The concept of legality in New Economic Policy (NEP): theory and practice

In the article the author analyzed theoretical and ideological foundations of the category «legality», developed in the Soviet legal doctrine in the 20s, and the elements of legal tradition and innovation in the Soviet criminal law are revealed. This article shows an influence of theoretical findings about a role of law and legality on the legislation and on the law enforcement practice in the center of the country and in Ural. A principle of legality abandonment was accompanied by the merging of law enforcement agencies to the administrative system and totalitarian regime formation.