The Problem of Anomie in the History of Philosophical-Legal Thought

Abstract

The purpose of the article is to research the problem of anomie in the history of philosophical and legal thought from ancient times to the present, and to identify ways of overcoming manifestations of anomie in modern Ukrainian society. Methodology. The methodological basis of the study is comprised of the general and specific methods of scientific knowledge: a dialectical method, which made it possible to consider the phenomenon under study in its development and the relationship with other phenomena of social life; the method of systemic-structural analysis has allowed to analyze the phenomenon of anomie in the context of conflict of modern society; historical method is being used to investigate the causes of anomie in the process of historical development, to find out the peculiarities of different stages of the said development, as well as its trends. Scientific novelty. Analysis of the phenomenon of anomie shows that reflections on the correlation of law and lawlessness and their influence on the organization of public life are found in ancient sources, religious guidelines, the writings of ancient thinkers. In particular, Euripides spoke of the cruelty of being, whose laws are beyond the control of man. Plato emphasized that society cannot exist without laws. The philosophers of Antiquity laid the solid theoretical and legal foundation on which the medieval thinkers continued to build their concepts. Thomas Aquinas formulated his theory of law. Moral and ethical views of medieval thinkers were developed by philosophers of later eras. In particular, the famous Renaissance thinker N. Machiavelli in the work of «The Prince» emphasized that it is possible to prevent lawlessness only on the basis of good laws and a strong army. The further development of these ideas is the subject of philosophical reflection of the XVII–XVIII centuries. Thomas Hobbs stressed that the state is the guarantor of the law, which does not allow the return of society to the original state of lawlessness. John Locke proposed the principles of separation of powers as a counter to the state of lawlessness and disorder of society, and emphasized that the purpose of the state is to guarantee natural human rights. In the
XIX–XX centuries the greatest number of systems theories and approaches to the correct understanding of the problem were developed. The introduction of the scientific concept of anomie is associated with the work of the French sociologist and philosopher Emile Durkheim. His concept was further developed in further scientific research by R. Merton, T. Parsons, E. Fromm. The study of the causes and ways of overcoming anomie remains a pressing issue for researchers of the
21^st century. The phenomena that cause the emergence of anomie in modern conditions are global. Conclusions: At present the Ukrainian society is in an anomic state because the vast majority of citizens are experiencing a moral vacuum amid diminishing values of traditional social values. That is why the need for further in-depth understanding of the phenomenon of anomie as a complex social phenomenon, concerning complex processes of social life, still remains relevant. It is proposed to overcome the manifestations of anomie in modern Ukrainian society by implementing a comprehensive state policy, which should consist of legal, socio-economic, educational and media policies.

Keywords: anomie; society; history; development; law; legality.