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Behind the Iron Curtain: The Surprising Soviet Influence on Western Justice
Title / Series / Name
Kutafin Law Review
Publication Volume
12
Publication Issue
1
Pages
Authors
Editors
Keywords
URI
https://hdl.handle.net/20.500.14018/26970
Abstract
In the shadow of the Cold War, as the world watched two superpowers locked in ideological combat, an unexpected legal revolution was quietly unfolding. While politicians and generals strategized over potential battlefields, Soviet legal innovations were stealthily crossing borders, reshaping Western justice systems in ways that would have been unimaginable to many at the time. John Quigley's “Soviet Legal Innovation and the Law of the Western World” unveils this hidden narrative, challenging our understanding of the 20th-century legal evolution and forcing us to reconsider the complex legacy of Soviet jurisprudence in the modern Western legal landscape.
Published in 2007, “Soviet Legal Innovation and the Law of the Western World” by John Quigley offers an interesting examination of the often-underestimated influence of Soviet legal concepts on Western law. Professor Quigley, a law professor at Ohio State University, challenges the commonly held beliefs concerning the relationship between Western and Soviet legal systems throughout the 20th century. The book's central premise is that contrary to popular belief, certain Soviet legal innovations gradually infiltrated Western legal systems, effecting significant and unexpected transformations. Quigley extensively examines this influence across various legal domains, including labor law, family law, human rights, women’s rights, international law, criminal justice, and economic rights. By examining the secret narrative of legal cross-fertilization, the author encourages readers to reevaluate their understanding of the 20th-century legal development and the complex legacy of Soviet jurisprudence within the modern Western legal framework. This book challenges our ideas regarding the Cold War era and provides an insightful investigation of the surprising ways in which legal systems can influence one another across ideological divides.
Topic
Publisher
Place of Publication
Type
Journal article
Date
2025-04-02
Language
ISBN
Identifiers
10.17803/2713-0533.2025.1.31.170-193