Methodological development in social studies (grade 11) on the topic: Forms of political regime. Types of state (political) regimes

Which reflects the relationship between government and society, the level of political freedom and the nature of political life in the country.

In many ways, these characteristics are determined by specific traditions, culture, and historical conditions for the development of the state, so we can say that each country has its own unique political regime. However, similar features can be found among many regimes in different countries.

In the scientific literature there are two types of political regime:

• democratic;
• antidemocratic.

Signs of a democratic regime:

• rule of law;
• separation of powers;
• the presence of real political and social rights and freedoms of citizens;
• election of government bodies;
• existence of opposition and pluralism.

Signs of an anti-democratic regime:

• reign of lawlessness and terror;
• lack of political pluralism;
• absence of opposition parties;

An anti-democratic regime is divided into totalitarian and authoritarian. Therefore, we will consider the characteristics of three political regimes: totalitarian, authoritarian and democratic.

Democratic regime based on the principles of equality and freedom; The main source of power here is considered to be the people. At authoritarian regime political power is concentrated in the hands of an individual or group of people, but relative freedom is maintained outside the sphere of politics. At totalitarian regime The authorities tightly control all spheres of society.

Characteristics of political regimes

Democratic regime(from the Greek demokratia - democracy) is based on the recognition of the people as the main source of power, on the principles of equality and freedom. The signs of democracy are as follows:

• electivity - citizens are elected to government bodies through universal, equal and direct elections;
• separation of powers - power is divided into legislative, executive and judicial branches, independent of each other;
• civil society - citizens can influence the authorities with the help of a developed network of voluntary public organizations;
• equality - everyone has equal civil and political rights
• rights and freedoms, as well as guarantees for their protection;
• pluralism— respect for other people’s opinions and ideologies, including opposition ones, prevails, complete openness and freedom of the press from censorship are ensured;
• agreement - political and other social relations are aimed at finding a compromise, and not at a violent solution to the problem; all conflicts are resolved legally.

Democracy is direct and representative. At direct democracy decisions are made directly by all citizens who have the right to vote. There was direct democracy, for example, in Athens, in the Novgorod Republic, where people, gathering in the square, made a common decision on every problem. Now direct democracy is implemented, as a rule, in the form of a referendum - a popular vote on draft laws and important issues of national importance. For example, the current Constitution of the Russian Federation was adopted in a referendum on December 12, 1993.

In large areas, direct democracy is too difficult to implement. Therefore, government decisions are made by special elected institutions. This kind of democracy is called representative, since the elected body (for example, the State Duma) represents the people who elected it.

Authoritarian regime(from the Greek autocritas - power) arises when power is concentrated in the hands of an individual or group of people. Authoritarianism is usually combined with dictatorship. Political opposition is impossible under authoritarianism, but in non-political spheres, such as economics, culture or private life, individual autonomy and relative freedom are preserved.

Totalitarian regime(from Latin totalis - whole, whole) arises when all spheres of society are controlled by the authorities. Power under a totalitarian regime is monopolized (by the party, the leader, the dictator), a single ideology is obligatory for all citizens. The absence of any dissent is ensured by a powerful apparatus of supervision and control, police repression, and acts of intimidation. A totalitarian regime creates a lack of initiative personality, prone to submission.

Totalitarian political regime

Totalitarian political regime- this is a regime of “all-consuming power” that endlessly interferes in the lives of citizens, including all their activities within the scope of its management and compulsory regulation.

Signs of a totalitarian political regime:

1. Availabilitythe only mass party led by a charismatic leader, as well as a virtual merger of party and government structures. This is a kind of “-”, where the central party apparatus is in first place in the power hierarchy, and the state acts as a means of implementing the party program;

2. Monopolizationand centralization of power, when such political values ​​as submission and loyalty to the “party-state” are primary in comparison with material, religious, aesthetic values ​​in the motivation and assessment of human actions. Within the framework of this regime, the line between political and non-political spheres of life disappears (“the country as a single camp”). All life activities, including the level of private and personal life, are strictly regulated. The formation of government bodies at all levels is carried out through closed channels, bureaucratic means;

3. "Unity"official ideology, which through massive and targeted indoctrination (media, training, propaganda) is imposed on society as the only correct, true way of thinking. At the same time, the emphasis is not on individual, but on “cathedral” values ​​(state, race, nation, class, clan). The spiritual atmosphere of society is distinguished by fanatical intolerance of dissent and “dissent” according to the principle “those who are not with us are against us”;

4. Systemphysical and psychological terror, a police state regime, where the basic “legal” principle is dominated by the principle: “Only what is ordered by the authorities is allowed, everything else is prohibited.”

Totalitarian regimes traditionally include communist and fascist regimes.

Authoritarian political regime

The main features of an authoritarian regime:

1. INpower is unlimited, uncontrollable by citizens character and is concentrated in the hands of one person or group of persons. This could be a tyrant, a military junta, a monarch, etc.;

2. Support(potential or real) on strength. An authoritarian regime may not resort to mass repression and may even be popular among the general population. However, in principle, he can allow himself any actions towards citizens in order to force them to obey;

3. Mmonopolization of power and politics, preventing political opposition and independent legal political activity. This circumstance does not exclude the existence of a limited number of parties, trade unions and some other organizations, but their activities are strictly regulated and controlled by the authorities;

4. PRecruitment of leading cadres is carried out through co-optation rather than pre-election competitive struggle; There are no constitutional mechanisms for succession and transfer of power. Changes in power often occur through coups using armed forces and violence;

5. ABOUTrefusal of total control over society, non-interference or limited intervention in non-political spheres, and, above all, in the economy. The government is primarily concerned with issues of ensuring its own security, public order, defense and foreign policy, although it can also influence the strategy of economic development and pursue an active social policy without destroying the mechanisms of market self-regulation.

Authoritarian regimes can be divided into strictly authoritarian, moderate and liberal. There are also types such as "populist authoritarianism", based on equalizingly oriented masses, as well as "national-patriotic", in which the national idea is used by the authorities to create either a totalitarian or democratic society, etc.

• absolute and dualistic monarchies;
• military dictatorships, or regimes with military rule;
• theocracy;
• personal tyrannies.

Democratic political regime

Democratic regime is a regime in which power is exercised by a freely expressing majority. Democracy translated from Greek literally means “power of the people” or “democracy”.

Basic principles of a democratic regime of government:

1. Folksovereignty, i.e. The primary bearer of power is the people. All power is from the people and is delegated to them. This principle does not imply that political decisions are made directly by the people, as, for example, in a referendum. He only assumes that all bearers of state power received their power functions thanks to the people, i.e. directly through elections (deputies of parliament or the president) or indirectly through representatives elected by the people (a government formed and subordinate to parliament);

2. Free elections representatives of government, which presuppose the presence of at least three conditions: freedom to nominate candidates as a consequence of freedom of education and functioning; freedom of suffrage, i.e. universal and equal suffrage on the principle of “one person, one vote”; freedom of voting, perceived as a means of secret voting and equality for all in receiving information and the opportunity to conduct propaganda during the election campaign;

3. Subordination of the minority to the majority with strict respect for the rights of the minority. The main and natural duty of the majority in a democracy is respect for the opposition, its right to free criticism and the right to replace, based on the results of new elections, the former majority in power;

4. Implementationprinciple of separation of powers. The three branches of government - legislative, executive and judicial - have such powers and such practice that the two “corners” of this unique “triangle”, if necessary, can block the undemocratic actions of the third “corner” that are contrary to the interests of the nation. The absence of a monopoly on power and the pluralistic nature of all political institutions are a necessary condition for democracy;

5. Constitutionalismand the rule of law in all spheres of life. The law prevails regardless of the person; everyone is equal before the law. Hence the “frigidity”, “coldness” of democracy, i.e. she is rational. Legal principle of democracy: "Everything that is not prohibited by law,- allowed."

• presidential republics;
• parliamentary republics;
• parliamentary monarchies.

Political regime(from Latin regimen; French regime - management) is the method of functioning of the political system of society, which determines the nature of political life in the country, reflecting the level of political freedom and the attitude of authorities to the legal basis of their activities.

A political regime usually reflects the ways of relationships between government, society and the individual.

Opinion

Russian political scientist A.L. Gromyko:

It is advisable to distinguish between the concepts of “state regime” and “political regime”

"If first in general characterizes methods of exercising government power, That second… There is environment and conditions of political life of society, in other words, certain political climate existing in a given society at a given moment of historical development.”

Characteristics of the three main types of political regimes identified in modern political science are given in tables 4 and 5.

Table 4. Political regimes: essence

and prerequisites for the formation

Table 5. Political regimes:

Comparative characteristics

As can be seen from the last table, the type of political regime and model political management are closely interconnected and largely mutually determine each other.

The categories of political science discussed in this lecture are actively used in political and management science, creating, together with other categories (managerial, management theory, psychological, etc.) the conceptual “framework” of the theory of political management.

Questions and tasks

Why is it possible to give not one, but several definitions of politics?

Explain the contents of the four most important paradigms for explaining politics. Why is the rational-critical paradigm of greatest interest to political science?

Name the most important functions of politics. What function did he single out as the main one? R. Debre? Do you agree with the French thinker? Justify your answer.

Name the main elements of the political system, according to the theory D. Easton.

What is the meaning of the concept “political institution”? Give examples of various political institutions.

Is there a connection between the type of political regime, on the one hand, and the model and style of political governance in the country, on the other hand?

Literature

Butenko A.P., Mironov A.V. Comparative political science in terms and concepts. Textbook allowance. M.: NOU, 1998.

Introduction to Political Science: Dictionary-Reference Book / Ed. V.P. Pugacheva. M.: Aspect Press, 1996.

Weber M. Politics as recognition and profession // Anthology of world political thought. T. 2. M., 1997.

Gromyko A.L. Political regimes in the modern world: comparative analysis. M., 1999.

Zimina V.D., Borisov N.A. Political management: Textbook. M.: Ross. state humanist univ., 2008.

Kozyrev G.I. Political Science: Textbook. M.: Publishing House "Forum": INFRA-M, 2010.

Kuhn T. Structure of scientific revolutions: Sat.: Translated from English. / T. Kuhn. M.: AST Publishing House LLC, NPP Ermak CJSC, 2003.

Ledyaev V.G. Power: a conceptual analysis. M., 2001.

Sidelnikova T.T., Temnikov D.A., Sharagin I.A. Political science: comments, diagrams, aphorisms. M.: VLADOS, 1999.

Soloviev A.I. Political science: Political theory, political technologies: Textbook for universities. M.: Aspect Press, 2006.

Khalipov V.F. Encyclopedia of power. M., 2005.

1In 546 BC. e. landed in the Marathon region and soon occupied Athens, eliminating the aristocratic opposition without losses, and finally seized tyrannical power in Athens. Pisistratus financially helped the peasants, provided income for the urban poor, pursued a protectionist policy towards the trade and craft strata, and established good relations with the aristocrats. Relying on the increased wealth of Athens, he began to pursue an active foreign policy, the goal of which was to spread the influence of the Athenian polis throughout Greece. Under him, a number of new cults and festivals were introduced in Athens.

It is its state-legal structure, which determines the structure and mechanisms of governance, as well as the relations between the ruling persons and the people. The types of political regimes are different according to different criteria, but the most important thing is the concentration of power in the hands of an individual or a collective. The classification of political regimes, their concept and characteristics are briefly discussed below in the article.

A political regime is a form of organization of the management system within a power, which determines the relationship between the people and governing bodies, the level of freedoms and rights, as well as life in general.

Knowing which way of life dominates in a country, one can draw conclusions regarding its political system in a certain historical period. At the same time, it is most important to know the interaction between the government and the people (rights, freedoms, management methods) rather than the structure of the state legal system.

State-legal structures can be the same in different countries, due to the similarity of government structures. For example, you can consider Sweden and Iran: with a constitutional-monarchical structure in both, their systems are different. Sweden is a democratic republic, while Iran is an authoritarian state with the same democratic structure.

It is often difficult to clearly define a political regime. For example, the USSR was a symbol of democratic human rights and freedoms for quite a long time, and only after the collapse the true essence of the totalitarianism of this country was revealed.

Signs

To determine the current system in the country, one should study in detail the principles of organization of government institutions, policy goals and ways to achieve them. Very often there are characteristic attitudes or slogans, for example, about love for the country or achieving a goal by any means.

In addition, you should explore:

• personality position;
• public participation in politics: is it free to join a party, the election process, etc.;
• development of management institutions: activities and number of governing bodies, nature of legislation;
• ways to influence people: force or word.

The system is formed under the influence of historical folk traditions, as well as the level of political culture. The usurper or ruling party usurps the government of the state for as long as the people and civil institutions allow. Thus, in countries with a traditional culture, authoritarianism arises naturally, but with established democratic traditions this is almost impossible.

It is important to know! Anarchy is not a separate system, but its complete absence, i.e. anarchy. Such a state is possible only if the role of the current government is reduced or in the event of confrontation between different parties. In essence, anarchy is an intermediate state between state and legal structures.

Definition

The definition of a system today is possible using two different systems: institutional and sociological. Each of them has characteristics and representatives.

Let's look at them in more detail:

1. The institutional approach makes only the procedural and formal-legal characteristics of the entire management system significant. Using this approach, scientists almost erase the boundaries between the concept of system and form of government. Typically, this method of determination was characteristic of the French state, in which the way of life became part of constitutional law. Thanks to the institutional approach, three types of government were distinguished: presidential and parliamentary republic. Today, this typology has also begun to classify types of government structures. Among the supporters of this approach are the political scientist G. Lasswell and his followers.
2. Sociological approach. This method of definition is more aimed at studying the real, rather than the constitutional, relationship between government and society. In this case, one should consider the structure of a power as the relationship between its people and governing bodies, since everything is based on various connections in society, and this cannot be changed without destroying these social foundations. The sociological approach identifies the basic structures of countries: democratic, autocratic and totalitarian.

Today, science uses a social approach to defining and assessing government. The classification of political regimes also depends on the chosen approach.

Classification of political regimes

Types of political regime

First, let's look at the types of political regimes and their characteristics, which are located below according to the main criteria.

Let us consider the definitions and characteristics of each structure separately, as well as their subtypes in more detail.

Democracy

Democracy, or democracy, is a position in the state in which government is only in the hands of the people and is carried out according to their will and interests, and this is possible only in a legal power.

Political regime criteria:

• the people are the sovereign power in the country;
• regular elections to local and state government bodies;
• accountability of leaders to voters;
• the rights of citizens are actually ensured;
• decisions are made by a majority vote, and the minority is subject to it;
• law enforcement agencies are used only for their intended purpose within the framework of the law.

Democracy can be divided according to the form of popular participation into:

• direct, when people participate in preparing and making all decisions;
• plebiscitary, when people, by voting, accept or reject decisions proposed to them;
• representative, when representatives from the people are elected to governing bodies and have the right to make decisions on behalf of voters.

Today, about 80 countries in the world are democracies or emerging democracies.

Democracy

Autocracy

Authoritarianism is a position in which control is concentrated in the hands of one individual or group. At the same time, citizens retain some economic and spiritual freedoms, but they are also significantly limited (both in politics and in the culture of public consciousness). In this situation, democracy is impossible in the country either in matters of free choice or in matters of management of state structures.

It is important to know! Autocracy has a high ability to ensure political stability and social order, while actively using public resources to achieve its goals.

• military-bureaucratic;
• corporate;
• pre-totalitarian;
• postcolonial;
• racial quasi-democracy;
• sultanistic.

In essence, autocracy is a method of government with limited pluralism and the easiest way to move from totalitarianism to a democratic system.

Autocracy

Totalitarianism

- this is complete control by the ruling party of all spheres of life of the people with the help of military resources.

Signs of a totalitarian system:

• obligatory ideology;
• clear centralized management of the entire economy;
• widespread militarization;
• monopoly on government;
• Cult of personality;
• persecution and destruction of the opposition;
• terror and genocide.

Useful video: totalitarianism and authoritarianism

Useful video: characteristic features of a democratic regime

Conclusion

As a ruling system, totalitarianism emerged in the 20th century as a new type of dictatorship by exalting the cult of the state with the help of rigid ideology. Totalitarianism is known for its types: fascism, socialism, national socialism.

According to experts, such a state structure is doomed to failure and only leads to the impoverishment of the country and its decline.

In addition to the types of political systems listed above, there are transitional and emergency systems that are characteristic only for a certain period of time under certain conditions.

Russian State Trade and Economic University

Saratov Institute (Branch)

Department of Humanities

Test

in political science

Topic 11: "POLITICAL REGIMS"

Completed:

Checked:

Saratov 2003

Work plan

1. Essence and types of political regimes 3

2. Democratic regimes 5

3. Liberal political regime 8

4. Non-democratic regimes 10

Conclusion 17

References 20

1. Essence and types of political regimes

The choice of this topic is due to the fact that I would like to better understand the processes taking place in Russia today, since our country has moved from one political regime to another, namely from “totalitarianism” to “democracy”.

In this work I would like to find out what is behind these terms.

I'll start by defining the political regime. Each state has its own political regime. According to the definition of the Legal Dictionary, a political regime is called “in the science of constitutional law, a concept denoting a system of techniques, methods, forms, and ways of exercising political power. There is no single typology of political regimes. The nature of the political regime is never directly indicated in the Constitutions of states (except for the very common indications of the democratic nature of the state), but is almost always directly reflected in their content.” 1

What types of political regimes exist? There are a lot of them, since one or another type of political regime is influenced by many factors. Thus, each state, to one degree or another, has its own special political regime, and in the modern world we can talk about 140-160 regimes that differ slightly from each other.

Political regimes, as well as their classification, are of great interest and are of great importance for the theory of state and law. The issue of classifying political regimes is also very important when characterizing the state and determining its form.

Even the ancient philosopher Aristotle gave two criteria by which classification can be made:

according to whose hands the power is;

by how this power is used.

“Correct” forms of state: monarchy (the power of one person), aristocracy (power in the hands of the few “best”), politics (the power of the majority of average people in terms of property).

“Wrong” forms of state are those in which people in power act in their own interests, without caring for the good of society. “Irregular” forms include: tyranny (power in the hands of a tyrant), oligarchy (a minority in power) and democracy (control of society (the majority) over power).

The nature of the political regime existing in a particular country is evidenced by various factors, but the most important of them are the following:

methods and procedure for forming government bodies,

the order of distribution of competence between various state bodies and the nature of their relationships,

the degree of guarantee of the rights and freedoms of citizens,

the role of law in the life of society and solving public affairs,

the place and role in the state mechanism of the army, police, counterintelligence, intelligence and other similar structures, the degree of real participation of citizens and their associations in state and socio-political life, in government,

the main ways to resolve social and political conflicts that arise in society.” 2

Currently, one of the fairly simple, widespread classifications of political regimes involves dividing them into: totalitarian, authoritarian and democratic. Thus, the most significant of the political regimes are the following four:

a) democratic political regime;

b) liberal political regime;

d) totalitarian political regime.

It is these four political regimes that need to be separated into separate groups, because they are important and of great importance for the theory of state and law.

2. Democratic regimes

Democracy- (from the ancient Greek DEMOS - people and CRUTOS - power) - democracy is one of the main forms of structure of any organization, based on the equal participation of its members in management and decision-making in it by the majority; the ideal of social order: freedom, equality, respect for human dignity, solidarity, etc.; social and political movement for democracy. Since its inception, democracy has been associated with the state, and therefore with coercion, and at best is the rule of the majority over the minority, and most often a form of government of a well-organized privileged minority, more or less controlled by the people.

Democratic regime- characterized by a high degree of political freedom of a person, the real exercise of his rights, allowing him to influence the public administration of society. The political elite is usually quite narrow, but it is based on a broad social base.

A democratic regime is characterized by a number of distinctive features, namely:

Sovereignty of the people: It is the people who choose their government representatives and can periodically replace them. Elections must be fair, competitive and held regularly.

Periodic election of the main bodies of the state. The government is born from elections and for a certain, limited period. To develop democracy, it is not enough to hold regular elections; it must be based on an elected government.

Democracy protects the rights of individuals and minorities. The opinion of the majority, expressed democratically in elections, is only a necessary condition for democracy, however, it is by no means insufficient. Only combination of majority rule and protection of rights minorities constitute one of the basic principles of a democratic state

Equal rights of citizens to participate in governance state: freedom to create political parties and other associations to express their will, freedom of opinion, the right to information and to participate in competition for leadership positions in the state.

Depending on how the people participate in governance, who directly performs power functions and how, democracy is divided into direct, plebiscitary and representative.

At direct democracy all citizens themselves directly participate in the preparation, discussion and decision-making. Such a system can only make practical sense with a relatively small number of people, such as in community or tribal councils or local trade union bodies, where all members can meet in one room to discuss issues and make decisions by consensus or majority vote.

An important channel for citizen participation in the exercise of power is plebiscitary democracy. The difference between it and direct democracy is that direct democracy involves the participation of citizens at all the most important stages of the governing process (in preparation, adoption of political decisions and in monitoring their implementation), and with plebiscitary democracy the possibilities for political influence of citizens are relatively limited, for example, referendums.

The third, most common form of political participation in modern society is representative democracy. Its essence is that citizens elect their representatives to government bodies, who are called upon to express their interests in making political decisions, adopting laws and implementing social and other programs. Election procedures may vary widely, but whatever they may be, elected officials in a representative democracy hold office on behalf of the people and are accountable to the people in all their actions.

Democratic states are different, but they all have common unifying features:

Democracy - that is, recognition of the people as the source of power, the sovereign (from the French SOUVERAIN - the bearer of supreme power in the state);

Government is based on the consent of the governed;

Majority rule; recognition of a subordinate minority to the majority while respecting the interests and opinions of the minority;

Guarantees of fundamental human rights;

Free and fair elections;

Equality before the law;

Fair trial;

Constitutional limitation of government;

Social, economic, ideological and political pluralism;

Values ​​of cooperation and compromise.

There are different forms of government of democratic regimes. Quite common forms of republican government are presidential republic and parliamentary republic.

Distinctive feature presidential A republic is that the president in it simultaneously acts as both the head of state and the head of government (the United States is a striking example). The main distinguishing feature parliamentary A republic is the formation of a government on a parliamentary basis (usually by a parliamentary majority) and its formal responsibility to parliament. Parliament performs a number of functions in relation to the government: forms and supports it; issues laws adopted by the government for execution; approves the state budget and thereby establishes the financial framework for government activities; exercises control over the government and, if necessary, can express a vote of no confidence in it, which entails either the resignation of the government or the dissolution of parliament and the holding of early elections.

Modern democracy is the representation of interests, not classes. All citizens in a democratic state are equal as participants in political life. Equality is of two kinds - equality before the laws and equality of political rights. A modern democratic state is a legal state, in which the separation of three powers has been implemented in practice and real mechanisms have been created to protect the rights and freedoms of citizens.

Of course, a democratic regime has its problems: excessive social stratification of society, at times a kind of dictatorship of democracy (authoritarian rule of the majority), and in some historical conditions this regime leads to a weakening of power, disruptions of order, even a slide into anarchy, ochlocracy, and sometimes creates a condition for the existence destructive, extremist, separatist forces. But still, the social value of a democratic regime is much higher than some of its negative specific historical forms.

It should also be borne in mind that a democratic regime often appears in those states where the social struggle reaches a high intensity and the ruling elite, the ruling strata of society are forced to make concessions to the people, other social forces, and agree to compromises in the organization and exercise of state power.

The democratic regime in the structure of states becomes the most adequate to the new problems that the current state of civilization poses to humanity with its global problems, contradictions, and possible crises.

3. Liberal political regime

Liberal regimes exist in many countries. Its significance is such that some scientists believe that the liberal regime is not actually a mode of exercising power, but a condition for the existence of civilization itself at a certain stage of its development, even the final result, which ends the entire evolution of the political organization of society, the most effective form of such an organization. But it is difficult to agree with the last statement, since at present there is an evolution of political regimes and even such a form as the liberal democratic regime. New trends in the development of civilization, the desire of man to escape from environmental, nuclear and other disasters give rise to new forms of defining state power, for example, the role of the UN is increasing, international rapid reaction forces are emerging, contradictions between human rights and nations, peoples, etc. are growing.

In the theory of state and law, political methods and methods of exercising power that are based on a system of the most democratic and humanistic principles are also called liberal.

These principles primarily characterize the economic sphere of relations between the individual and the state. Under a liberal regime in this area, a person has property, rights and freedoms, is economically independent and on this basis becomes politically independent. In relation to the individual and the state, priority remains with the individual, etc.

“The liberal regime defends the value of individualism, contrasting it with collectivist principles in the organization of political and economic life, which, according to a number of scientists, ultimately lead to totalitarian forms of government. The liberal regime is determined, first of all, by the needs of the commodity-money, market organization of the economy. The market requires equal, free, independent partners. A liberal state proclaims the formal equality of all citizens. In a liberal society, freedom of speech, opinions, forms of ownership is proclaimed, and space is given to private initiative. Individual rights and freedoms are not only enshrined in the constitution, but also become enforceable in practice.” 3

Under liberalism, state power is formed through elections, the outcome of which depends not only on the opinion of the people, but also on the financial capabilities of certain parties necessary to conduct election campaigns. Public administration is carried out on the basis of the principle of separation of powers. A system of “checks and balances” helps reduce opportunities for abuse of power. Government decisions are made by majority vote.

Decentralization is used in public administration: the central government takes upon itself to resolve only those issues that the local government cannot resolve.

Of course, one should not apologize the liberal regime, since it also has its own problems, the main ones being the social protection of certain categories of citizens, stratification of society, actual inequality of starting opportunities, etc. The most effective use of this regime becomes possible only in a society characterized by a high level of economic and social development. The population must have a sufficiently high political, intellectual and moral consciousness, and legal culture. At the same time, it should be noted that liberalism today is the most attractive and desirable political regime for many states. A liberal regime can only exist on a democratic basis; it grows out of the democratic regime itself.

4. Non-democratic regimes

Non-democratic regimes are divided into two types:

The concept of totalitarianism comes from the Latin words “TOTALITAS” - integrity, completeness and “TOTALIS” - whole, complete, whole. Usually, totalitarianism is understood as a political regime based on the desire of the country's leadership to subordinate the way of life of people to one, undividedly dominant idea and to organize the political system of power so that it helps to implement this idea.

“The first totalitarian regimes were formed after the First World War in countries that belonged to the “second echelon of industrial development.” Italy and Germany were extremely totalitarian states. The formation of political totalitarian regimes became possible at the industrial stage of human development, when not only comprehensive control over an individual, but also total control of his consciousness, especially during periods of socio-economic crises, became technically possible.” 4

The very concept of a “totalitarian regime” was developed in the works of a number of German thinkers of the 19th century: G. Hegel, K. Marx, F. Nietzsche and some other authors. And yet, as a complete, formalized political phenomenon, totalitarianism matured in the first half of the 20th century. Thus, we can say that the totalitarian regime is a product of the twentieth century.

Totalitarian regimes are those in which:

there is a mass party (with a rigid, paramilitary structure, claiming the complete subordination of its members to the symbols of faith and their exponents - the leaders, the leadership as a whole), this party merges with the state and concentrates real power in society;

The party is not organized in a democratic way - it is built around a leader. Power comes down - from the leader, and not up - from the masses.

the role of ideology dominates. A totalitarian regime is an ideological regime that always has its own “Bible”. The ideology of the regime is also reflected in the fact that the political leader determines the ideology

totalitarianism is built on monopoly control of production and the economy, as well as similar control of all other spheres of life, including education, the media, etc.

Under totalitarianism there is terrorist police control. The police exist in different regimes, however, under totalitarianism no one will prove guilt in order to kill a person.

Some of the above features of one or another totalitarian state regime developed, as already noted, in ancient times, but most of them could not be fully formed in pre-industrial society. Only in the 20th century. they acquired qualities of a universal nature and together made it possible for the dictators who came to power in Italy in the 20s, in Germany and the Soviet Union in the 30s, to transform the political regimes of power into totalitarian ones.

Some scientists such as Heidenberg, Karl Friedrich and Zbigniew Brzezinski, argued that the totalitarian regime does not change, it can only be destroyed from the outside. They assured that all totalitarian states were perishing, just as the Nazi regime perished in Germany. Subsequently, life showed that this aspect was wrong: totalitarian regimes are capable of changing and evolving.

Depending on the dominant ideology, totalitarianism is usually divided into communism, fascism and national socialism.

Communism (socialism) presupposes the absolute power of the state, the complete elimination of private property and, therefore, all personal autonomy. Despite the predominantly totalitarian forms of political organization, the socialist system also has humane political goals. Thus, in the USSR the level of education of the people sharply increased, their share of scientific and cultural achievements became accessible, social protection of the population was ensured, the economy, space and military industries developed, the crime rate sharply decreased, and for decades the system almost did not resort to mass repression.

Fascism is a right-wing extremist political movement that arose in the context of the revolutionary processes that swept the countries of Western Europe after the First World War and the victory of the revolution in Russia. It was first established in Italy in 1922. Fascism claims to restore or purify the “people's soul”, ensuring a collective identity on cultural or ethnic grounds. By the end of the 30s, the fascist regime had established itself not only in Italy, but also in Germany, Portugal, Spain and a number of countries in Eastern and Central Europe. With all its national characteristics, fascism was the same everywhere: it expressed the interests of the most reactionary circles of capitalist society, who provided financial and political support to fascist movements, seeking to use them to suppress the revolutionary uprisings of the working masses, preserve the existing system and realize their imperial ambitions in the international arena.

The third type of totalitarianism is National Socialism. As a real political and social system, it arose in Germany in 1933. Goal: world domination of the Aryan race and social preference - the German nation. If in communist systems aggressiveness is directed primarily inward - against one’s own citizens (the class enemy), then in National Socialism it is directed outward, against other peoples.

A variety of totalitarianism are regimes where a “cult of personality” is carried out, the cult of a leader - infallible, wise, caring. In fact, it turns out that this is only a form of government in which the power-hungry, sometimes pathological ambitions of certain political leaders are realized.

One of the most common types of political systems in history is authoritarianism, which occupies an intermediate position between totalitarianism and democracy. What it usually has in common with totalitarianism is the autocratic nature of power, not limited by laws, and with democracy - the presence of autonomous public spheres not regulated by the state, especially the economy and private life, and the preservation of elements of civil society.

autocracy (autocracy) or a small number of power holders: they can be one person (monarch, tyrant) or a group of people (military junta, oligarchic group, etc.);

unlimited power, its uncontrollability by citizens. At the same time, the government can rule with the help of laws, but it adopts them at its own discretion. “The people in such regimes are actually removed from the formation of state power and control over its activities.” 5

reliance (real or potential) on strength. This regime may not resort to massive repression and may be popular among the general population, but it has sufficient power to use force at its discretion if necessary and force citizens to obey.

monopolization of power and politics, prevention of political opposition and competition: the existence of a limited number of parties, trade unions and other organizations is possible, but only if they are under the control of the authorities;

refusal of total control over society, non-interference in non-political spheres and, above all, in the economy. The government is primarily concerned with ensuring its own security, public order, defense, and foreign policy, although it can influence the strategy of economic development and pursue a fairly active social policy without destroying the mechanisms of market self-government;

recruiting the political elite by introducing new members into the elected body without holding additional elections, through appointment from above, rather than competitive electoral struggle

The weaknesses of authoritarianism are the complete dependence of politics on the position of the head of state or a group of senior leaders, the lack of opportunities for citizens to prevent political adventures or arbitrariness, and the limited political expression of public interests.

However, this regime also has a number of advantages, such as: a high ability to ensure political stability and public order, mobilize public resources to solve certain problems, overcome the resistance of political opponents and this makes it a fairly effective means of carrying out radical social reforms.

Authoritarian regimes are very diverse: these are monarchies, dictatorial regimes, military juntas, populist systems of government, etc. Monarchies are already a disappearing category of authoritarian regimes, and today in Europe they are, in principle, parliamentary democracies. But when they talk about monarchism as a subtype of authoritarian states, they mean monarchies in the least developed countries, where monarchs are the actual rulers (Jordan, Morocco, Saudi Arabia). Under military rule, political activity is either completely prohibited or limited: the military takes power and rules the country.

In recent decades, authoritarian political systems have very often used some democratic institutions - elections, plebiscites, etc. - to gain respectability in the eyes of the international community and its own citizens, to evade international sanctions. For example, non-competitive or semi-competitive elections have been used by authoritarian or semi-authoritarian regimes in Mexico, Brazil, South Korea and Kazakhstan, and many other states. A distinctive feature of such elections is limited or only visible competition (when all candidates are pleasing to the authorities), complete or partial control by the authorities of their official results. At the same time, the authorities have many ways to ensure a formal victory: a monopoly on the media, weeding out undesirable persons at the stage of nominating candidates, direct falsification of ballots or voting results, etc.

Thus, I would like to note once again that authoritarianism is characterized by:

Autocracy.

Unlimited power.

Reliance on strength.

Monopolization of power and politics.

Refusal of total control.

Recruitment of the political elite.

CONCLUSION.

As we see, the concept of “political regime”, as well as the classification of political regimes, have not lost their relevance in modern days. They require development in accordance with modern conditions in the world.

In the literature concerning this issue, there is no unified approach to understanding the term “political regime”. As already mentioned, there is no consensus on the classification of political regimes. The issue of classifying political regimes has always been very difficult. Different authors have different opinions on this matter.

When writing this work, a fairly common classification in the theory of state and law was used, according to which regimes were divided into four types - democratic, liberal, authoritarian and totalitarian. But I wanted I would like to point out that in addition to the four political regimes listed above (democratic, authoritarian, totalitarian, liberal), there are many other regimes that are varieties of these four regimes (for example, despotic and tyrannical regimes have been known since ancient times, there are transitional and emergency regimes, which, as a rule, are temporary nature).

Over the past 20 years, a lot of undemocratic: totalitarian and authoritarian regimes have collapsed or transformed into democratic republics or states based on democratic basis . The general disadvantage of non-democratic political systems is that they were not controlled by the people, which means that the nature of their relationships with citizens depends, first of all, on the will of the rulers. In past centuries, the possibility of arbitrariness on the part of authoritarian rulers was significantly restrained by the traditions of government, the relatively high education and upbringing of monarchs and aristocracy, their self-control based on religious and moral codes, as well as the opinion of the church and the threat of popular uprisings. In the modern era, many of these factors have disappeared or their effect has been greatly weakened. Therefore, only a democratic form of government can reliably curb power and guarantee the protection of citizens from state arbitrariness. For those peoples who are ready for individual freedom and responsibility, limiting their own selfishness, respect for the law and human rights, democracy truly creates the best opportunities for individual and social development, the realization of humanistic values: freedom, equality, justice, social creativity.

One of the countries on the path of transition from one political regime (totalitarian) to another (democratic) is Russia. Our country has followed the path of rapid political and economic implementation of the Western liberal model of democracy, along the path of so-called shock therapy. However, in Russia at that time there were no long-term traditions of a market economy and individualistic culture characteristic of the West; Soviet society was deeply different from Western democracies in almost total militarization, super-centralization and super-monopolization of the economy, its inability to any competition; the predominance of collectivist values ​​in the popular consciousness, the multi-ethnic composition of the population, the absence of mass democratic movements capable of forming an alternative political elite to the nomenklatura, etc. As a result, we are going through difficult times; the liberal model of democratization has led to political anarchy, undermining the motivation of productive labor, a sharp rise in prices and a decline in the standard of living of the population. It is obvious that for Russia the optimal model of political and economic reform can be found only by carefully taking into account its own specifics and world experience, pursuing an active state policy in order to form a more dynamic and humane society.

In conclusion, I would like to note that, as we have seen, the situation in the world community at the end of the 20th and beginning of the 21st centuries indicates that anti-democratic regimes have historically and politically outlived their usefulness. The world must move to democracy as a more necessary political regime. There was already an example in the 20th century when the contradictions between two totalitarian regimes led to war.

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Along with the political system, the concept of “political regime” is often used. Mode (from lat. regimen- “governance”) means a set of ways of exercising political power. Today, the most common classification is according to which all regimes are divided into: totalitarian, authoritarian and democratic.

Totalitarian regime. The term "totalitarianism" comes from the Latin word "totalis", which means “whole, complete, entire.” A totalitarian regime is complete control by the authorities over all spheres of public life. The term “totalitarian” was borrowed from D. Gentile and introduced into the political lexicon by the leader of the Italian fascists B. Mussolini (1883–1945). Totalitarianism as a type of political system arose in the 20th century. Why? This is due to the entry of society into the industrial stage of development, which led to the creation of a system of mass communications and made total brainwashing and comprehensive control over the individual technically possible. What are the most characteristic features of a totalitarian regime?

Universal control and violence. The government controls all spheres of society: the economy, culture, religion, and the private life of citizens. Under totalitarianism, the dominant slogan is: “Everything is prohibited except what is ordered.”

The monopoly of one party on power, unrestricted by any law. Only one party can exist legally. In the USSR - the CPSU (Communist Party of the Soviet Union), in fascist Germany - the NSDAP (National Socialist German Workers' Party).

The merging of the party and state apparatus, when the same people are at the head of the party and the state.

The cult of a leader endowed with almost unlimited powers.

The actual alienation of citizens from the political process, the maximum limitation of their rights and freedoms.

Transformation of violence into the main means of political struggle. People disliked by the regime are subjected to physical destruction (political processes of the 30s in the USSR).

The dominance of one ideology, developed by the highest bodies of the ruling party and introduced into the mass consciousness of the entire society. The ideology of building a communist future dominated in the USSR, and the 1000-year Reich in Germany.

The internal essence of this regime was very figuratively characterized by the American political scientist R. Daniels: “Not a single thought, not a single person is free from the control of the state and its bodies, nothing is free from the tutelage of the party in power.”

There are several types of totalitarianism:

 left - communist (USSR under Stalin, China led by Mao Zedong);

 right - fascism (Italy led by Mussolini), national socialism (Germany under Hitler).

Today, a striking example of the existence of a totalitarian regime is the DPRK, led by the First Secretary of the Central Committee of the Workers' Party of Korea, Kim Jong-un.

One of the most common types of political regimes in history is authoritarianism (from lat. auctoritas- “power”, “influence”). Authoritarian regimes in their development can be guided by both totalitarianism and democracy.

The bearer of power is one person or group of persons whose actions are beyond the control of other government bodies.

Limiting the election of government bodies, weakening the prerogatives of parliament. The actual rejection of the concept of separation of powers.

Real or potential reliance on power. This regime may not resort to mass repression and may be popular among the general population. However, he has enough power to use force if necessary and force citizens to obey.

Recruitment (nomination) of the political elite through appointment from above, and not on the basis of alternative struggle.

Refusal of total control over society. The main slogan is: “Everything is allowed except politics.”

Modemilitary rule. This type most often arises as a result of a coup d'etat and the military coming to power (dictatorship of the “black colonels” in Greece 1967–1975, A. Pinochet in Chile 1973–1989).

TheocraticEsky mode. This type occurs when power in the country belongs to a religious-fanatical clan. This regime emerged in Iran after the 1979 revolution led by Ayatollah Khomeini (1979–1989)

An absolute monarchy, where all legislative and executive power belongs to one person holding the post of head of state by inheritance (Saudi Arabia, Oman, Qatar).

An authoritarian regime that is personalized in nature, which presupposes the presence of a strong leader with dictatorial powers (the regime of Saddam Hussein in Iraq 1979–2003, M. Gaddafi in Libya 1969–2011).

The concept of “democracy” is of ancient Greek origin and is translated as the power of the people ( demo s - “people”, kratos- "power"). According to the definition of American President A. Lincoln, democracy is “government of the people, chosen by the people and for the people.”

The main features of a democratic regime include:

The sovereignty of the people, recognition of it as the source of supreme state power.

Holding free alternative elections, constant and real functioning of government bodies elected by the people (in the center and locally).

Existence of legal opposition.

Political and ideological pluralism, the presence of a truly functioning multi-party system.

Compliance with the principle of separation of powers in the system of government into executive, legislative and judicial.

Transparency in the work of authorities at all levels.

The rule of law in all spheres of society. The main slogan of this political regime is: “Everything that is not prohibited by law is permitted.”

Considering democracy as the most perfect form of political regime, one should not overestimate its capabilities. In this regard, it is worth noting the words of W. Churchill: “democracy is a terrible thing, but humanity has not yet come up with anything better than it.”

Classification of democratic regimes:

Direct democracy. Direct participation of citizens in the preparation, discussion, decision-making and monitoring of their implementation. Existed in the period of Antiquity, Greek city policies.

Plebiscitary. Today we find its reflection in referendums. Referendums also entered the political life of sovereign Belarus (May 14, 1995, November 24, 1996, October 17, 2004)

Representative. Indirect participation of citizens in decision-making, in the election of their representatives to government bodies, designed to express their interests, pass laws and give orders (elections of deputies to the lower house of the Parliament of the Republic of Belarus - the House of Representatives - September 23, 2012).