<?xml version="1.0" encoding="UTF-8"?>
<!DOCTYPE root>
<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">52584</article-id><article-id pub-id-type="doi">10.22363/2313-2337-2026-30-3-491-504</article-id><article-id pub-id-type="edn">OOBMMH</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">Neil MacCormick’s Legal-Philosophical Theory: A Critical Analysis</article-title><trans-title-group xml:lang="ru"><trans-title>Критический анализ философско-правовых взглядов Нейла МакКормика</trans-title></trans-title-group></title-group><contrib-group><contrib contrib-type="author"><contrib-id contrib-id-type="orcid">https://orcid.org/0000-0001-5266-8852</contrib-id><contrib-id contrib-id-type="spin">8260-3650</contrib-id><name-alternatives><name xml:lang="en"><surname>Gorbunov</surname><given-names>Maxim D.</given-names></name><name xml:lang="ru"><surname>Горбунов</surname><given-names>Максим Дмитриевич</given-names></name></name-alternatives><bio xml:lang="en"><p>Candidate of Law, Associate Professor, Department of Theory and History of State and Law, Law Faculty</p></bio><bio xml:lang="ru"><p>кандидат юридических наук, доцент кафедры теории и истории государства и права, юридический факультет</p></bio><email>maxandgor@gmail.com</email><xref ref-type="aff" rid="aff1"/></contrib></contrib-group><aff-alternatives id="aff1"><aff><institution xml:lang="en">National Research Lobachevsky State University of Nizhni Novgorod</institution></aff><aff><institution xml:lang="ru">Национальный исследовательский Нижегородский государственный университет им. Н. И. Лобачевского</institution></aff></aff-alternatives><pub-date date-type="pub" iso-8601-date="2026-09-30" publication-format="electronic"><day>30</day><month>09</month><year>2026</year></pub-date><volume>30</volume><issue>3</issue><issue-title xml:lang="en"/><issue-title xml:lang="ru"/><fpage>491</fpage><lpage>504</lpage><history><date date-type="received" iso-8601-date="2026-10-02"><day>02</day><month>10</month><year>2026</year></date></history><permissions><copyright-statement xml:lang="en">Copyright ©; 2026, Gorbunov M.D.</copyright-statement><copyright-statement xml:lang="ru">Copyright ©; 2026, Горбунов М.Д.</copyright-statement><copyright-year>2026</copyright-year><copyright-holder xml:lang="en">Gorbunov M.D.</copyright-holder><copyright-holder xml:lang="ru">Горбунов М.Д.</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/52584">https://journals.rudn.ru/law/article/view/52584</self-uri><abstract xml:lang="en"><p>A nuanced understanding of the theory of Neil MacCormick, one of the leading figures in contemporary analytical jurisprudence, is crucial for enriching the ontological and epistemological foundations of modern Russian legal theory. MacCormick has exerted a significant influence on current scholarly debates in analytical jurisprudence and has advanced theoretical and practical arguments that are important for the development of a positivist conception of law. The aim of this study is to develop a critical assessment of his legal theory by reconstructing the premises and core elements of his theory. The research employs a range of philosophical, general scientific, and specialized methods, including dialectics, formal logic, and systemic, historical, and biographical approaches. It is shown that MacCormick’s views took shape within the specific intellectual environment of Anglo-American academic discourse during the contemporary stage in the development of analytical philosophy and jurisprudence. An analysis of the contemporary scholarly debate surrounding MacCormick’s views, together with the author’s critical observations, shows that his theory, which evolved from positivism to post-positivism, presents problems of theoretical positioning and related shortcomings. The study concludes that MacCormick offers a narrowly liberal understanding of law that does not take into account the diversity of existing legal systems. At the same time, he successfully identifies key regularities in the functioning of contemporary law, case law and legal argumentation, as well as the specific features of supranational regulation in its interaction with national legal orders.</p></abstract><trans-abstract xml:lang="ru"><p>Глубокое понимание теории Нейла МакКормика, одного из ведущих представителей современной аналитической юриспруденции, имеет важное значение для обогащения онтологических и эпистемологических основ современной отечественной юридической теории. Правовед оказал существенное влияние на современную научную дискуссию в аналитической юриспруденции и представил теоретические и практические аргументы, важные для развития позитивистского правопонимания. Цель исследования - формирование критических замечаний к правовой теории правоведа на основе реконструкции предпосылок и основных положений его концепции. Исследование проводилось с использованием комплекса философских, общенаучных и специальных методов познания, включая диалектику, методы формальной логики, системный, исторический и биографический методы. Установлено, что взгляды правоведа формировались в особых условиях интеллектуальной среды англо-американского научного дискурса в контексте становления современного этапа развития аналитической философии и юриспруденции. Анализ современной научной дискуссии вокруг взглядов МакКормика в сочетании с авторскими замечаниями позволил установить, что взгляды правоведа, прошедшие эволюционное развитие от позитивистской к постпозитивистской теории, имеют проблему позиционирования и связанные с этим недостатки. В результате был сделан вывод о том, что МакКормик предлагает узкое понимание права в контексте либеральной теории, не учитывающее многообразие существующих правовых систем. В то же время правовед показывает актуальные закономерности функционирования современного права, практики прецедентов и правовой аргументации, особенности функционирования наднационального нормативного регулирования в его связи с национальным правом.</p></trans-abstract><kwd-group xml:lang="en"><kwd>analytical philosophy</kwd><kwd>Anglo-American legal thought</kwd><kwd>philosophy of law</kwd><kwd>analytical jurisprudence</kwd><kwd>legal theory</kwd><kwd>legal positivism</kwd><kwd>legal practice</kwd><kwd>law enforcement</kwd><kwd>normative system</kwd><kwd>axiology of law</kwd></kwd-group><kwd-group xml:lang="ru"><kwd>аналитическая философия</kwd><kwd>англо-американская правовая мысль</kwd><kwd>философия права</kwd><kwd>аналитическая юриспруденция</kwd><kwd>правопонимание</kwd><kwd>юридический позитивизм</kwd><kwd>юридическая практика</kwd><kwd>правоприменение</kwd><kwd>нормативная система</kwd><kwd>аксиология права</kwd></kwd-group><funding-group/></article-meta><fn-group/></front><body></body><back><ref-list><ref id="B1"><label>1.</label><mixed-citation>Aarnio, A. (2011) Essays on the Doctrinal Study of Law. New York, Springer.</mixed-citation></ref><ref id="B2"><label>2.</label><mixed-citation>Alexy, R. (2000) On the Structure of Legal Principles. Ratio Juris. 13 (3), 294-304.</mixed-citation></ref><ref id="B3"><label>3.</label><mixed-citation>Anscombe, G.E.M. (1958) On Brute Facts. Analysis. 18 (3), 69-72.</mixed-citation></ref><ref id="B4"><label>4.</label><mixed-citation>Bertea, S. (2008) MacCormick’s Latest Views of Legal Reasoning and the Positivist Concept of Law. In: Fossum, J.E. &amp; Menendez, A.J. (eds.) The Post-Sovereign Constellation: Law and Politics in Neil MacCormick’s Theory of Law. Oslo, ARENA Publ., pp. 87-107.</mixed-citation></ref><ref id="B5"><label>5.</label><mixed-citation>Blichner, L. (2008) Juridification from Below: The Dynamics of MacCormick’s Institutional Theory of Law. In: Fossum, J.E. &amp; Menendez, A.J. (eds.) The Post-Sovereign Constellation: Law and Politics in Neil MacCormick’s Theory of Law. Oslo, ARENA Publ., pp. 37-72.</mixed-citation></ref><ref id="B6"><label>6.</label><mixed-citation>Carbonell, F. (2008) Coherence and Post-Sovereign Legal Argumentation. In: Fossum, J.E. &amp; Menendez, A.J. (eds.) The Post-Sovereign Constellation: Law and Politics in Neil MacCormick’s Theory of Law. Oslo, ARENA Publ., pp. 109-152.</mixed-citation></ref><ref id="B7"><label>7.</label><citation-alternatives><mixed-citation xml:lang="en">Chetvernin, V.A. &amp; Yakovlev, A.V. (2009) Institutional Theory of Law. Moscow, HSE University Publ. (In Russian).</mixed-citation><mixed-citation xml:lang="ru">Четвернин В.А., Яковлев А.В. Институциональная теория права. М. : ГУ-ВШЭ, 2009. 25 с.</mixed-citation></citation-alternatives></ref><ref id="B8"><label>8.</label><mixed-citation>Dworkin, R. (1963) Judicial Discretion. Journal of Philosophy. 60 (21), 624-638. https://doi.org/10.2307/2023557</mixed-citation></ref><ref id="B9"><label>9.</label><citation-alternatives><mixed-citation xml:lang="en">Dworkin, R. (2004) Taking Rights Seriously. Trans. Lakhuti, M.D. &amp; Makheeva, L.B. Moscow, ROSSPEN Publ. (In Russian). EDN: QVXKZT.</mixed-citation><mixed-citation xml:lang="ru">Дворкин Р. О правах всерьез / пер. с англ. М.Д. Лахути, Л.Б. Махеевой; ред. Л.Б. Макеева. М. : РОССПЭН, 2004. 392 с. EDN: QVXKZT.</mixed-citation></citation-alternatives></ref><ref id="B10"><label>10.</label><mixed-citation>Finnis, J. (2000) The Truth in Legal Positivism. In: George, R.P. (ed.) The Autonomy of Law. Oxford, Clarendon Press, pp. 195-214.</mixed-citation></ref><ref id="B11"><label>11.</label><mixed-citation>Fuller, L.L. (1958) Positivism and Fidelity to Law - A Reply to Professor Hart. Harvard Law Review. 71 (4), 630-672. https://doi.org/10.2307/1338226</mixed-citation></ref><ref id="B12"><label>12.</label><mixed-citation>Hart, H.L.A. (1953) Philosophy of Law and Jurisprudence in Britain (1945-1952). The American Journal of Comparative Law. 2 (3), 355-364. https://doi.org/10.2307/837483</mixed-citation></ref><ref id="B13"><label>13.</label><citation-alternatives><mixed-citation xml:lang="en">Hart, H.L.A. (2007) The Concept of Law. Trans. Afonasin, E.V., Babak, M.V., Didikin, A.B. &amp; Moiseev, S.V. Saint Petersburg, St. Petersburg State University Publ. (In Russian). EDN: VYOZJL.</mixed-citation><mixed-citation xml:lang="ru">Харт Г.Л.А. Понятие права / пер. с англ. Е.В. Афонасина, М.В. Бабака, А.Б. Дидикина, С.В. Моисеева. Санкт-Петербург : Изд-во С.-Петерб. ун-та, 2007. 302 с. EDN: VYOZJL.</mixed-citation></citation-alternatives></ref><ref id="B14"><label>14.</label><citation-alternatives><mixed-citation xml:lang="en">Kondurov, V.E. &amp; Kraevsky, A.A. (2019) Legal institutions and norms: the problem of validity and effectiveness of law in legal institutionalism. Proceedings of the Institute of State and Law of the RAS. 14 (6), 95-144. (In Russian). https://doi.org/10.35427/2073-4522-2019-14-6-kondurov-kraevsky EDN: BZVTSI.</mixed-citation><mixed-citation xml:lang="ru">Кондуров В.Е., Краевский А.А. Правовые институты и нормы: проблема действительности и действенности права в юридическом институционализме // Труды Института государства и права Российской академии наук. 2019. Т. 14. № 6. С. 95-144. https://doi.org/10.35427/2073-4522-2019-14-6-kondurov-kraevsky EDN: BZVTSI.</mixed-citation></citation-alternatives></ref><ref id="B15"><label>15.</label><mixed-citation>La Latta, M. (2008) On Law and Morality. Reflections on MacCormick’s Philosophy of Law. In: Fossum, J.E. &amp; Menendez, A.J. (eds.) The Post-Sovereign Constellation: Law and Politics in Neil MacCormick’s Theory of Law. Oslo, ARENA Publ., pp. 73-86.</mixed-citation></ref><ref id="B16"><label>16.</label><mixed-citation>MacCormick, N. (1973) Law as Institutional Fact. Edinburgh, University of Edinburgh.</mixed-citation></ref><ref id="B17"><label>17.</label><mixed-citation>MacCormick, N. (1976) Formal Justice and the Form of Legal Arguments. Logique et Analyse. 19 (73), 103-118.</mixed-citation></ref><ref id="B18"><label>18.</label><mixed-citation>MacCormick, N. (1978) Legal Reasoning and Legal Theory. Oxford, Clarendon Press.</mixed-citation></ref><ref id="B19"><label>19.</label><mixed-citation>MacCormick, N. (1981) H.L.A. Hart. London, Edward Arnold.</mixed-citation></ref><ref id="B20"><label>20.</label><mixed-citation>MacCormick, N. (1986) An institutional theory of law: New approaches to legal positivism. Boston, D. Reidel Publishing Company.</mixed-citation></ref><ref id="B21"><label>21.</label><mixed-citation>MacCormick, N. (1992) Natural Law and the Separation of Law and Morals. In: George, R.P. (ed.) Natural Law Theory: Contemporary Essays. Oxford, Clarendon Press., pp. 105-133.</mixed-citation></ref><ref id="B22"><label>22.</label><mixed-citation>MacCormick, N. (1997) The Ideal and the Actual of Law and Society. In: Tasioulas, J. (ed.) Law, Values and Social Practices. Aldershot, Dartmouth Publishing Company, pp. 15-37.</mixed-citation></ref><ref id="B23"><label>23.</label><mixed-citation>MacCormick, N. (1999) Questioning Sovereignty: Law, State, and Nation in the European Commonwealth. Oxford, Oxford University Press.</mixed-citation></ref><ref id="B24"><label>24.</label><mixed-citation>MacCormick, N. (2005) Rhetoric and the Rule of Law: A Theory of Legal Reasoning. Oxford, Oxford University Press. https://doi.org/10.1093/acprof:oso/9780199571246.001.0001</mixed-citation></ref><ref id="B25"><label>25.</label><mixed-citation>MacCormick, N. (2007) Institutions of Law: An Essay in Legal Theory. New York, Oxford University Press.</mixed-citation></ref><ref id="B26"><label>26.</label><mixed-citation>MacCormick, N. (2008) Practical Reason in Law and Morality. Oxford, Oxford University Press. https://doi.org/10.1093/acprof:oso/9780198268772.001.0001</mixed-citation></ref><ref id="B27"><label>27.</label><mixed-citation>MacCormick, N. &amp; Weinberger, O. (1986) An Institutional Theory of Law: New Approaches to Legal Positivism. Dordrecht, D. Reidel Publishing Company. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-94-015-7727-4</mixed-citation></ref><ref id="B28"><label>28.</label><mixed-citation>Searle, J.R. (1969) Speech Acts: An Essay in the Philosophy of Language. London, Cambridge University Press.</mixed-citation></ref><ref id="B29"><label>29.</label><mixed-citation>Searle, J.R. (1995) The Construction of Social Reality. New York, Free Press.</mixed-citation></ref><ref id="B30"><label>30.</label><mixed-citation>Twining, W. (2012) Donald Neil MacCormick 1941-2009. In: Johnston, R. (ed.) Biographical Memoirs of Fellows of the British Academy. XI. Oxford, The British Academy &amp; Oxford University Press, pp. 448-471.</mixed-citation></ref><ref id="B31"><label>31.</label><mixed-citation>Villa, V. (2009) Neil MacCormick’s Legal Positivism. In: Del Mar, M. &amp; Bankowski, Z. (eds.) Law as Institutional Normative Order. London, Routledge, pp. 45-64.</mixed-citation></ref></ref-list></back></article>
