Zholobova O.A. The peculiarities of formation of regional policy concept in modern Russia

Abstract: : In respect to the contemporary Russian reality it is reasonable to consider regional policy in the light of formation and development of federative relations. The federal centre and relatively independent (within the frameworks of their powers) subjects of the federation, which are in a permanent correlation and serve as systems of political institutions and political interests, are the main actors of federative relations. Therefore, the relations within a system “center-regions” are contentious by their nature: a region almost always strives for the extension of political autonomy, while the federal center prefers the strategy of suppression. The methodology of the research is based on the system, structural-functional, and comparative approaches, the methods of Russian studies, analysis, synthesis, modeling, observation, and expert evaluations. In the conditions of the federal model of administrative-territorial system the possibility of carrying out of a complex and systematized regional policy is determined by a consistency and balance of relations between the federal centre and the subjects of the federation. At the same time, the domination of either centralization or decentralization forces to choose a definite strategy of regional development: either a selective model in the conditions of a centralized federal model, or a general-system model in the conditions of decentralization and a high level of financial and political autonomy of the regions.

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