Order without Law: How Neighbors Settle Disputes

Translated to Russian by M. Markov and A. Laschev; under scientific editing by D. Kadochnikov. Moscow, Gaidar Institute Press, 2017. – 520 p.

ISBN 978‑5‑93255‑468‑5

In Order without Law, Robert Ellickson shows that law is far less important than is generally thought. He demonstrates that people largely govern themselves by means of informal rules – social norms – that develop without the aid of a state or other central coordinator. Integrating the latest scholarship in law, economics, sociology, game theory, and anthropology, Ellickson investigates the uncharted world within which order is successfully achieved without law.

Drawing examples from a wide variety of social contexts, including whaling grounds, photocopying centers, and landlord-tenant relations, Ellickson explores the interaction between informal and legal rules and the usual domains in which these competing systems are employed. Order without Law firmly grounds its analysis in real-world events, while building a broad theory of how people cooperate to mutual advantage.