RSFSR Land Code of 1922 as the first codified act in the history of Russian land legislation

Abstract

The RSFSR Land Code of 1922 (LC), adopted as part of the comprehensive codification of Soviet law in the 1920s, is in the focus of this article. The Land Code is looked at as the first codified act that forms the branch of Soviet land law, defining its subject, method, and parameters of further development. The article is based on extensive historiographical material, which is systematized by periods. In the 1920s the Code of Law was in full force, therefore, a doctrinal interpretation of its norms, and authors’ comments on the Code were published. Subsequently, the Land Code of 1922 was studied with the aim of understanding and gaining historical experience in the development of new land laws. The article uses normative legal acts of the Soviet period, published documents, and archival sources. Particular attention is paid to the LC draft preparation and its further development until legislative approval. The methodology includes the dialectical method, as well as comparative legal and formal legal methods. The LC is studied as a historical source of legal content; its external criticism is given. The impact on the content of the LC of social and political conditions of previously issued acts is revealed. It is determined that the Land Code reflects consistency and novelty of the Soviet land legislation. The level of consolidation and incorporation of previously tested norms is very high. The LC most noticeable gaps and the ways to overcome them are outlined.