Law as a Social Engineering Tool in the Legal Philosophy of Roscoe Pound

Keywords: sociological jurisprudence, Roscoe Pound, social engineering, social interest, American legal realism, legal realism

Abstract: The article discusses the subject of Roscoe Pound’s sociological jurisprudence with particular emphasis on the concept of social engineering, as well as the use of law as a tool through which the assumptions of this concept are implemented. The article also presents the key concepts of social engineering, specifically the theory of social interests, defined by R. Pound, and the theory of social development stages, which theories form the basis which enables the assumptions of social engineering to be implemented. The article also presents the sources of inspiration that R. Pound was guided by in the process of developing his theories. The concept of social engineering is compared to the theories of Leon Petrażycki, Alf Ross, and Karl Popper. The benefits and threats of social engineering are also indicated. The conclusions touch upon the subject of the topicality of R. Pound’s philosophy in the context of contemporary democracy and the potential threats to civil liberties that could flow from the implementation of the assumptions of R. Pound’s philosophy.