Ideas and Forces in Soviet Legal History: A Reader on the Soviet State and Law - Softcover

Zile, Zigurds L.

Softcover

ISBN 10: 0195055950 ISBN 13: 9780195055955

Publisher: Oxford University Press, 1992

Synopsis

Soviet practice has variously questioned, rejected, debased and affirmed law and its institutions. This new anthology of over 400 documents--including legislation, judicial decisions, legal commentary, political statements, and observations on history and social theory--examines and assesses
the significance of once-dominant patterns in Soviet thought, guiding students toward an understanding of the present by exploring the past. Recent Soviet views toward nature and the role of law, ways of governance, the intensity of conflict between individual and common interest, and the extent of
social disorganization may reflect change, but Zile argues that it is the conditions and experience of the past that are most likely to affect change. Presenting both the voices of the erstwhile victors and the vanquished from within the Soviet experience, this book challenges students and scholars
of law and Soviet history to rethink their notions of Soviet legal culture.

About this title

About the Author:

Zigurds L. Zile, Foley and Lardner-Bascom Professor of Law, University of Wisconsin.

Review:

"An invaluable tool in a course on comparative law to understand 'the Russian Soul.' Professor Zile's choice of extracts from authors ranging chronologically from the XIXth through the XXth century and philosophically from the Left to the political Right is most commendable. This book should
be, at least, recommended reading for serious students of comparative law."--Rodolphe J.A. De Seife, Northern Illinois University

"A very good selection, well-organized, an excellent source book."--F.T. Edgar, Culver Stockton College

"A fascinating anthology. Its great virtue is that it presents crucial 'non-legal' documents that cast a true light on Soviet law in practice through the years, not just 'legal' materials that were carefully sanitized before publication. This is a valuable work, and I definitely recommend
it."--Maimon Schwarzschild, University of San Diego

"A first-rate piece of work that will find a solid place in law school courses and in upper-level and graduate courses in political science and history. It shows Zile's broad mastery of the subject, particularly of the historical evolution of the Soviet state."--Donald D. Barry, Lehigh
University

"A prodigious achievement that will have a significant impact on teaching and scholarship on the USSR. Only a legal scholar of the first rank and a master translator could have made such an extraordinary selection of primary and secondary materials--including laws, cases, commentaries,
constitutional excerpts, speeches, even official telegrams--and made of it such a persuasive presentation of the ideas and forces that shape Soviet legal, political, and economic history."--Robert Sharlet, Union College

"Admirable and magisterial collection... A wider readership beyond Zigurds Zile's law students may benefit from the fruits of his experience... Translations are first-rate... wiil likely become a noteworthy addition to post-Soviet reading lists. Kudos to Buttino for assembling a well-conceived
set of nationalities-related demographic appendices."--Slavic Review

"The editor has managed to assemble 400 texts which present such a fascinating and occasionally shocking picture of the seven decades of Soviet power that I repeatedly found it difficult to put the book away. It would require a writer of exceptional talent to produce an image of equal clarity
in a monograph of similar length."--Review of Central and Eastern Europe Law 1993

About this edition

• Publisher: Oxford University Press
• Publication date: 1992
• ISBN 10: 0195055950
• ISBN 13: 9780195055955
• Binding: Paperback
• Number of pages: 592