Matuzov, N.I. Law and politics: antipodes or allies?

Abstract: The object of studies concerns law and politics and their correlation and interaction. It is established in which conditions law and politics can cooperate successfully as natural allies, being objectively necessary for achieving their common goals. One of the most important conditions is that the politics has to be lawful, it should be based upon law, implemented within the framework of law and by the legal means, not to be abuse of discretion, or voluntarist by nature. That is why, the article provides brief characteristics and definition of definition of legal policy as a special type of state policy, its specific features, functions, principles and purpose. The article also provides specific examples and facts in order to show in which circumstances law and politics serve as antipodes, when their goals contradict each other, rather than coinciding. The methodology of studies is provided by the author from the standpoint of the materialistic dialectics, the author uses general and specific legal cognition methods – historical, logical, formal legal, specific sociological, comparative and systemic. The scientific novelty is due to uncovering the factors and prerequisites for the positive interaction between law and politics, when they serve as allies, and the reasons for their confrontation, when they fail to find the “common ground”, contradicting each other as antipodes. The author draws a conclusion that state policy should first of all be legal, it should function within the legal area, it should be legally formed and based upon law, using legal means. Otherwise, it may lose its legitimacy and transform into the voluntarist acts of the political subjects and of those holding power.

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