INSTITUTIONAL ROLE OF THE STATE AND LAW IN THE FORMATION OF LEGAL CULTURE AND LEGAL EDUCATION: THEORETICAL-LEGAL DIMENSION

Abstract

The article is devoted to a comprehensive theoretical and legal analysis of the institutional role of the state and
law in the formation of legal culture and legal education as critical factors in the socio-legal development of
modern society. The paper thoroughly substantiates the scientific position that legal culture, by its very nature,
cannot be reduced merely to the level of knowledge of legislation or the formal legal awareness of an individual.
It constitutes a complex, multifaceted system that encompasses fundamental legal values, legal consciousness,
genuine respect for the law, trust in state and legal institutions, as well as the ability of a person to consciously
exercise their own rights, fulfill legal obligations, and act in strict accordance with the requirements of law and
order. Particular attention is paid to understanding legal culture as an integral component of the general culture
of society, which manifests itself across three interconnected levels: individual, group, and societal. At the
individual level, it is revealed through lawful behavior and attitudes toward the law; at the level of social groups,
through shared legal guidelines; and at the societal level, through the general state of legality, the quality of
legislation, and the effectiveness of justice.
The article systematically reveals the leading role of the state as the primary institutional subject in shaping
legal culture and organizing legal life. It is emphasized that the state not only performs a law-making function by
creating high-quality, stable, and internally consistent legal norms but also ensures their practical
implementation. It organizes the proper functioning of public authorities, courts, and law enforcement agencies,
implements balanced legal and informational policies, and guarantees the real protection of human rights and
freedoms. At the same time, it is highlighted that the educational influence of the state is effective only provided
that the principles of legality, justice, legal certainty, and respect for human dignity are actually embodied in the
daily practice of its activities, rather than remaining exclusively at the level of theoretical declarations. Law is
separately studied as a normative and value-based foundation of legal education. Law is considered not only as a
system of universally binding rules of behavior but also as a carrier of axiological values: justice, freedom,
equality, responsibility, humanism, and legal certainty, serving as a vital means of limiting the arbitrary power
of authorities.
It is noted that the holistic institutional mechanisms for the formation of legal culture encompass the education
system, legal educational activities, judicial practice, the activities of government bodies, local self-government,
civil society institutions, mass media, digital platforms, and a well-developed system of free legal aid. The article
also focuses on the pressing problems of the formal nature of legal education (which often boils down to the
mechanical transmission of information), the spread of legal nihilism as a reaction to institutional inefficiency,
low trust in government bodies due to bureaucracy, the instability and excessive complexity of current legislation,
the significant gap between proclaimed rights and the real possibilities for their protection due to the duration or
cost of procedures, and the insufficient effectiveness of public communication between the state and citizens due to
the use of complex and excessively formalized language.

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