Smirnova V. V. On Development of the Legal Basis of Russian Federalism and Problem of Governance

Abstract: This article notes that governance of the social and political processes and tendencies characteristic of our country in its today’s condition is impossible without identifying the specific features of the structure of the Russian Federation. The Russian Constitution adopted in 1993, while establishing the principle of federalism as one of the fundamental qualities of the constitutional system of Russia, confirmed the federative nature of our country. Being a multi-ethnic country with a vast territory, various natural and geographic condition, the Russian Federation has its own specific features in the establishment and development of the federative relations. An expression of the unique nature of the Russian federal model is the fact that it is based on a combination of two principles – national and territorial. This article is based on the general scientific research method and the historical, comparative legal, politological, institutional methods. The systematic approach was of large importance to the adequate description of the subject, under this approach, the Russian federal constituents were viewed as elements of an integral complex system of a federative state. The systematic approach makes it possible to demonstrate the genesis, legal status and problems of the creation and development of the Russian federal constituents as a result of the changing system of social relations as a whole, the conflict of various trends and political forces in the Russian society. The work presents the jurisprudential analysis and considers, first of all, the institutional and legal aspects of improving the state structure through the lens of the constitutional and legal status of the Russian federal constituents. Before signing the Federal Agreement in 1992, the federation was built on the basis of the national principle, afterwards the territorial principle was added. The territories which were previously administrative territorial entities (regions, cities of Moscow and Saint-Petersburg) were given the status of the Russian federal constituents. Today, as a result of all the transformations, the Russian Federation is composed of over 80 constituents. No other federation in the world has known so many constituents. Their number and differences between them bring certain difficulties to the system of public administration and formation of federative relations.

Keywords: