Anthropological and legal review of the research on «The origin of family, private property and state» by Friedrich Engels

The article adduces a summary of the main statements work of Friedrich Engels’ work «Origin of the family, private property and state» concerning with the modern scientific view on the universal norm-setting-regulators of human behavior. The author's position on the integrated approach to the study of social norms and controls is proposed, it is based on the thesis of the need to study the whole process of anthropogenesis highlighting key "revolutionary" moments. In this connection proposal of F. Engels on the origin of the family and the state, based on the gradual regulation of marital relations, beginning with promiscuity and to the modern nuclear family, can be useful for research in the origin and evolution of law. The article proposes the author's hypothesis concerning taboo as a universal social regulator having normative universal nature.