Elchaninova, O.Y. Strategies for territorial structures in Russia within the context of relations between the center and the regions: historical retrospective and modern interpretation

Abstract: The object of studies in this article involves types of territorial units (provinces, autonomies, protectorates), administrative organs and mechanisms. The article involves analysis of regional reforms of the Empire period, criteria and goals for singling out administrative units. The author shows that at all of the stages of reforming the administrative system of Russia, both in a historical retrospectives and at the current stage, there is non-uniform approach, differences in understanding of goals and purposes of the reforms, lack of step-by-step attitude to their implementation in the center and in the regions. The methodological basis for the study involves a combination of general and special scientific methodological cognition principles in the sphere of social relations, which were used by the author in order to provide an objective study of the object of studies: analysis, synthesis, deduction, historical legal, dialectic, etc. The novelty of the article is due to the fact that the author for the first time provides comparative analysis of the institutions of general governorship in the Russian Federation, as well as the institution of the plenipotentiary representative of the President of the Russian Federation, then it is proven that turning to the historical experience of Russia assists understanding of the ongoing changes in the relations between the federal center and the constituent subjects of the federation and the development of the optimum model for the public regional policy.

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