Doctrinal principles of law: concept and specificity

Abstract

Based on the understanding of the doctrinal principles of law as socially significant ideas formulated by scientists, practitioners, politicians in scientific works and other texts, as well as in public speeches and have not found a normative consolidation, the peculiarities of the doctrinal principles of law are highlighted. It is proposed to delimit the doctrinal principles of law from legal axioms and normatively enshrined principles of law (principles of positive law). The similarity between the doctrinal principles of law and legal axioms is that they are ideas. It is substantiated that their differences lie in the fact that legal axioms are always ideas that are socially important and tested by historical experience, and doctrinal principles can be absolutely any, including new ones, coinciding or not coinciding with the needs of society; doctrinal principles are always not normatively fixed (this is their main specific feature), and legal axioms may or may not have normative consolidation. The main differences between doctrinal and normatively enshrined principles of law are highlighted. Three ways are established for the implementation of doctrinal ideas to the level of sectoral, inter-sectoral or general legal principles. The position is substantiated that doctrinal principles have enormous social significance and play an important role in the legal system of Russia, since are the basis for innovative changes in law, are a driving force for the development of legislation, based on the level of development of scientific knowledge and the needs of society in a specific historical period.