Research Article
BibTex RIS Cite

The Concept of Living Law in the Sociology of Eugen Ehrlich

Year 2024, Volume: 11 Issue: 1, 14 - 36, 15.03.2024
https://doi.org/10.51702/esoguifd.1380652

Abstract

The concept of "living law" is frequently used in the literature of legal sociology. However, there is still a debate about what this concept means and what it encompasses among legal scholars and sociologists. Eugen Ehrlich, who first used the concept of living law, often emphasized that law is not only composed of written rules but should also encompass social and cultural forms, and norms generated by other forms of life. Since social norms change relative to time and region, these changes also differentiate other legal rules. An action that is legally accepted in one society may be seen as illegal in another. Rules that were considered in line with norms by society in any historical period change over time. The concept of "living law" is discussed on the basis that traces of old rules are present in norms formed as a result of this change. In living law, all rules, whether written or unwritten, arise from the differences in the values and norms of societies. Therefore, written law must take into account a society's traditions and values. When this is not taken into consideration by lawmakers and interpreters, societal norms conflicting with written law force society to act according to its own norms and values. This study was conducted using a literature review technique. Starting from Ehrlich's works, the aim was to make a sociological analysis of the bridge established between law and sociology. The study was limited by taking into account the written works on living law debates. In addition, the sources in the literature discussing this subject were evaluated comparatively. In the study, it was concluded that the content of the living law concept actually stems from the rules produced by social groups to maintain internal order. These rules, even if they are not in writing (even if they are not found in positive legal texts), are understood as a legal order that dominates all aspects of social life. In addition, living law is understood as a legal sociological approach developed as rules produced by societal life and interaction, rather than the state.

References

  • Alan Hunt. The Sociological Movement in Law London. London: The Macmillan Press Ltd, 1978.
  • Brian Z. Tamanaha. “A Vision of Social-Legal Change: Rescuing Ehrlich from "Living Law". Law & Social Inquiry 36/1 (2011), 297-318.
  • Tri Laksmi Indreswari. “The Living Law’s Relationship with State Law in the Judge’s Decision: Indonesian Legal Pluralism”. International Journal of Recent Technology and Engineering 8/4 (2019), 4189-4191.
  • Emile Durkheim. “The Evolution of Punishment” Durkheim and the Law. ed. Steven Lukes, Andrew Scull. 102-132 (2013), New York: St. Martin’s Press.
  • Engin Topuzkanamış. “Max Weber’de Ekonomi, Hukuk ve Rasyonalite”, Dokuz Eylül Üniversitesi Hukuk Fakültesi Dergisi, 14/2 (2012) 253-274.
  • Eugen Ehrlich. "Montesquieu and Sociological Jurisprudence", Harvard Law Review, 29/6 (1916), 582-600.
  • Javier Treviño. The Sociology of Law: Classical and Contemporary Perspectives. New Brunswick, N.J: Transaction Publishers, 2008.
  • Karl Marx. “Debates on the Law on Thefts of Wood”. Collected Works. Karl Marx-Friedrich Engels. New York: International Publishers, 1975.
  • Sir Henry Maine. Ancient Law: Its Connection with the Early History of Society and Its Relation to Modem Ideas. Gloucester: MA: Peter Smith., 1970.
  • Mathieu Deflem. Sociology of Law: Visions of a Scholarly Tradition. U.K: Cambridge University Press, 2008.
  • Max Weber. Economy and Society: An Outline of Interpretive Sociology. Berkeley: University of California Press, 1978.
  • Mehmet Yüksel. "Modern Toplumda Hukuk Kültürü". Yaşar Üniversitesi E-Dergisi 8/1 (2013), 3239-3264.
  • Michael Clarke. "Durkheim’s Sociology of Law". British Journal of Law and Society 3/2 (1976), 246-255.
  • Dragan Milovanovic. An Introduction to the Sociology of Law. Monsey, N.Y: Criminal Justice Press, 3rd ed., 2003.
  • Muhammad Munir. “Marxian Theories of Law: An Analysis”. Kardan Journal of Social Sciences and Humanities 1/2 (2018), 28-38.
  • Nicholas Timasheff. Introduction to the Sociology of Law. Cambridge: Harvard University Committee on Research in The Social Sciences, 1939.
  • James O’Day. “Ehrlich’s Living Law Revisited--Further Vindication for a Prophet without Honor”. Case Western Reserve Law Review 18/1 (1966), 210-231.
  • Paul Vogt. “Obligation and Right: The Durkheimians and the Sociology of Law”. The Sociological Domain: The Durkheimians and the Founding of French Sociology. 177-198. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 1983.
  • Robert Merton. “Durkheim’s Division of Labor in Society”. American Journal of Sociology 40/3 (1934), 319-328.
  • Roger Cotterrell. “Common Law Approaches to the Relationship between Law and Morality”. Ethical Theory and Moral Practice 3/1 (2000), 9-26.
  • Roscoe Pound. “An Appreciation of Eugen Ehrlich”. Harvard Law Review 36/1 (1922), 129-130.
  • Ülker Yükselbaba. “Emile Durkheim’a Göre Toplum, Düzen Ve Hukuk: Hukukun ve Cezanin Evrimi” İstanbul Üniversitesi Hukuk Fakültesi Mecmuası 71/1 (2022), 191-226.
  • Valerio Massimo Minale. History of Law and Other Humanities: Views of the Legal World Across the Time. Dykinson, S. L., 2019.
  • William Graham Sumner. Folkways: A Study of the Sociological Importance of Usages, Manners, Customs, Mores, and Morals. Boston: Ginn and Company, 1940.

Eugen Ehrlich Sosyolojisinde Yaşayan Hukuk Kavramı

Year 2024, Volume: 11 Issue: 1, 14 - 36, 15.03.2024
https://doi.org/10.51702/esoguifd.1380652

Abstract

Yaşayan hukuk kavramı hukuk sosyolojisi literatüründe sıklıkla kullanılmaktadır. Ancak, bu kavramın hukukçular ve sosyologlar arasında ne anlama geldiği ve neleri içerdiği halen tartışma konusudur. Yaşayan hukuk kavramını ilk kez kullanan Eugen Ehrlich, çoğunlukla hukukun sadece yazılı kurallardan oluşmadığını buna ek olarak toplumsal normları, kültürel formları ve diğer yaşam biçimlerinin meydana getirdiği normları da içermesi gerektiğini ifade etmiştir. Toplumsal normlar zamansal ve bölgesel açıdan göreceli olarak değiştiği için bu değişimler diğer hukuk kurallarını da farklılaştırmaktadır. Bir toplumda yasal olarak kabul edilen bir eylem başka bir toplumda yasa dışı olarak görülmektedir. Tarihi dönemlerin herhangi birinde toplum tarafından norma uygun olarak görünen kurallar zamanla değişim göstermektedir. Bu değişimin etkisiyle oluşan normlarda eski kuralların da izlerinin bulunduğu “yaşayan hukuk” kavramı temelinde tartışılmaktadır. Yaşayan hukukta bütün kurallar, yazılı ya da yazısız olsun, toplumların değerleri ve normlarındaki farklılaşmadan doğmaktadır. Bu nedenle yazılı hukuk toplumun geleneklerini ve değerlerini de dikkate almak zorundadır. Yasa koyucular ve yorumlayıcıları tarafından bu durum dikkate alınmadığı zaman yazılı hukukla çelişen toplumsal yaşam normları toplumu kendi norm ve değerlerine göre hareket etmek zorunda bırakmaktadır. Bu çalışma literatür tarama tekniğine göre yapılmıştır. Ehrlich’in eserlerinden yola çıkarak hukuk ve sosyoloji arasında kurulan köprünün sosyolojik analizini yapmayı amaç edinmiştir. Çalışma, yaşayan hukuk tartışmaları konusundaki yazılı eserleri dikkate alarak sınırlandırılmıştır. Buna ek olarak, literatürde bu konu hakkındaki tartışmaların yapıldığı kaynaklar karşılaştırılmalı olarak değerlendirilmeye çalışılmıştır. Çalışmada, yaşayan hukuk kavramının içeriğinin aslında sosyal grupların iç düzenini sağlamaya yönelik ürettikleri kurallardan doğduğu sonucuna ulaşılmıştır. Bu kurallar, yazılı olmasa dahi (pozitif hukuk metinlerinde de yer almasa bile) toplumsal hayatın tüm yönlerine hâkim olan hukuki düzen olarak anlaşılmaktadır. Ek olarak yaşayan hukuk, devletin değil toplumsal yaşamın ve etkileşimin ürettiği kurallar olarak geliştirilmiş bir hukuk sosyolojisi yaklaşımı olarak anlaşılmaktadır.

References

  • Alan Hunt. The Sociological Movement in Law London. London: The Macmillan Press Ltd, 1978.
  • Brian Z. Tamanaha. “A Vision of Social-Legal Change: Rescuing Ehrlich from "Living Law". Law & Social Inquiry 36/1 (2011), 297-318.
  • Tri Laksmi Indreswari. “The Living Law’s Relationship with State Law in the Judge’s Decision: Indonesian Legal Pluralism”. International Journal of Recent Technology and Engineering 8/4 (2019), 4189-4191.
  • Emile Durkheim. “The Evolution of Punishment” Durkheim and the Law. ed. Steven Lukes, Andrew Scull. 102-132 (2013), New York: St. Martin’s Press.
  • Engin Topuzkanamış. “Max Weber’de Ekonomi, Hukuk ve Rasyonalite”, Dokuz Eylül Üniversitesi Hukuk Fakültesi Dergisi, 14/2 (2012) 253-274.
  • Eugen Ehrlich. "Montesquieu and Sociological Jurisprudence", Harvard Law Review, 29/6 (1916), 582-600.
  • Javier Treviño. The Sociology of Law: Classical and Contemporary Perspectives. New Brunswick, N.J: Transaction Publishers, 2008.
  • Karl Marx. “Debates on the Law on Thefts of Wood”. Collected Works. Karl Marx-Friedrich Engels. New York: International Publishers, 1975.
  • Sir Henry Maine. Ancient Law: Its Connection with the Early History of Society and Its Relation to Modem Ideas. Gloucester: MA: Peter Smith., 1970.
  • Mathieu Deflem. Sociology of Law: Visions of a Scholarly Tradition. U.K: Cambridge University Press, 2008.
  • Max Weber. Economy and Society: An Outline of Interpretive Sociology. Berkeley: University of California Press, 1978.
  • Mehmet Yüksel. "Modern Toplumda Hukuk Kültürü". Yaşar Üniversitesi E-Dergisi 8/1 (2013), 3239-3264.
  • Michael Clarke. "Durkheim’s Sociology of Law". British Journal of Law and Society 3/2 (1976), 246-255.
  • Dragan Milovanovic. An Introduction to the Sociology of Law. Monsey, N.Y: Criminal Justice Press, 3rd ed., 2003.
  • Muhammad Munir. “Marxian Theories of Law: An Analysis”. Kardan Journal of Social Sciences and Humanities 1/2 (2018), 28-38.
  • Nicholas Timasheff. Introduction to the Sociology of Law. Cambridge: Harvard University Committee on Research in The Social Sciences, 1939.
  • James O’Day. “Ehrlich’s Living Law Revisited--Further Vindication for a Prophet without Honor”. Case Western Reserve Law Review 18/1 (1966), 210-231.
  • Paul Vogt. “Obligation and Right: The Durkheimians and the Sociology of Law”. The Sociological Domain: The Durkheimians and the Founding of French Sociology. 177-198. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 1983.
  • Robert Merton. “Durkheim’s Division of Labor in Society”. American Journal of Sociology 40/3 (1934), 319-328.
  • Roger Cotterrell. “Common Law Approaches to the Relationship between Law and Morality”. Ethical Theory and Moral Practice 3/1 (2000), 9-26.
  • Roscoe Pound. “An Appreciation of Eugen Ehrlich”. Harvard Law Review 36/1 (1922), 129-130.
  • Ülker Yükselbaba. “Emile Durkheim’a Göre Toplum, Düzen Ve Hukuk: Hukukun ve Cezanin Evrimi” İstanbul Üniversitesi Hukuk Fakültesi Mecmuası 71/1 (2022), 191-226.
  • Valerio Massimo Minale. History of Law and Other Humanities: Views of the Legal World Across the Time. Dykinson, S. L., 2019.
  • William Graham Sumner. Folkways: A Study of the Sociological Importance of Usages, Manners, Customs, Mores, and Morals. Boston: Ginn and Company, 1940.
There are 24 citations in total.

Details

Primary Language Turkish
Subjects Sociology (Other)
Journal Section Articles
Authors

Ahmet Özalp 0000-0003-3134-3084

Publication Date March 15, 2024
Submission Date October 24, 2023
Acceptance Date December 13, 2023
Published in Issue Year 2024 Volume: 11 Issue: 1

Cite

ISNAD Özalp, Ahmet. “Eugen Ehrlich Sosyolojisinde Yaşayan Hukuk Kavramı”. Eskişehir Osmangazi Üniversitesi İlahiyat Fakültesi Dergisi 11/1 (March 2024), 14-36. https://doi.org/10.51702/esoguifd.1380652.

Creative Commons Lisansı

Journal of Eskisehir Osmangazi University Faculty of Theology (ESOGUIFD) is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution Non-Commercial 4.0 International license.