Justice as a foundational legal principle: historical evolution and contemporary relevance

The article is devoted to the analysis of the principle of justice as one of the fundamental and integral values of a civilized society and a fundamental element of the legal system. Particular attention is paid to the complexity and ambiguity of this concept and principle, its evolution from antiquity to the present, as well as the importance in the conditions of the globalized world. It is noted that transformational processes occurring in many spheres of public life lead to the blurring of the content of many fundamental principles, and in particular justice, which will allow the study of its evolution and modern role will not only deepen the theoretical understanding of this phenomenon, but also evaluate its potential. The purpose of the study is a comprehensive analysis of the principle of justice as a fundamental element of the legal system, taking into account its historical dynamics and modern practical importance. In the course of scientific research, general scientific and private-scientific methods of cognition were used, in particular dialectical, metaphysical historical-legal, formal-legal methods, as well as methods of legal hermeneutics and legal comparative studies. The results of the study show that justice is complex and multifaceted, which changes from antiquity to present, preserving some heredity in understanding key characteristics, which makes it possible to speak about the ideology of justice. At the same time, attention is paid to the impossibility of developing a single definition of justice, but this is not considered a disadvantage, since it is quite acceptable to have an extended interpretation of this principle, which in combination with other components of the rule of law ensures its effective implementation. Judicial practice proceeds from understanding the principle of justice as an integral component of the rule of law, which ensures equality and access to justice. The ability of justice to withstand modern challenges and threats is determined by the attitude of society and individuals, which makes the formation of critical thinking seems to be an important means of establishing and effective implementation of this principle in the legal system. The formula of «the rights and freedoms of everyone end where the rights and freedoms of others begin as the basis of justice.