本书以马克思主义民族理论为指导，以我国民族立法和民族法制建设的伟大实践为基础，坚持党的民族区域自治制度，分剐从理论与实践的角度探讨了我国民族立法的基本理论问题和民族法制涉及的主要方面。其中民族立法部分重点探讨了我国民族立法的历史发展脉络，分析了民族地区立法权的性质、地位及完善；就民族自治地方立法的作用、指导思想和具体内容进行了阐述。民族法制建设涉及的内容较多，主要包括西北少数民族地区依法行政，西北少数民族地区社会经济发展，西北少数民族地区环境资源保护和民族地区基层民主建设、公民权保障、突发事件处置等。特别是针对近几年来我国在民族立法、民族法制领域出现的新情况、新问题，提出了相应的理论认识和对策建议。Guided by the ethnic theory of Maxism, based on the practice of our national legislation and legal construction of nation and sticking with the regional autonomy of ethnic minorities, this book discusses the basic theoretical issue of national legislation and main issues relating to national legislation. The part of national legislation mainly discusses the development of national legislation, analyzes the property, role and improvement of national legislation and describles the function, guiding ideology and concrete content of local legislation of national autonomous areas. Legal construction involves many contents, including administration by law, development of social economy and protection of environmental resources in northwest minority areas, the residence of minority area and promotion of democracy at the grass-roots level, maintenance of civil rights and handling of emergencies. Especially it brings up relevant theoretical knowledge and suggestions for countermeasure to the new condition and new problems in fields of national legislation and legal institution.