Andrey Vishinsky - a legal scholar of the Stalin era Abstract The aim of the thesis is to examine the basic categories of the Marxism-Leninism theory of law from the point of view of Andrey Januaryevich Vishinsky. The thesis is composed of four chapters. Chapter One (named "Marxism, Russian revolution and Law") is based on the idea that it is not possible to understand the Soviet law without analysis of the relationship between Marxism and legal theory. Subchapter 1.1 gives a brief overview of Marx's school of thought. At the same time it points out the absence of the self-contained concept of law in writings of Marx and Engels. Chapter Two is devoted to the life of Andrey Vishinsky, his academic and scientific career. The following subchapters are subsequently mapping the individual stages of his life. It contradicts some of the untruths and myths surrounding Vishinsky. Chapter Three (named "Vishinsky's contribution to the basic categories of the Marxism-Leninism legal theory") is concentrating on the four fundamental concepts of legal thinking: Law, State, Legality and Justice. It points out that Vishinsky's approach to these categories was only purpose-built and dogmatic. Chapter Four deals with criticism which Andrey Vishinsky targeted against the theorists of "withering away of law and the state":...

<p>For "Subject Categories" I entered "European Law". I think that it is the best description, unless there is a category "Legal Philosophy".</p> / <p>In this work I address a number of important theoretical questions that the institutional order of the European Union (EU) poses for legal theory. I examine Raz’s approach to theorizing legality and several elements of his theory of law, arguing that the institutional structures of the EU resist the Razian theoretical framework. I also explore the inter-institutional theory of law developed by Culver and Giudice, arguing that its conceptual framework needs further development but that the conception of the ordinary law subject it employs is more robust than Raz’s. A significant portion of my work relies on the framework of <em>the indirectly evaluative approach</em> for evaluation of these theories, which was developed by Julie Dickson.</p> / Master of Philosophy (MA)