Political regime: concept. Political regimes and their types

In the modern world, there is an intensive process of transition from totalitarian and authoritarian regimes to democratic regimes. Today it is clear that this transition will be long-lasting. Independent international organization in 1992, conducted a study of 186 countries and came to the conclusion that in terms of respect for human rights and political freedoms (the most important criteria for democracy recognized in the West), only 75 countries are “free”, 73 are “partly free” and 38 - “not free”.

The concept of “political regime”

Political regime- this is a way of exercising power, a set of means and methods by which it is exercised. Depending on the degree of security of the rights and freedoms of citizens, political regimes are divided into democratic and anti-democratic(authoritarian and totalitarian).

Democratic political regime

Democratic regime- this is a way of exercising power, a state-political structure of society in which the people are recognized as a sovereign source of power, have the right to participate in solving public affairs and have the necessary conditions for this. In a democracy, not only is the political power of the majority exercised, but the rights of the minority are also respected. The main features of a democratic regime are:

• Legitimate regime, which is based on the principle of constitutionalism. According to this principle, the constitution - the fundamental law of the state - has supreme legal force in relation to all other legal norms. The principles of democracy and fundamental human rights and freedoms are enshrined in the constitution and cannot be abolished in the usual way. If it is necessary to adopt a new text of the constitution, it is submitted for public discussion (referendum) and is considered adopted if it is supported by more than half of the citizens with the right to vote. In order for this principle to be implemented in practice, the institution of constitutional supervision was created.
• Pluralistic structure political power, which is embodied in parliamentarism, election and turnover of government bodies, as well as their responsibility to society. Parliamentarism refers to a system of government in which parliament occupies a central place in the system government agencies, and only he has the right to make laws. The government only develops bills and can submit them for parliamentary approval. Parliament also has the right to control the activities of the government.
• Real separation of powers into legislative, executive and judicial.
• Political pluralism. This means that life in a democratic society is built on the basis of competition and mutual influence of various political forces operating within the framework of the law. The signs of political pluralism are: the presence of a multi-party system, within which each political party has equal rights and does not have legislative advantages over opponents, recognition of the rights of the political opposition to freely express their views and beliefs through means mass media.
• Recognition and guarantee of the rights and freedoms of every member of society. The guarantor of the constitutional and other consolidation and implementation in practice of these rights and freedoms is the institution of constitutional supervision, which cannot ignore public opinion and the interests of broad sections of the population. This principle must be strictly observed, since democracy, like any power, contains a certain danger for the individual, subordinating it to the will of the majority or sacrificing its interests to the state. Such power can develop into its opposite - totalitarianism, into the absolute power of the majority over the minority, the collective over the individual. Therefore, democracy must also be limited by law, which protects individual rights and freedoms from power.

Authoritarian regime

The basis authoritarian regime consists of strong personal power - monarchy, dictatorship. It is characterized by excessive centralization of power in the hands of the ruling elite or individual, partial or complete prohibition of the opposition, and the requirement of unconditional respect for authority. An authoritarian regime most often relies on the army, which actively interferes in the political process. This mode is characterized by:

• A monistic structure of political power centered on the dominance of a specific individual or group of people. Power is concentrated in the hands of the head of state, to whom the government is subordinate. This regime has no mechanism for the succession of power, which is transferred through bureaucratic means, often using armed forces or violence.
• Authoritarian power does not allow any competition in the sphere of politics, but does not interfere in those areas of public life that are not directly related to politics: the economy, family, and culture can remain relatively independent.
• The most important feature of the regime is the massive alienation of the people from power. The political rights and freedoms of citizens and socio-political organizations are narrowed, the opposition is prohibited. The political behavior of citizens and political organizations is strictly regulated. The ruling forces, their parties and organizations adjacent to them - military and paramilitary - are merging with state apparatus. The election of state bodies is limited. Parliament turns into an instrument obedient to the state, and sometimes is liquidated.
• The political structure of the regime does not provide for a real separation of powers into legislative, executive and judicial, and elections are often ostentatious.

In conditions oligarchic regime Formally, a multi-party system is allowed, but in reality only parties of the ruling class operate. The election of parliament remains, but different types restrictions lead to the fact that only representatives of the ruling elite can be elected to it. In principle, even the separation of powers is recognized, but in fact the main role in political life belongs not to the legislative, but to the executive power. The army actively interferes in the life of society.

Constitutional authoritarian regime differs in that the constitution itself may contain norms prohibiting the existence of all political parties, except for the ruling one. Sometimes restrictions are set for other parties that reduce their activities to zero. Parliament is formed on a corporate basis, a significant part of its members are appointed rather than elected, and the executive branch and the president reign supreme.

Authoritarianism carries with it the possibility of evolution both towards totalitarianism and democracy. Why is a transition to democracy possible? Under this regime, a certain autonomy of civil society is preserved, some of its spheres remain free from total regulation. Stabilization of economic and social development reduces polarization in society, contributes to the formation of a center of political forces, which creates the preconditions for the transition from authoritarian power to democratic structures.

Totalitarian regime

Totalitarian regime is 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. A totalitarian regime formally allows citizens into the political process, but in reality they are completely alienated from it. At each level of government of the country, power is concentrated in one center (in the hands of an individual or group of people). All life activities of society are regulated, and any unauthorized form is excluded. For totalitarian regime characteristic:

• Monistic power structure, the concentration of power in the hands of one person or group of people and the removal of the people from power.
• Lack of civil society and rule of law. They cannot exist, since the absolute and all-encompassing power of the leader, party, and state deprives civil society of independence. Everyday life people are so regulated by the state that sometimes it takes ugly forms: from the inability to travel abroad without the sanction of the authorities to marriage.
• Lack of separation of powers, although it may be formally enshrined in the constitution.
• The presence of a single mass party, which is headed by the political leader of the state himself. The fusion of the ruling party with the state.
• The economy is subordinate to politics and strictly centralized. Only those industries that contribute to strengthening the regime develop. Certain types of economic activity are prohibited. The regime motivates this by the fact that they can harm the economy and are unacceptable from the point of view of the ideology of a given society.
• The dominance of a single ideology. The ideology of totalitarianism is absolutely intolerant of dissent, for which all sorts of barriers are created: banning the publication of opposition literature, the expression of “seditious” thoughts, critical judgments in the media and on television, and so on.

The totalitarian regime denies all values traditional society. This ideology is designed for the masses, not elite groups. Even science is absorbed by ideology, this especially applies to the social and human sciences. Priority development is given to those areas of science in which power structures are interested. The social base of totalitarianism is the impoverished strata of the city and countryside, as well as people of different social origins who, as a result of economic and military upheavals, have lost their position in society.

In the modern world there are certain conditions conducive to the emergence of totalitarianism:

1. A democratic society provides the right to all opposition parties and other political forces to participate in the political process. In conditions of political instability in countries with weak democratic traditions and legal consciousness, excited masses can lead supporters of totalitarianism to power.
2. The presence of technical means and developed communications (radio, television, telephone, press) allows the state to more strictly control political processes and influence the consciousness of people.
3. The high degree of concentration of production and all economic life allows the authorities to keep accurate records and plan the development of the economy down to the smallest detail. The presence of these conditions narrows the manifestations of civil society. The individual loses the ability to act as an independent citizen, endowed with rights and subject to authority.

Under the influence of internal socio-economic changes political regimes are developing. Totalitarian regimes disintegrate and transform into authoritarian and democratic ones. There is a constant evolution of political regimes in the world.

2. Classification of the main political regimes.

1. Political regime is a set of means and methods of exercising political power based on the nature and method of relationship between government, society and the individual. It characterizes the environment and conditions of the political life of society, in other words, a certain political climate that exists in a particular country during a specific period of its historical development.

Enough precise definition political regime was given by the famous Polish political scientist E. Wiatr, who by political regime means a system of constitutional (legal) orders and the concrete implementation of this system in practice.

Criteria for analyzing the content of a political regime:

1) the procedure for the formation of representative institutions (parliament), i.e. how did this political regime arise? This refers to the organization and conduct of elections to bodies of political power;

2) what political groups are in power?

3) is the existence of political opposition allowed and to what extent?

4) the relationship between the legislative, executive and judicial authorities;

5) the position and conditions of activity of political parties and other political movements and organizations;

6) legal status of the individual, rights and obligations of a citizen. First of all, we are talking about the level and actual implementation of the rights and freedoms of citizens;

7) the procedure for the functioning of punitive and law enforcement agencies;

8) correlation, regulation of what is permissible and what is prohibited (see diagram).

The noted criteria are considered as the main features of the classification of political regimes (in fact, there are more of them). The political regime is formed and develops under the influence of a wider range of factors. Moreover, the appearance of the ruling regime is often determined not only and not so much by macro factors, say, social structure society, its moral and ethical traditions, etc., but also much more specific parameters and circumstances, namely: intergroup relations within the ruling elite, the domestic or foreign political situation, the nature of international support for the authorities, personal qualities politicians etc.

The political regime also depends on the balance of forces that has developed in a given society, the political elite, historical and socio-cultural traditions, the political culture of society, etc.

The political regime is a more mobile and dynamic phenomenon than the system of power. In this sense, the evolution of one political system can be carried out as several political regimes change. For example, the system of Soviet power established in the 20th century in the USSR was transformed into the Stalinist regime, then into the regime formed during the years of the so-called Khrushchev “thaw” (in the 60s), and subsequently into the regime of collective leadership under Lenin. . I. Brezhnev.

2. There are three main types of political regimes: totalitarian, authoritarian, democratic.

Totalitarian regime is a system that strives for complete control over the entire life of society and every person. The concept of “totalitarianism” (from the Latin totalitas) means integrity, universality. It was introduced into the political lexicon by Italian critics of Mussolini, who began to introduce it in Italy in the early 20s. 20th century one-party fascist regime, subordinating the entire life of society to it. From this time on, the formation of a totalitarian system began in Italy, then in the USSR during the years of Stalinism and in Hitler’s Germany from 1933.

In each of the countries in which a political totalitarian regime arose and developed, it had its own characteristics. At the same time there is common features, which are characteristic of all forms of totalitarianism and which reflect its essence. These include:

· general politicization and ideologization of society; legislative, executive and judicial systems are controlled from a single center;

· political freedoms and rights of citizens are formally recorded, but in reality they are absent; the principle “everything not ordered is prohibited”;

· there is no legal political opposition;

· the country recognizes the right to exist of only one ruling party;

· there is strict censorship over all media;

· the police, army, special services, along with the functions of ensuring law and order, have the functions of punitive bodies and act as instruments of mass repression;

· only one official ideology functions in society, all others are suppressed;

· power rests primarily on violence;

· the economy is under strict state control;

· characterized by unitary forms of state with strict centralization of power;

· formally the rights of national minorities are proclaimed, but in reality they are significantly limited (see diagram).

Authoritarian regime(from Latin Autoritas - influence, power) - a system that is based on unconditional submission to authority. Authoritarianism occupies an intermediate position between totalitarianism and democracy.

Historical experience shows that an authoritarian regime arises, as a rule, in countries where there is a change social order, accompanied by a sharp polarization of political forces; where there are long-term economic and political crises, overcoming which through democratic means becomes impossible. Since such situations are very common in the development of the world community, it is obvious that authoritarianism is one of the fairly common political regimes.

Character traits:

· the most influential political force in society is the ruling group, the elite, in the hands of which lies, first of all, the executive power, whose powers under authoritarianism exceed the legislative power;

· the political rights and freedoms of citizens are significantly limited, the principle “everything that is not permitted is prohibited” applies;

· the state tolerates legal opposition, but the field of activity of this opposition is limited;

· there may be several parties in a country, but they play an insignificant role;

· there is censorship over all media, but it is allowed to criticize certain shortcomings of government policy;

· the police and army perform not only law enforcement functions, but also some punitive functions, but they no longer carry out mass repressions;

· the official ideology dominates in society, but other ideological movements that are loyal to the ruling regime are also allowed;

· sustainable support for power in society, which is based not only on violence, but also on the official ideology shared by many citizens;

· an extensive public sector of the economy, but zones of private entrepreneurship and market economy;

· unitary form of state;

· the rights of national minorities are limited;

· Moral standards are predominantly conservative in nature.

The diversity of living conditions, the uniqueness of the political culture of different countries, and the interweaving of various factors have given rise to numerous forms of authoritarian regimes. So, in Latin America authoritarian regimes predominate oligarchic type, when economic and political power is usually concentrated in the hands of a few influential families. One leader replaces another through a military coup or through rigged elections. A special variety is military modes. Let us also highlight as a type of authoritarian theocratic regimes, in which political power is concentrated in the hands of clerics (Iran under Ayatollah Khomeini).

Democratic political regime(from the Greek demos - people, kratos - power) - a system that involves the exercise of power by the people.

Main features of a democratic regime:

· power is divided into independent executive, legislative and judicial branches;

· citizens have a large volume of rights and freedoms, which are not only proclaimed, but also legally enshrined in the constitution, the principle “everything that is not prohibited is permitted” applies;

· the legal opposition enjoys all political rights and is an integral element of the political process;

· there is a functioning multi-party system;

· the media are free from censorship;

· the army and special services ensure the internal and external security of the state and society;

· there is no single official ideology in society;

· the church is separated from the state, and state power is secular in nature;

· citizens can openly and freely express their thoughts, views, positions;

· along with the state, there are other forms of ownership in the economy;

· there are mainly federal forms of government, although there are also unitary ones;

· the rights of national minorities are respected.

For post-Soviet countries, there is a real problem of transition from one type of regime to another. Each of these countries takes this path in its own way. Great difficulties in transforming from an authoritarian regime to a democratic one also exist in Ukraine (it is recommended that you work through this issue yourself).

Questions and tasks for the topic:

1. What does the concept of “political regime” reflect?

2. What features characterize the political regime?

3. What is the essence of a totalitarian regime?

5. What are the main ways for countries to transition to democracy?

6. What are the features of the political regime of post-Soviet Ukraine?

Abstract topics:

1. The role of ideology to characterize political regimes.

A political regime is a method of power that characterizes the relationship between the ruling elite and the population and is a set of methods for the practical exercise of state power.

The political regime determines the level of political freedom in society, legal status individuals, gives answers to questions about how state power is exercised, to what extent the population is allowed to manage the affairs of society, including law-making.

For centuries-old history Since the existence of the state as a social phenomenon, seven types of political regime have been used.

1. Despotic regime (from the Greek despoteia - unlimited power). This regime is characteristic of an absolute monarchy. In despotism, power is exercised exclusively by one person. But since in fact a despot cannot govern alone, he is forced to entrust some managerial affairs to another person who enjoys special trust in him (in Russia these were Malyuta Skuratov, Menshikov, Arakcheev). In the East, this person was called a vizier. The despot certainly left punitive and tax functions behind him.

The will of the despot is arbitrary and sometimes manifests itself not only as autocracy, but also as tyranny. The main thing in a despotic state is obedience, fulfillment of the will of the ruler. But there is a force capable of resisting the will of a despot, this is religion, it is also obligatory for the sovereign.

Despotism is characterized by the brutal suppression of any independence, discontent, indignation and even disagreement of the ruled. The sanctions applied in this case are shocking in their severity, and they, as a rule, do not correspond to the crime, but are determined arbitrarily. The main sanction most often used is the death penalty. At the same time, the authorities strive for its visibility in order to sow fear among the people and ensure their obedience.

A despotic regime is characterized by complete lack of rights for its subjects. The lack of basic rights and freedoms reduces them to the status of cattle. We can only talk about satisfying physiological needs, and even then not to the fullest extent.

Despotism is basically a thing of the historical past. Modern world does not accept her.

2. A tyrannical regime (from the Greek - tormentor) is established, as a rule, in territory that has undergone military conquest. It is based on individual rule, but is characterized by the presence of the institution of a governor, and not the institution of a trusted person (vizier). The power of a tyrant is cruel. In an effort to suppress resistance, he executes not only for expressed disobedience, but also for discovered intent in this regard, that is, preventively, in order to sow fear among the population.

Taking possession of the territory and population of another country is associated, as a rule, with physical and moral violence not only against people, but also against the customs of the people. When new rulers introduce orders that are contrary to the way of life and thoughts of people, especially if they impose other religious norms, the people experience tyrannical power very hard (Ottoman Empire). Laws do not work because tyrannical authorities, as a rule, do not have time to create them.

Tyrannical rule is perceived by the people as oppression, and the tyrant as an oppressor. This regime also existed in early stages human development (Ancient world, early Middle Ages). Compared to despotism, tyranny seems to be a slightly less harsh regime. The “mitigating circumstance” here is the fact of oppression of not one’s own people, but someone else’s.

3. A totalitarian regime (from Late Lat. - complete, whole, all-encompassing) can otherwise be called all-encompassing power. The economic basis of totalitarianism is large property: feudal, monopolistic, state. A totalitarian state is characterized by the presence of one official ideology. The set of ideas about social life is set by the ruling elite. Among such ideas, the main “historical” idea stands out: religious (in Iraq, Iran), communist (in the former USSR: the current generation will live under communism), economic (in China: to catch up and overtake the West through a great leap), patriotic or sovereign and etc. Moreover, the idea is formulated so popularly and simply that all layers of society, even the most uneducated, can understand it and accept it for leadership. The state's monopoly on the media contributes to the sincere support of the government by the population. There is one ruling party that declares itself the leading force in society. Since this party gives the "most correct settings", the reins of power are given into her hands: the party and state apparatuses are merging.

Totalitarianism is characterized by extreme centrism. The center of a totalitarian system is the leader. His position is akin to divine. He is declared to be the wisest, infallible, fair, tirelessly thinking about the good of the people. Any critical attitude towards him is brutally persecuted. Against this background, the power of executive bodies is strengthening. Among government bodies, the “power fist” stands out (police, state security agencies, prosecutor’s office, etc.). Punitive agencies are constantly growing, since they are the ones who have to use violence that is in the nature of terror - physical and mental. Control is established over all spheres of society's life: political, economic, personal, etc., and therefore life in such a state becomes like a glass partition. The individual is limited in rights and freedoms, although formally they can even be proclaimed.

One of the main characteristics of totalitarianism is militarization. The idea of ​​military danger, of a “besieged fortress” is necessary to unite society along the lines of a military camp. The totalitarian regime is aggressive in its essence and is not averse to profiting at the expense of other countries and peoples (Iraq, the former USSR). Aggression helps to achieve several goals at once: to distract the people from thoughts about their plight, to enrich themselves, to satisfy the vanity of the leader.

Western Europe experienced a totalitarian regime in the Middle Ages (religious totalitarianism). Currently, it exists in many Asian countries, in the recent past - in the USSR and Eastern European countries.

4. The fascist (racist) regime (from the Latin - bundle, bundle, association) differs from totalitarianism in that it is involved in a nationalist (racist, chauvinistic) ideology, which is elevated to the rank of a state one. The main premise of fascist ideology is this: people are by no means equal before the law, their rights and responsibilities depend on their nationality. One nation is declared to be the leader in the state or even in the world community, and therefore worthy of better living conditions. The existence of other nations is allowed, but in auxiliary roles.

Fascism, being “concerned” with the fate of the world community, proposes a chosen nation as a leader not only in its own state. Chauvinistic (racist) circles first express only the desire to “ennoble” the whole world with this nation, and then often begin to put their plans into practice: they begin aggression against other countries. Militarization, the search for an external enemy, a tendency to start wars and, finally, military expansion significantly distinguish fascism from totalitarianism, which looks for enemies within the state and turns the full power of the punitive apparatus on them.

These are the main features fascism. In other respects, it is similar to totalitarianism, and therefore many consider fascism to be a kind of totalitarianism. The similarity between these two types of political regime is also evident in genocide. However, in a totalitarian state it is carried out in relation to its own people, and in a fascist state it is carried out to a greater extent against non-indigenous nations or nations of other states.

At present, fascism in its classical form does not exist anywhere. However, surges of fascist ideology can be seen in many countries.

Under an authoritarian regime, power is not formed or controlled by the people. Despite the fact that there are representative bodies, in reality they do not play any role in the state, but exist only for decoration, to give the government a certain civility; elections are held, but formally. In reality, life in the country is directed by the will of the ruling elite, which does not limit itself by law, but lives by its own rules. A leader stands out within the ruling elite. His influence is very significant, but unlike the leader, he is not inclined to make decisions alone. A strong personality usually becomes a leader.

Decisions of the central government that do not take into account the economic, national, geographical and other characteristics of certain groups of the population are not carried out voluntarily, and therefore a considerable dose of coercion has to be used. That is why an authoritarian state relies on the police and military apparatus (Spain during the reign of Franco, Chile during the reign of Pinochet). The court in such a state is an auxiliary instrument. Extrajudicial methods of reprisal (mental hospitals, deportation abroad) are also widely used.

The individual does not enjoy constitutional rights and freedoms, even if they are proclaimed on paper. She is also deprived of security guarantees in her relations with the authorities. The complete priority of state interests over personal interests is proclaimed.

Against the background of the absolute control of the authoritarian state in the political sphere, there is relative freedom in other spheres, especially in the spiritual. Thus, an authoritarian state, unlike a totalitarian one, no longer strives for an all-encompassing regulation of social life.

History shows that often an authoritarian state demonstrates a better ability to overcome difficulties (economic, social) than democratic states. This caused ambiguity in the assessment of such states. Moreover, many consider this regime to be the most acceptable for states implementing reforms and in the process of political modernization.

6. A liberal regime (from Latin - free) exists in those countries where market relations have developed. Historically, it arose as a reaction to excessive regulation of public life and is based on liberal ideology, the basis of which is the requirement to limit government interference in the private lives of citizens to a minimum.

Market relations, characteristic of a developed bourgeois state, can only exist between equal and independent subjects. A liberal state precisely proclaims the formal equality of all citizens. Actual equality in conditions of non-interference of the state in the social sphere does not yet exist and cannot exist. Freedom of speech is proclaimed. Pluralism of opinions often looks like freethinking and even connivance (attitude towards sexual minorities, towards the role of women in society).

The economic basis of liberalism is private property. The state releases producers from guardianship and does not interfere with economic activity people, but only establishes the general framework of free competition among commodity producers. It also acts as an arbiter in resolving disputes between them.

The liberal regime allows for the existence of opposition. Moreover, with sustainable liberalism, measures are taken to cultivate it and even provide financial support (for example, shadow cabinets in parliaments). Multi-party system is a necessary attribute of a liberal society.

State bodies are 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 or individual candidates. Public administration carried out on the basis of the principle of separation of powers. A system of checks and balances reduces the possibility of abuse of power. Government decisions are made mainly by majority vote.

Public Administration and legal regulation are carried out on the basis of decentralization: the central government takes upon itself to resolve only those issues that the local government, the organizations themselves and citizens cannot solve.

A liberal regime exists in developed countries of Europe, the USA and Japan and others that differ high level economic, political and social development. Russia is just beginning to enter the era of liberalism.

7. The democratic regime (from the Greek - democracy) is in many ways the regime of the future. Some the developed countries(Sweden, Finland, Norway) came close to him. It provides citizens with broad rights and freedoms, and also provides the socio-economic basis for their implementation by all citizens.

In a democratic state, the source of power is the people. Representative bodies and officials in the state are also elected here, but the criterion for election is not political, but their professional qualities. The widespread development of associative connections at all levels of public life (movements, associations, unions, sections, clubs, societies, etc.) contributes to the transformation of a nation-state into a civilization-state. Referendums, plebiscites, popular initiatives, discussions are becoming the norm. Along with state ones, a system of bodies for the direct participation of citizens in managing the affairs of society is being created (councils, public committees, etc.) - When making decisions, the interests of the minority are also taken into account.

Regulatory regulation is acquiring a qualitatively new character: along with law as the main social regulator of the life of a liberal society, morality is becoming increasingly important. Humanism and morality are the hallmarks of a democratic state.

Democracy is the phenomenon of a highly organized civil society. To establish it, the following prerequisites are necessary: ​​high economic development and a high level of well-being of people, most of whom are owners; a high level of development of representative institutions and political consciousness of people, their significant cultural level, readiness for cooperation, compromise and agreement.

Consideration of the types of political regime allows us to draw the following conclusions:
1) political regimes differ from each other in the level of freedom provided to people, and can be schematically represented in the form of steps of a ladder along which humanity rises;
2) different countries and peoples move from one type of political regime to another at different times, as appropriate socio-economic conditions develop;
3) the change of the main types of political regime (despotism, totalitarianism, authoritarianism, liberalism and democracy) occurs, as a rule, gradually and consistently; The experience of our country shows that “skipping” over certain types of them is fraught with catastrophic consequences.

- one of the forms of the political system of society with its characteristic goals, means and methods of implementation.

The political regime gives an idea of ​​the essence of state power established in the country at a certain period of its history. Therefore, the structure of a political system or state is not as important as the ways of interaction between society and the state, the scope of human rights and freedoms, the methods of forming political institutions, the style and methods of political governance.

Same or similar state structures can give rise to political regimes that are different in nature, and, on the contrary, regimes of the same type can arise in political systems that are different in structure. For example, many European countries are constitutional monarchies(Sweden, Norway, Belgium, etc.), but the political regime in these countries corresponds to a republican power structure with democratic methods of government. At the same time, the Republic of Iran, having a completely democratic political structure of state organization, is actually an authoritarian state.

It can be difficult to distinguish a truly democratic government regime from an authoritarian or totalitarian one. USSR long time was for many peoples of the world the personification of real democracy and an oasis of democratic freedoms. The true situation of the people who survived the most terrible totalitarian regime in the history of mankind was revealed to the world only during the period of glasnost.

The nature and characteristics of the political regime

Important characteristics of a political regime are the principles of organization of government institutions, planned political goals, methods and means of achieving them. For example, in totalitarian regimes, slogans and attitudes such as “the end justifies the means”, “victory at any cost”, etc. are very popular.

The nature of the political regime is significantly influenced by the historical traditions of the people and the level of political culture of the society. A political dictator or ruling political elite can only usurp power to the extent that they are allowed to do so masses and civil society institutions. It is difficult to imagine that in countries with long-standing democratic traditions and a high level of political culture, an authoritarian or totalitarian regime of power would be established. But in countries with a predominantly traditional political culture, authoritarian and totalitarian regimes arise naturally.

Forms and types of political regimes

There are countless varieties of political regimes, but in political studies three main forms of political regimes are usually distinguished: totalitarian, authoritarian And democratic.

Totalitarian political regime

(Latin totalis - whole, whole, complete) - a political regime in which the state completely subjugates all spheres of life of society and the individual. It is precisely the comprehensiveness of its supervision that totalitarianism differs from all other forms of state violence - despotism, tyranny, military dictatorship, etc.

The term “totalitarianism” was introduced in the 20s. critics of B. Mussolini, but since 1925 he himself began to use it to characterize the fascist state. Since 1929, this term began to be used in relation to the regime that developed in the USSR.

Totalitarianism arose in the 20th century. as a political regime and as a special model of socio-economic order, characteristic of the stage of industrial development, and as an ideology that provides clear guidelines for the development of a “new man”, a “new economic and political order”. This is a kind of “reaction” of the masses to the accelerated destruction of traditional structures, their desire for unity and consolidation in the face of the frightening unknown.

In this state, the masses become easy prey for various kinds of political adventurers (leaders, Fuhrers, charismatic leaders), who, relying on the fanaticism of their like-minded people, impose their ideology and their plans for solving the problems that have arisen on the population.

The political system of totalitarianism, as a rule, is a strictly centralized party-state structure that exercises control over the entire society, preventing the emergence of any social and political organizations that are outside this control. For example, in the USSR at every enterprise, in every state or public organization there was a party cell (CPSU).

Under totalitarianism, civil society is completely absorbed by the state, and the ideological control of the ruling party is established over the state itself. The dominant ideology becomes a powerful unifying and mobilizing force of society. “Whoever is not with us is against us!” - this is one of the slogans that did not allow for any pluralism of opinions.

Depending on ideological trends, totalitarianism is usually understood as “left” and “right”. “Left” totalitarianism, based on the ideas of Marxism-Leninism, arose in communist countries (USSR, countries of Eastern Europe, Asia and Cuba). "Right" totalitarianism in fascist Germany was based on the ideology of National Socialism, and in Italy - on the ideas of Italian fascism.

For any totalitarian regime characteristic features are: military and paramilitary organization of society; constant search for internal and external “enemies”, periodic creation extreme situations; permanent mobilization of the masses to carry out the next “urgent” tasks; requirement of unquestioning submission to higher management; rigid vertical power.

Authoritarian political regime

(from Latin auctoritas - power, influence; auctor - initiator, founder, author) - a political regime characterized by the concentration of all power in one person (monarch, dictator) or ruling group.

Authoritarianism is characterized by high centralization of power; nationalization of many aspects of public life; command-administrative methods of leadership; unconditional submission to authority; alienation of the people from power; preventing real political opposition; restriction of press freedom.

In authoritarian regimes, the constitution is preserved, but it is declarative in nature. There is also an election system, but it performs a fictitious function. Election results, as a rule, are predetermined and cannot affect the nature of the political regime.

Unlike totalitarianism, under authoritarianism there is no total control over all public organizations. Limited pluralism is allowed in ideology if it does not harm the system. Mainly active opponents of the regime are subject to repression. People who occupy neutral positions are not considered enemies. There are certain personal rights and freedoms, but they are limited.

Authoritarianism is one of the most common types of political systems. According to its characteristics, it occupies an intermediate position between totalitarianism and democracy. Therefore, it is possible both during the transition from totalitarianism to democracy, and vice versa, from democracy to totalitarianism.

Authoritarian regimes are very diverse. They differ in goals and methods of solving problems, in forms of organization of power and can be reactionary, conservative or progressive. For example, countries such as Chile, Brazil, South Korea, through authoritarianism, came to a democratic regime of power.

Democratic political regime

(from the Greek demos - people and kratos - power) - the power of the people, or democracy. This is a form of state, its political regime, in which the people or their majority are (considered) the bearer of state power.

The concept of “democracy” is multifaceted. Democracy is understood as the form of structure of a state or organization, and the principles of governance, and a type of social movements that involve the implementation of democracy, and the ideal of a social structure in which citizens are the main arbiters of their destinies.

Democracy as a method of organization and form of management can take place in any organization (family, scientific department, production team, public organization, etc.).

Democracy is associated with freedom, equality, justice, respect for human rights, and citizen participation in governance. Therefore, democracy as a political regime is usually contrasted with authoritarian, totalitarian and other dictatorial regimes of power.

The word “democracy” is often used in combination with other words, for example, social democrat, Christian democrat, liberal democrat, etc. This is done in order to emphasize the commitment of certain social movements to democratic values.

The most important signs of democracy are:

• legal recognition of the supreme power of the people;
• periodic election of the main government bodies;
• universal suffrage, according to which every citizen has the right to take part in the formation of representative institutions of government;
• equality of rights of citizens to participate in government - every citizen has the right not only to vote, but also to be elected to any elective position;
• making decisions by majority vote and subordinating the minority to the majority;
• control of representative bodies over the activities of the executive branch;
• accountability of elected bodies to their voters.

Depending on how and in what way the people exercise their right to power, three main ways of realizing democracy can be distinguished.

Direct democracy - the entire people (those with voting rights) directly make decisions and monitor their implementation. This form of democracy is most characteristic of early forms of democracy, for example, for the tribal community.

Direct democracy also existed in ancient times in Athens. There, the main institution of power was the People's Assembly, which made decisions and could often organize their immediate execution. This form of democracy sometimes resembled arbitrariness and mob justice. Obviously, this fact was one of the reasons that Plato and Aristotle had a negative attitude towards democracy, considering it a “wrong” form of government.

This kind of democracy existed in Ancient Rome, in medieval Novgorod, in Florence and a number of other city-republics.

Plebiscitary democracy - the people make decisions only in certain cases, for example during a referendum on some issue.

Representative democracy - the people elect their representatives, and they govern the state or some government body on their behalf. Representative democracy is the most common and effective form of democracy. The disadvantages of representative democracy are that the people's representatives, having received power, do not always carry out the will of those whom they represent.

A political regime represents the methods of exercising political power in a society.

Political regime: types and essence

Any political regime is one or another combination of opposing relationships between people: democracy and authoritarianism.

Types of government and totalitarianism

Given the similarity between authoritarianism and totalitarianism, in the first case some polarization and demarcation of interests and forces is allowed. Some elements of struggle, elections and, to some extent, legal opposition and dissent are not excluded here. But at the same time, the rights of public political organizations and citizens are somewhat limited, legal serious opposition is prohibited, and the political behavior of organizations and individual citizens is strictly regulated by regulations. Destructive ones are restrained, which creates certain conditions for democratic reforms and harmonization of interests.

Political regime, types: democracy

Democracy primarily means the participation of the masses in government, as well as the existence of democratic freedoms and rights for all citizens of the country, officially recognized and enshrined in legislation and the constitution. Throughout the history of its existence as a socio-political phenomenon, democracy has developed certain values ​​and principles, which include:

• transparency in government activities;

• equal right of citizens of the state to govern society;

• division of authorities into judicial, legislative and executive;

• constitutional design of the state system;

• a complex of civil, political, social and economic freedoms and human rights.

These values, of course, describe an ideal system that does not yet exist anywhere. Perhaps it is, in principle, unattainable. However, institutions for maintaining the values ​​of democracy exist, despite all their shortcomings.