Theoretical and Methodological Contribution of R. Koselleck to the History of Political and Legal Doctrines

R. Koselleck, of course, is an outstanding German methodologist of history, historiographer, leader of the «history of concepts» direction. In the article, the scientist's work is considered in two aspects: methodological (the formation of conceptual provisions for social history and the history of concepts) and political and philosophical (analysis of the key categories of political thought of the Modern era). It must be understood that as a theoretician of historical knowledge, Koselleck skillfully applied his principles in applied scientific work on specific historical topics. These are, first of all, his two dissertations: «Criticism and Crisis. Contribution to the pathogenesis of the bourgeois world» and «Prussia between reform and revolution. Land law, administration and social movement in the period from 1791 to 1848». The pinnacle of his work was the articles he wrote for the dictionary of Basic Historical Concepts, which fully reflected his methodological principles in action. Within the framework of this article, the author examines the specific works of Koselleck on the history of political and legal doctrines, written by him in the Heidelberg period of his work. It is worth noting that later the German historian became interested in such theoretical and philosophical topics as the concept of historical time and the theory of the history of concepts, which require independent research.