Central Europe in second half of the 20th century, and it will not be far from the truth to mention that Davids theory still is popular in Russian legal thought even today. Acknowledging the given thesis, Hungarian comparatist I Szabo developed it further, asserting that comparative lawis a much broader concept in comparison with simply a method of jurisprudence; it is characterized as a whole movement. (5)However, I. Szabo and such scholars as Z. Peteri and w. Knapp highlight the role of the comparative method in the 'peculiar and original, development of socialist jurisprudence as opposed to bourgeois comparative legal science. (6) There will probably be little doubt that similar approaches are discriminatorily oriented towards comparative scholarship in Western Europe and the USA. Furthermore, it has always been emphasized that the comparatist should remain neutral and impartial with respect to the legal systems under investigation Another distinctive feature of the theory of comparative law as a method of legal science is that it plays an important role in the interpretation of legal norms pertaining to various legal systems, as well as in the adaptation of one socio-legal system to another. Some comparatists are inclined to regard the applicability of comparative jurisprudence as a tool for a more profound understanding of legal data, whereas such purposes of comparative jurisprudence as legal reform and the interpretation of laws are regarded as minor or subsidiary in comparative legal research. (7 It is interesting to observe the views of G. Samuel, who contends that comparative law is nothing more or less than a methodology and that its main task consists in acting as a tool for the study of internal structures of legal knowledge. (8)This point of view is maintained by M. Ancel, who believes that comparative law is neither an independent science nor a branch, but merely a method of research, which can be applied in any sphere of jurisprudence. In accordance with the comparatist, comparative law does not have sufficient theoretical and methodological standing to claim for existence as a separate branch of legal science, since it does not consist, as opposed to public or civil law, of a well-coordinated system of acting norms. (9)However, college and university readers, text-books and case-books on comparative law recently published in Russia and abroad serve a vivid refutation of the above Intensive processes of international cooperation in the second half of the 20th century occurring alongside scientific and technological progress and changes in the political, economic and cultural life of societies, the integration of European countries in the European Union, the development of a science of European law and of the idea of a new European legal order, making comparative law an indispensable component of academic curricula of many law schools and universities in Europe and the USA, attention to the theoretical problems of comparative law all contributed to the revaluation of the designation of comparative law as a method of legal science According to the second thesis, comparative law acts not so much as a method but rather as an comparatists such as Ewald, Rabel, Saley, Watson, Constantinesco, Butler, Orucu, Bogdan Nersesyants, Tikhomirov, Saidov, Marchenko and others It should be acknowledged that the period prior to the 1970s and 1980s of the 20th century is characterized by the domination of the 'method theory, while at the turn of the century more andCentral Europe in second half of the 20th century, and it will not be far from the truth to mention that David's theory still is popular in Russian legal thought even today. Acknowledging the given thesis, Hungarian comparatist I. Szabo developed it further, asserting that 'comparative law' is a much broader concept in comparison with simply a method of jurisprudence; it is characterized as 'a whole movement'.(5) However, I. Szabo and such scholars as Z. Peteri and W. Knapp highlight the role of the comparative method in the 'peculiar and original' development of socialist jurisprudence as opposed to 'bourgeois comparative legal science'.(6) There will probably be little doubt that similar approaches are discriminatorily oriented towards comparative scholarship in Western Europe and the USA. Furthermore, it has always been emphasized that the comparatist should remain neutral and impartial with respect to the legal systems under investigation. Another distinctive feature of the theory of comparative law as a method of legal science is that it plays an important role in the interpretation of legal norms pertaining to various legal systems, as well as in the adaptation of one socio-legal system to another. Some comparatists are inclined to regard the applicability of comparative jurisprudence as a tool for a more profound understanding of legal data, whereas such purposes of comparative jurisprudence as legal reform and the interpretation of laws are regarded as minor or subsidiary in comparative legal research.(7) It is interesting to observe the views of G. Samuel, who contends that comparative law is nothing more or less than a methodology and that its main task consists in acting as a tool for the study of internal structures of legal knowledge.(8) This point of view is maintained by M. Ancel, who believes that comparative law is neither an independent science nor a branch, but merely a method of research, which can be applied in any sphere of jurisprudence. In accordance with the comparatist, comparative law does not have sufficient theoretical and methodological standing to claim for existence as a separate branch of legal science, since it does not consist, as opposed to public or civil law, of a well-coordinated system of acting norms.(9) However, college and university readers, text-books and case-books on comparative law recently published in Russia and abroad serve a vivid refutation of the above. Intensive processes of international cooperation in the second half of the 20th century occurring alongside scientific and technological progress and changes in the political, economic and cultural life of societies, the integration of European countries in the European Union, the development of a science of European law and of the idea of a new European legal order, making comparative law an indispensable component of academic curricula of many law schools and universities in Europe and the USA, attention to the theoretical problems of comparative law - all contributed to the revaluation of the designation of comparative law as a method of legal science. According to the second thesis, comparative law acts not so much as a method but rather as an independent scientific and educational discipline.(10) Among adherents of this theory are comparatists such as Ewald, Rabel, Saley, Watson, Constantinesco, Butler, Örücü, Bogdan, Nersesyants, Tikhomirov, Saidov, Marchenko and others. It should be acknowledged that the period prior to the 1970s and 1980s of the 20th century is characterized by the domination of the 'method theory', while at the turn of the century more and