THE COSSACKS’ COMMON LAW: ON THE INDEPENDENT STATEHOOD ISSUE
The article reviews certain elements of the norms of the common law in the life of the Cossack communities. As a result of the study, there were made conclusions on the preservation of the common law norms typical to the ancient Cossack communities at the times of the centralized Russian state. Scientific analysis and synthesis and historical and genetic approach are used as the methodological instruments. The events are reviewed with due regard for their geography, the Cossack mentality, and the situation concerning the law-making principles and the regulations and initiatives of the Russian empire in the pre-revolutionary period.