The Idea of a Rule-of-law State in Russia: Constitutional Mythology and Legal Reality

Review. The article deals with the concept of a "rule-of-law state" and provides an author's definition of the term "rule-of-law state". A rule-of-law state is referred to as a form of public power organization formed by the society on the basis of the principles of free elections, separation of powers, and independence of the judiciary in order to fulfill and protect the rights and freedoms of every citizen, and controlled by institutions of civil society. The author classifies approaches to the notion of the rule-of-law state existing in the science of constitutional law. The author defines a number of signs of the rule-of-law state: 1) public and local self-government authorities are formed on the basis of free elections; 2) supreme public authorities are formed without participation of the President; 3) implementation of individual rights and freedoms -- political, economic and social - is secured; 4) actual and guaranteed by the state freedom of expression embodied in the form of freedom of speech, freedom to hold public events and freedom of association; 5) entrenching into the law effective mechanisms of indemnification of the damage caused to a citizen by the state; 6) existence of a stable legislation system and not politicized law enforcement; 7) fair and independent court system; 8) ensuring effective rule of the people by means of active and consistent application of various mechanisms of direct democracy The author examines the balance between the rule-of-law state and the state power organization in Russia, the rule-of-law state and the judiciary, the rule-of-law state and civil society The author concludes that the theory of the rule of law in Russia is very controversial. And the constitutional formula applied to recognize Russia as a rule-of-law state now amounts to a kind of a borrowed slogan expressing a kind of a worthless political declaration. The paper's main conclusion is: in order that the concept of the rule-of-law state be firmly rooted in the domestic legal system, and become a benchmark for the actual constitutional and legal relations, it is required to modernize key institutions of the State and society in a radical and qualitative way. In addition, you must change the legal awareness of the majority of Russians: from a patriarchal type based on the mercy of the State that provides certain benefits to an individual-legal type when every citizen must demand implementation of their rights, using judicial remedies and actively monitoring the effectiveness of the work of State institutions

rule-of-law state, civil society, civil society institutions, foundations of the constitutional order, constitutional law values, features of the rule-of-law state, public authorities, human rights and freedoms, a law, Constitution of the Russian Federation

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