Legal Realism as a Positivistic Theory of Law
| Autor | Riccardo Guastini |
| Cargo | Istituto Tarello per la filosofia del diritto - Università degli Studi di Genova, Italia |
| Páginas | 127-137 |
Legal Realism as a Positivistic Theory of Law
El realismo jurídico como teoría positivista del derecho
Riccardo Guastini
Istituto Tarello per la losoa del diritto - Università degli Studi di Genova, Italia
guastini@unige.it
Abstract: Since the Sixties, following Norberto Bobbio, everyone is (or should be) used
to distinguis h among methodological , theoretical, and ideo logical legal positivism
(LP). By the way, in Italia n legal-philosophical literature, LP is oen opp osed to lega l
realism (LR). One has to wond er, however: what kind of LP and what kind of LR are we
talking about? As to LR, those scholars who oppose realism and positivism have in mind
most of all Scandinavian Realism, especial ly Olivecrona and Ross. As to LP, those s cho-
lars who oppos e realism and positivism have in min d either the 19th ce ntury prevailing
theory of law or Kelsen’s pure theory. e opposition bet ween LR and the pure theory is
sound. Nonetheless, such an opposition does not aris e from a supposed anti-positivistic
stance of LR. It depends on two non-posit ivistic theses endorsed by Kelsen: the conc ept
of validity a s binding force, and the normative theory of le gal science, conceived of a set
of deontic (non-factual) sentences echoin g valid ( i.e., binding ) norms. e opposition
between LR and 19th century LP is equal ly sound, but does not hold when referred to
contemporary LP, which is mainly conceived of as a methodolo gical (Benthamite) att i-
tude towards the law. L R is an openly positivistic view about the law. To be sure, not all
positivist legal schol ars are realist, but al l realists are (“hard”) positivists.
Keywords: methodological legal posit ivism, theoretical legal positivism, ideologica l legal
positivism, legal real ism.
Resumen: Desde los años sesenta del siglo XX, si guiendo a Norberto Bobbio, todo el
mundo es (o debería ser) capaz d e distinguir entre tres formas de pos itivismo jurídico
(LP): (a) meto dológico, (b) teórico, y (c) ideológico. Por cierto, en la l iteratura iuslosó-
ca italiana , a menudo se contrapone el LP al realismo juríd ico (LR). Si n embargo, ¿de
qué tipo de LP y de LR estamos hablando? En cuanto al LR , los iuslósofos que oponen
realismo y positivismo tien en en mente esencialmente el realismo escandinavo, especial-
mente Olivecrona y Ross. En cuanto al LP, aquello s iuslósofos que oponen realismo y
positivismo t ienen en mente, o bien la teo ría del derecho d ominante en el s iglo XIX, o
bien la teoría pura de Kelsen. La oposición entre e l LR y la teoría pura es fundada. No
Isonomía • Núm. 53 • 2020 • 10.5347/isonomia.v0i53.302 • [127]
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