EN
The paper evaluates the meaning of the book entitled ‘The party autonomy in the private international law of contractual obligations’ written by Józef Skapski 50 years ago. After the historical background had been outlined the monograph at issue was confronted with the contemporary approaches to the party autonomy. Additionally the analysis of the law in force proves that what Józef Skąpski had already proposed half century ago has been widely accepted in international and national instruments from the field of private international law. However what makes his book the absolute must read for every adept of conflict of laws is his analysis of the parties’ choice of law as a legal act.