The values of Russian constitutionalism in the pre-October period
- Authors: Shulzhenko Y.L.1
-
Affiliations:
- Institute of State and Law of the Russian Academy of Sciences
- Issue: No 10 (2025)
- Pages: 168-182
- Section: Pages of history
- URL: https://journals.rcsi.science/1026-9452/article/view/327953
- DOI: https://doi.org/10.31857/S1026945225100152
- ID: 327953
Cite item
Abstract
The article is devoted to the analysis of the values of Russian constitutionalism of the pre-October period. These days, this issue is coming to the fore in connection with the need to define the modern state ideology of Russia. One of its foundations and components are the values of Russian constitutionalism, accumulated and developed over the centuries. The author proceeds from the fact that constitutionalism is primarily a real state-legal practice, expressed in two aspects: the existence of the constitution in practice, its corresponding structure, and content; the existence of real guarantees of the provisions of the Constitution and their implementation in life. There is also a theoretical constitutionalism. The values of constitutionalism become such when they correspond to universal and our traditional values, reflect the uniqueness of the country, prove their viability, relevance, effectiveness, are understandable, supported, protected by the population, and have a lasting character. Originating initially in ideas, doctrines, and theories, such values are later, as a rule, translated into practice in specific institutions, and their status is fixed in legal acts and the constitution. The following stages in the history of Russian constitutionalism and its values in the period under consideration are quite clearly traced: before 1905 – monarchical; 1905 – February 1917 – constitutional-monarchical; March – October 1917 – republican. The analysis shows that in the pre-October period, the following values of Russian constitutionalism were formed in the country, which were embodied in practice, in legal acts, including the Basic State Laws of 1906: the existence of a real constitution; the participation of the people in the exercise of state power and, above all, representative democracy; legislative consolidation of the rights and freedoms of citizens and their real protection; local government. A number of values were actually embodied in the future. For example, the use of the term “basic law” in a number of Soviet constitutions, which was used in relation to the Basic State Laws of 1906; the consolidation of the status of local self-government in the 1993 Constitution of the Russian Federation.
About the authors
Yu. L. Shulzhenko
Institute of State and Law of the Russian Academy of Sciences
Author for correspondence.
Email: constitution@igpran.ru
10 Znamenka str., 119019 Moscow, Russia
References
- Alekseev N. N. The state system // The law of Soviet Russia. Prague, 1925. Iss. 1 (in Russ.).
- Bondar N. S. The Axiology of Judicial Constitutionalism: constitutional values in the theory and practice of constitutional justice. 2nd ed. M., 2014. Iss. 2 (in Russ.).
- Borodin A. I. From the letters and testimony of the Decembrists. St. Petersburg, 1906. Pp. 148–157 (in Russ.).
- Veselovsky B. B. Zemstvo and its new structure. Petrograd, 1917. P. 23 (in Russ.).
- The Decembrist Uprising. Documents. M., 1958. Vol. VII (in Russ.).
- Davidovich A. M. Autocracy in the era of imperialism: The class essence and evolution of absolutism in Russia. M., 1976. P. 274 (in Russ.).
- Danevsky V. P. Handbook for the study of the history and system of International Law. Kharkov, 1892. Iss. 1–2. P. 147 (in Russ.).
- Dobrynin N. M. Reflections on Russian constitutionalism and the political and legal regime in the state: legal axiology and the author’s view // State and Law. 2017. No. 2 (in Russ.).
- Dolgorukov P. V. On the change of the way of government in Russia. Leipzig, 1863 (in Russ.).
- Dolgorukov P. V. The Truth about Russia. Leipzig, 1861 (in Russ.).
- Zakharov N. A. The system of Russian state power. Legal research. Novocherkassk, 1912. P. 234 (in Russ.).
- Zorkin V. D. Axiological aspects of the Constitution of Russia // Constitutional values in theory and judicial practice: collection of reports. M., 2009 (in Russ.).
- Ivanovsky V. V. Textbook of State Law. 4th ed. Kazan, 1913. P. 319 (in Russ.).
- History of bourgeois constitutionalism of the XVII–XVIII centuries / ed. by V. S. Nersesyants. M., 1983. P. 4 (in Russ.).
- Kareev N. I. The origin of the modern national legal state. A historical sketch of constitutional institutions and teachings up to the middle of the 19th century. St. Petersburg, 1908 (in Russ.).
- A book for reading on the history of Modern times. M., 1912. P. 709 (in Russ.).
- Kolyushin E. I. Constitutional Law of Russia: a course of lectures. M., 2015. P. 54 (in Russ.).
- Constitutional Law. Encyclopedia / ed. by S. A. Avakyan, M., 2001. P. 304 (in Russ.).
- Constitution in the XXI century: comparative legal research / ed. by V. E. Chirkin. M., 2001. P. 85 (in Russ.).
- Kotlyarevsky S. A. Constitutional State. The legal prerequisites of the Russian Basic Laws. M., 2004. P. 212 (in Russ.).
- Kravets I. A. Constitutionalism and Russian statehood in the early twentieth century: textbook. M., 2000. P. 123 (in Russ.).
- Kutafin O. E. Russian constitutionalism. M., 2008. P. 44 (in Russ.).
- Lazarevsky N. I. Russian State Law. Vol. 1. Constitutional Law. 4th ed. Petrograd, 1917. Iss. 1. P. 208 (in Russ.).
- Letova N. V., Chuchaev A. I. Family and children as Russian traditional values: social and legal aspects. M., 2025. Pp. 4, 5 (in Russ.).
- Social movements in Russia in the first half of the XIX century centuries. St. Petersburg, 1905. Vol. 1. P. 111 (in Russ.).
- Rubenshtein N. L. On the history of the Constituent Assembly. M., 1931. P. 30 (in Russ.).
- Savenkov A. N. The state and law in the period of crisis of modern civilization. M., 2020. P. 366 (in Russ.).
- Collection of the Russian Historical Society. St. Petersburg, 1871. Vol. VII. Pp. 202–217 (in Russ.).
- Semevsky V. I. Political and social ideas of the Decembrists. St. Petersburg, 1909. Pp. 487, 489, 491 (in Russ.).
- Skripilev E. A. The All-Russian Constituent Assembly. Historical and legal research. M., 1982 (in Russ.).
- Collected political works by M. P. Dragomanov. Paris, 1905–1906. Vol. 1, 2 (in Russ.).
- Speransky M. M. Projects and notes. M.; L., 1961 (in Russ.).
- The throne speech at the opening of the State Duma on April 27, 1906 // The complete collection speeches of Emperor Nicholas II. 1894–1906. St. Petersburg, 1906. Pp. 74, 75 (in Russ.).
- Ustinov V. M. A brief outline of Russian State Law. M.; Pet- rograd, 1915. P. 120 (in Russ.).
- Khabrieva T. Ya., Chirkin V. E. Theory of the modern Constitution. M., 2005. P. 59 (in Russ.).
- Shalland L. A. Russian State Law. Yuriev, 1908. P. 123 (in Russ.).
- Shulzhenko Yu. L. From the history of Federation in Russia (monarchical period). M., 2005. Pp. 121–174 (in Russ.).
- Shulzhenko Yu. L. Domestic constitutionalism. Historical and legal research. M., 2010. P. 13 (in Russ.).
- Boricrje M. Konstytucje Polskie. 1791–1997. Warszawa, 2002.
- The Role of Constitution in Changing Society. Oslo, 1991. P. 24.
Supplementary files
