Abstract:

There has always been a space for the comparative method among the wide range of methods studying legal phenomena that jurisprudence usually uses.  This method became very significant at the beginning of the last century when comparative legal research in the private law field became more dynamic. The needs of trade practice determined the trends of unification and harmonization of national legislation. As a result, comparative research has started to develop in quality. In modern civil science, the comparative method is considered one of the most common cognition methods. However, it should be admitted that selecting this method for legal research is primarily because of socio-political reasons. For example, in Eastern European countries during the Soviet period, comparative research was not approved and was admitted mostly as an exception. Interest in comparative studies increased sharply in the late XX- early XXI centuries since some social and legal changes took place in these countries. In particular, the sudden switching from the socialistic economic system to the market economy also required other legal instruments that legal experts were looking to borrow from the leading developed countries' legal systems. European scientists' particular interest in the comparative method is primarily due to the integration processes taking place within the EU.