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<article xmlns:mml="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML" xmlns:xlink="http://www.w3.org/1999/xlink" xmlns:xsi="http://www.w3.org/2001/XMLSchema-instance" xmlns:ali="http://www.niso.org/schemas/ali/1.0/" article-type="research-article" dtd-version="1.2" xml:lang="en"><front><journal-meta><journal-id journal-id-type="publisher-id">RUDN Journal of Law</journal-id><journal-title-group><journal-title xml:lang="en">RUDN Journal of Law</journal-title><trans-title-group xml:lang="ru"><trans-title>Вестник Российского университета дружбы народов. Серия: Юридические науки</trans-title></trans-title-group></journal-title-group><issn publication-format="print">2313-2337</issn><issn publication-format="electronic">2408-9001</issn><publisher><publisher-name xml:lang="en">Peoples’ Friendship University of Russia named after Patrice Lumumba (RUDN University)</publisher-name></publisher></journal-meta><article-meta><article-id pub-id-type="publisher-id">47856</article-id><article-id pub-id-type="doi">10.22363/2313-2337-2025-29-4-837-851</article-id><article-id pub-id-type="edn">LAYFQN</article-id><article-categories><subj-group subj-group-type="toc-heading" xml:lang="en"><subject>STATE AND LAW IN CONTEMPORARY WORLD</subject></subj-group><subj-group subj-group-type="toc-heading" xml:lang="ru"><subject>ГОСУДАРСТВО И ПРАВО В СОВРЕМЕННОМ МИРЕ</subject></subj-group><subj-group subj-group-type="article-type"><subject>Research Article</subject></subj-group></article-categories><title-group><article-title xml:lang="en">The Rule of Law: Between Ideology and Myth</article-title><trans-title-group xml:lang="ru"><trans-title>Верховенство права: между идеологией и мифом</trans-title></trans-title-group></title-group><contrib-group><contrib contrib-type="author"><contrib-id contrib-id-type="orcid">https://orcid.org/0000-0002-0334-6862</contrib-id><contrib-id contrib-id-type="spin">4109-5931</contrib-id><name-alternatives><name xml:lang="en"><surname>Allalyev</surname><given-names>Ruslan M.</given-names></name><name xml:lang="ru"><surname>Аллалыев</surname><given-names>Руслан Мурадович</given-names></name></name-alternatives><bio xml:lang="en"><p>Candidate of Legal Sciences, Associate Professor of the Department of Theory of Law and State, Law Institute, RUDN University; Associate Professor of the Department of Public and International Legal Support for National Security, Faculty of Fuel and Energy Complex Integrated Security, Gubkin Russian State University of Oil and Gas</p></bio><bio xml:lang="ru"><p>кандидат юридических наук, доцент кафедры теории права и государства, юридический институт, Российский университет дружбы народов имени Патриса Лумумбы ; доцент кафедры публичного и международно-правового обеспечения национальной безопасности, факультет комплексной безопасности ТЭК, РГУ нефти и газа (НИУ) имени И.М. Губкина</p></bio><email>Allalyev_rm@pfur.ru</email><xref ref-type="aff" rid="aff1"/><xref ref-type="aff" rid="aff2"/></contrib></contrib-group><aff-alternatives id="aff1"><aff><institution xml:lang="en">RUDN University</institution></aff><aff><institution xml:lang="ru">Российский университет дружбы народов</institution></aff></aff-alternatives><aff-alternatives id="aff2"><aff><institution xml:lang="en">National University of Oil and Gas «Gubkin University»</institution></aff><aff><institution xml:lang="ru">РГУ нефти и газа (НИУ) имени И.М. Губкина</institution></aff></aff-alternatives><pub-date date-type="pub" iso-8601-date="2025-12-31" publication-format="electronic"><day>31</day><month>12</month><year>2025</year></pub-date><volume>29</volume><issue>4</issue><issue-title xml:lang="en">VOL 29, NO4 (2025)</issue-title><issue-title xml:lang="ru">ТОМ 29, №4 (2025)</issue-title><fpage>837</fpage><lpage>851</lpage><history><date date-type="received" iso-8601-date="2025-12-30"><day>30</day><month>12</month><year>2025</year></date></history><permissions><copyright-statement xml:lang="en">Copyright ©; 2025, Allalyev R.M.</copyright-statement><copyright-statement xml:lang="ru">Copyright ©; 2025, Аллалыев Р.М.</copyright-statement><copyright-year>2025</copyright-year><copyright-holder xml:lang="en">Allalyev R.M.</copyright-holder><copyright-holder xml:lang="ru">Аллалыев Р.М.</copyright-holder><ali:free_to_read xmlns:ali="http://www.niso.org/schemas/ali/1.0/"/><license><ali:license_ref xmlns:ali="http://www.niso.org/schemas/ali/1.0/">https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0</ali:license_ref></license></permissions><self-uri xlink:href="https://journals.rudn.ru/law/article/view/47856">https://journals.rudn.ru/law/article/view/47856</self-uri><abstract xml:lang="en"><p>This article provides a critical analysis of the “rule of law,” viewing it as an ideologeme and a social myth. The author explores how this concept, despite its amorphous and polysemous nature, has acquired the status as a tool for addressing global challenges. The article traces the origin and functions of the myth of the rule of law, highlighting its role in the ideological legitimation of power, the formation of national ideologies, and its influence on mass psychology. Employing Roland Barthes’ approach to myth deconstruction, the author identifies rhetorical figures that render conceptions of the rule of law both persuasive and ideologically charged. It is emphasized that the idea of the rule of law often serves as an instrument for justifying hegemonic policies, creating an illusion of legitimacy, and obscuring structural contradictions. In conclusion, the article argues that, despite its mythological character, the idea of the rule of law retains social significance, and its critical understanding is essential for a sober assessment of its potential and limitations.</p></abstract><trans-abstract xml:lang="ru"><p>В фокусе исследования - критический анализ «верховенства права» (rule of law), который рассматривается как идеологема и социальный миф. Автор исследует, как это понятие, несмотря на свою аморфность и многозначность, приобрело статус инструмента для решения глобальных проблем. Прослеживаются генезис и функции мифа о верховенстве права, его роль в идеологической легитимации власти, в формировании национальных идеологий и в психологии масс. Используя подходы Ролана Барта к деконструкции мифов, автор выявляет риторические фигуры, которые делают представления о верховенстве права столь убедительными и идеологически нагруженными. Подчеркивается, что идея верховенства права зачастую служит инструментом для оправдания гегемонистской политики, создания иллюзии законности и сокрытия структурных противоречий. В заключение утверждается, что, несмотря на свой мифологический характер, идея верховенства права сохраняет социальную значимость, и ее критическое осмысление необходимо для трезвой оценки ее потенциала и ограничений.</p></trans-abstract><kwd-group xml:lang="en"><kwd>ideologeme</kwd><kwd>social myth</kwd><kwd>legitimation</kwd><kwd>political ideology</kwd><kwd>mass psychology</kwd><kwd>legal critique</kwd><kwd>legal fetishism</kwd></kwd-group><kwd-group xml:lang="ru"><kwd>идеологема</kwd><kwd>социальный миф</kwd><kwd>легитимация</kwd><kwd>политическая идеология</kwd><kwd>массовая психология</kwd><kwd>критика права</kwd><kwd>правовой фетишизм</kwd></kwd-group><funding-group/></article-meta><fn-group/></front><body></body><back><ref-list><ref id="B1"><label>1.</label><citation-alternatives><mixed-citation xml:lang="en">Agamben, G. (2011) Homo Sacer: Sovereign Power and Bare Life. Trans. Levina, I. Moscow, Europa Publ. 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