legal theory of R.M. Unger)

The purpose of the work was to identify and formulate the main provisions, the initial views of supporters of the School of Critical Legal Studies, which have developed in the United States since the 1970s of the twentieth century, through an analysis of the views of one of the activists of the movement of critical legal studies, the Brazilian statesman and jurist Roberto Mangabeira Unger. 

The objectives of the work include studying the conditions for the emergence and origins of critical legal research, analyzing the methodological basis, studying the works and statements of R. Unger, formulating the postulates of the school of critical legal research and the foundations of R. Unger’s political and legal theory. To achieve the set goal and solve problems, the author uses such general scientific and specific scientific methods as analysis, synthesis, historical, system-structural, comparative methods. In addition, the author's interpretation of R. Unger's views is presented based on the translation of his Englishlanguage works.

Results: objective and subjective factors in the formation of the School of Critical Legal Studies have been identified, the connection between the ideas of the school’s supporters and the moderate direction of American sociological jurisprudence and the realistic school of law has been identified, the main postulates of the supporters of critical legal studies have been formulated based on the provisions of the political and legal views of R. Unger. 

Conclusions: The school of critical legal studies arose on the basis of an understanding of law primarily as a social institution designed to ensure a balance of individual, social and state interests. Like legal realists, representatives of the school tried to demythologize legal phenomena by analyzing the legal life of society. In addition, Unger, appealing to O. Holmes’s views on law as a product of experience, saw the further development of human society through the introduction of new technologies and experiments based on social solidarity and cooperation, when the state and law act as guardians of society and do not limit it progressive development.

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