The Legal Doctrine of John William Salmond as the Evolution of the Anglo-American Legal Positivist Tradition

The purpose of the research. This article examines the key ideas underlying the legal teachings of the New Zealand lawyer, civil servant and judge John William Salmond (1862-1924), who, as the authors of this study demonstrate, was one of the first critics of the “command theory of law” of the founder of the school of analytical jurisprudence John Austin (1790-1859). By analyzing and interpreting Salmond’s legal doctrine the authors refute the view, entrenched in Russian jurisprudence, that the central representative of the 20th century neo-positivism Herbert Lionel Adolphus Hart (1907-1992) is considered a pioneer in this field who initiated the criticism of Austin’s legal understanding. The authors advocate the position that Hart’s critique of the command conception and understanding of law in his teachings is largely based on Salmond’s ideas. As a result of this study the authors conclude that there are certain similarities between J.W. Salmond’s idea of “ultimate legal principles” and H.L.A. Hart’s legal doctrine on the “rule of recognition”.

legal positivism, Anglo-American tradition, command theory, J. Austin, J.W. Salmond, H.L.A. Hart