Sobre la evolución del bien jurídico penal: un intento de saltar más allá de la propia sombra

The author reviews the history and evolution of the legal good, analyzing its relationship with inquiry regarding the legitimacy of penal norms. The origins of the concept in Birnbaum's work are thus reviewed and the main dogmatic positions regarding the legal good's content are explained. Consequently, both the diverse theories related to a critical or material vision of the legal good -where the legal goods' protection is a condition of legitimacy- as well the theories in which said concept is identified with the ratio legis and according to which the function of Penal law is to reaffirm the validity of the infringed norm. After analyzing the theories that use new criteria and principles of legitimacy that seek to complement the role of the legal good, the article concludes attempting to show the dilemma facing the legal good theory: without independent content provided by the legislator it cannot be limited, but with independent content it rises as a countermajoritarian barrier that affects democratic principles.