Abstract: The subject of this research is the ideas of state unity and combating separatism, expressed in documents of the State Committee on the State of Emergency (GKChP of USSR). The author underlines the compulsory character of establishment of this agency. The main crisis trend of the Soviet statehood of the end of 1980’s – the beginning of 1990’s became the territorial disintegration of USSR and the threat to its collapse. The developed by various political powers projects of restructuring the Soviet State by means of decentralization of administration lead to transformation of the Soviet Union into confederative institution, which legitimized capture of authority by the union republics as violation of the Constitution of USSR. The main goals of formation of GKChP reflected in its documents: “Declaration of the Soviet leadership”, “Address to the Soviet people”, “Appeal to the leaders of states and governments, and UN General Secretary”, and others. These acts list the reasons of the weakening of unity of USSR, as well as defines the measures on overcoming the separatist trends. The scientific novelty consists in attraction of the materials, which were insufficiently involved into the study of the needs of history of state and law, as well as teachings on state and law. The accessible documental heritage of GKChP allows concluding that the key goal of formation of this agency consisted in retention of the territorial integrity of the county, which also defines its “political face”. Despite the established stereotypes, the Communist component in ideology of GKChP was not as high; it was rather the expression of political will of the group of conservatively oriented Soviet leaders. The failure of GKChP accelerated the disintegration of USSR, and allowed assessing the idea of retention of the unified state as reactionary on the official level. Perhaps partially because of this, the agreement between Russia, Ukraine, and Belarus signed on December 8, 1991 that practically liquidated the Soviet Union, did not cause the tangible resonance in society.

Abstract: This article is dedicated to the political-legal ideas of the territorial integrity of the Russian state with regards to the ideas about the strong power of a monarch. The author analyses the works of Ivan Timofeev (“Chronicle”), Symeon of Polotsk (“Brief Dialogue”), Juraj Križanić (“On Politics”, “Russian State in the First Half of the XVII Century”), V. N. Tatishchev (“Conversation of Two Friends on the Use of Knowledge and Education", “'The Voluntary and Agreed Dissertation of the Assembled Russian Nobility About the State Government'), A. N. Radishchev (“Journey from St. Petersburg to Moscow”). The author unites within the framework of one topic and chronologically gradually analyses the ideas of the Russian thinker who differ in their nationality, social class, and political orientation. The conclusion is made that on the reviewed stage of development of Russia, the strong power of a monarch was considered as a guarantee for the territorial integrity of the state even by the supporters of democracy, such as A. N. Radishchev. The implementation of such ideas in accordance with the moderate national politics allowed preventing the separatist activities.

Abstract: The subject of this research is the ideas of national unity expressed in the work of the great Russian poet Alexander Sergeyevich Pushkin. The goal of this work is to analyze the creative and scientific-historical works and personal sources (correspondence) in order to determine the positions of the writer with regards to the issues of national unity and counteraction of the centrifugal trends within the history of Russia, and the Russian Empire contemporary to Pushkin. A special attention is given to sources such as the poems “To the Slanderers of Russia”, “The Anniversary of Borodino”, “Poltava”, historical essays “Notes on Eighteen-century Russian History”, “Essays on the History of Ukraine”, as well as his correspondence with Pyotr Vyazemsky. The scientific novelty of this research consists in the presentation of the problem and the use of materials that virtually have not previously been implemented in the research on the history of education on law and state. This work allowed making a conclusion that Alexander Pushkin in his works of various genre has systematically established a precise position on the issue of the need to ensure national unity in Russia.

Abstract: The subject of this research is the ideas of national unity expressed in the work of the great Russian poet Alexander Sergeyevich Pushkin. The goal of this work is to analyze the creative and scientific-historical works and personal sources (correspondence) in order to determine the positions of the writer with regards to the issues of national unity and counteraction of the centrifugal trends within the history of Russia, and the Russian Empire contemporary to Pushkin. A special attention is given to sources such as the poems “To the Slanderers of Russia”, “The Anniversary of Borodino”, “Poltava”, historical essays “Notes on Eighteen-century Russian History”, “Essays on the History of Ukraine”, as well as his correspondence with Pyotr Vyazemsky. The scientific novelty of this research consists in the presentation of the problem and the use of materials that virtually have not previously been implemented in the research on the history of education on law and state. This work allowed making a conclusion that Alexander Pushkin in his works of various genre has systematically established a precise position on the issue of the need to ensure national unity in Russia.

Abstract: The subjects of research are constitutional and legal mechanisms for counteraction to separatism in the Socialist Federal Republic of Yugoslavia. To some extent, also addressed political and legal views of a separate Serbian and Croatian political leaders about the unity of Yugoslavia, as well as the ideas expressed by the Communist party of Yugoslavia, subsequently given legal expression. The aim of the work is to analyze legal (especially constitutional) mechanisms to counter the centrifugal political forces as provided for in the Yugoslav legislation. Special attention is paid to the measures enshrined in the Constitution of the Socialist Federal Republic of Yugoslavia of 1974. During the work used a chronological and historical approaches, the method of system analysis and partly modeling. The scientific novelty of the study lies in the formulation of the problem and the involvement of the materials previously underutilized for the needs of history of state and law of foreign countries within the affected perspective. The work performed allows us to conclude that the Yugoslav Federal authorities , despite the constant desire to improve the national-state system, was not developed effective measures to combat separatism and the preservation of the common state. However, the author comes to the conclusion that the experience of the Socialist Federal Republic of Yugoslavia (primarily bad) for the prevention of centrifugal forces and open to counter separatism is very useful for modern Federal States, built to national or mixed (national and territorial) principle.

Abstract: The subject of research is the idea of the national unity, expressed in the works of one of the founders of the Slavophile direction of public opinion, K. S. Aksakov. The objectives of the work include the analysis of journalistic and artistic works of K. S. Aksakov to determine the position of the writer in relation to issues of state unity and counteract the centrifugal tendencies of the state-legal development of Russia. Special attention is paid to such sources as scientific and historical work " Brief sketch of County Councils" and the poem "the Liberation of Moscow in 1612". In the course of work used historical and comparative research methods, system analysis, and context-based analysis of the text. Scientific novelty of the conducted research is defining the problem and the involvement of previously underutilized for the history of the doctrines of the law and the state. The work allows us to conclude that K. S. Aksakov in different genre and purpose works consistently took quite a clear position on the need for political unity of Russia.

Abstract: This article is dedicated to the political views of Niccolo Machiavelli upon ensuring the territorial integrity of a nation and counteraction of regional separatism. It analyzes the treatises “The Prince” and “The Art of War”, and generalizes the experience of diplomatic work of the classic of political thought. The article demonstrates the dependency of the intensity of the centrifugal forces on the model of state governance: ruling a nation through nobility or governors. The issue of government unity is mostly prevalent in the nations that belong to the first type. Discussing the acceptable forms of ruling, the thinker comes to the conclusion that in order to unify a nation under the conditions of feudal fragmentation and clashing of the clans, the monarchy is more suitable than a republic. Taking into account the conquering nature of the politics of the medieval nations, an analysis is conducted on the legal and other means of maintaining the conquered countries within the borders: preservation of the legal and financial systems, and transfer of the capital into the newly conquered territory. Part of the methods is defined as forceful, and extralegal: destruction of the cities, and killing of the entire bloodline of the previous ruler. Certain recommendations are evaluated as rational for the modern countries that are fighting against separatism.

Abstract: This article is dedicated to the political views of Niccolo Machiavelli upon ensuring the territorial integrity of a nation and counteraction of regional separatism. It analyzes the treatises “The Prince” and “The Art of War”, and generalizes the experience of diplomatic work of the classic of political thought. The article demonstrates the dependency of the intensity of the centrifugal forces on the model of state governance: ruling a nation through nobility or governors. The issue of government unity is mostly prevalent in the nations that belong to the first type. Discussing the acceptable forms of ruling, the thinker comes to the conclusion that in order to unify a nation under the conditions of feudal fragmentation and clashing of the clans, the monarchy is more suitable than a republic. Taking into account the conquering nature of the politics of the medieval nations, an analysis is conducted on the legal and other means of maintaining the conquered countries within the borders: preservation of the legal and financial systems, and transfer of the capital into the newly conquered territory. Part of the methods is defined as forceful, and extralegal: destruction of the cities, and killing of the entire bloodline of the previous ruler. Certain recommendations are evaluated as rational for the modern countries that are fighting against separatism.