FOUNDATIONAL THEORIES OF RULE-OF-LAW CULTURE AND THEIR APPLICABILITY IN THE CONTEXT OF THE DIGITAL INDUSTRIAL ERA IN VIETNAM

This article examines the theoretical foundations of rule-of-law culture through four classical theoretical frameworks, namely: the internal morality of law theory developed by Lon L. Fuller, the legal culture theory advanced by Lawrence M. Friedman, rule-of-law theory, and comparative legal culture and global rule-of-law governance approaches. On that basis, the study elucidates how procedural standards of law, socio-cultural factors, and institutional rule-of-law structures jointly constitute the normative foundation that ensures law is respected, fairly enforced, and effectively operationalized. The article further identifies key bottlenecks of legal culture in the context of digital transformation in Vietnam, including lack of transparency, inconsistent enforcement, the tendency to “flexibilize” legal rules, the persistence of informal mechanisms, and limitations in digital legal awareness. Drawing upon the aforementioned theoretical foundations, particularly the internal morality of law and legal culture theories, the study proposes key implications for the development of a digital rule-of-law culture in Vietnam. These include enhancing legal transparency, strengthening digital legal trust, standardizing public service conduct, fostering a culture of compliance among enterprises, advancing digital legal education, and eliminating informal institutional practices.These implications contribute to the ongoing process of building and perfecting a socialist rule-of-law state in Vietnam in the context of globalization and digital transformation.