Discourses and ideas that underpinned the rule of law. A look from the history of political ideas in Ukraine in the 19th and 20th centuries

Abstract

In general, the history of Ukraine from the 19th century to the present is marked by profound transformations. In this context, the overall objective of this research is to critically reinterpret the discourses and ideas that served as the basis for the rule of law in Ukraine during the 19th and 20th centuries. For the achievement of this objective, use is made of the historical method under the approach of the history of ideas and hermeneutics to understand the texts and their contexts through time. The results allow us to conclude that, discourses and ideas about the rule of law in Ukraine have evolved from federalist and customary notions in the 19th century, to become a central element of the contemporary national project. Although marked by historical tensions and external and internal challenges, these discourses have been instrumental in articulating Ukraine’s democratic and sovereign aspirations. From its struggle against imperial domination to its resistance in the face of external aggression in the twenty-first century, the rule of law has been both a goal and a means of asserting Ukrainian national identity, hence its significance far transcends the legal narrative.