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Democratic state: concept, principles. Forms of democracy. Democratic political regimes What is a welfare state

The term “democracy” was first used in the work of the Greek historian Herodotus. American President Abraham Lincoln defined this concept as the power of the people, which he elects and in whose interests it is exercised. To understand what a democratic state is, one should consider its main features, principles and functions.

Definitions of the term "democracy"

Today, legal science and political science give several definitions to the concept of “democracy”:

1. A special form of state organization in which power belongs to all its citizens, who enjoy equal rights to govern.

2. The design of any structure. It is based on the principles of equality of its members, periodic election of governing bodies and decision-making by majority vote.

3. Social movement with the aim of establishing the ideals of democracy in life.

4. A worldview based on the principles of freedom, equality, respect for human rights and national minorities.

A democratic state is the embodiment of the power of the people. At the same time, citizens have equal rights to govern, and the government acts in their interests.

Signs of a democratic state

1. Recognition of popular sovereignty. Citizens of democratic states are the supreme bearers of power.

2. The possibility of participation of the entire people (and not part of the population) in managing affairs in society and the country directly or through representative bodies.

3. The presence of a multi-party system. Competitive, fair and free elections in which all citizens participate. At the same time, the same people should not be in power for a long time.

4. Recognition and guarantees of fundamental human rights. For this purpose, special legal institutions must function to prevent lawlessness.

5. Political freedom and equality of citizens before the courts.

6. Availability of self-government systems.

7. Mutual responsibility of the citizen and the state.

1. Pluralism in all spheres of public life. In economics, it is embodied in the presence of various forms of ownership and economic activity. In politics, pluralism manifests itself through a multi-party system, and in the field of ideology - through the free expression of thoughts, concepts and ideas.

2. Freedom of speech. This principle includes transparency of the activities of all political subjects. All this must be ensured by freedom of the media.

3. A democratic state presupposes the subordination of the minority to the majority when making any decisions.

4. Selectivity of state and local authorities.

5. Guarantees of the rights of national minorities, prevention of discrimination on any basis.

6. Existence and free functioning of the political opposition.

7. Power in a democratic state must necessarily be divided (legislative, executive and judicial).

What is the rule of law?

For the first time, R. von Mohl was able to analyze and justify this concept from a legal point of view. He determined that a democratic rule of law state is based on enshrining in the constitution the rights and freedoms of citizens and ensuring their protection by law and court. It should be noted that initially not all scientists recognized the reality and possibility of implementing this concept. Until now, some researchers have noted the weakness of the foundations for this form of statehood, in particular in the post-Soviet space.

This concept is characterized by the recognition of the supremacy of law over power. It is recognized that:

1) priority of the individual and society over the state;
2) the reality of the rights and freedoms of every citizen;
3) mutual responsibility of the state and the individual;
4) independence and authority of the court;
5) the connection of power with law.

What is a welfare state?

In the history of the formation of the concept of a social state, three main stages can be distinguished. The first is characterized by the adoption in various countries of political decisions that paved the way for its formation. At this stage, the concept of a “democratic social state” first appeared in the works of Prance and Shershenevich. Its definition was formulated by Heller in the 20th century. In addition, at this time, social policy began to stand out in the field of internal policy of the state.

The second stage is the beginning-middle of the 20th century. This period is characterized by the emergence of two traditions of establishing the social model of the state. The first as a collective concept was implemented in Germany, the second as a fundamental principle of the constitutional system - in France and Spain.

The third stage is the formation of social law. At this time, special documents appear regulating relations in this area.

Signs of a welfare state

1. A democratic state with a developed civil society. Availability of an effective legal system.

2. Availability of a legal basis. It comes in the form of social legislation that meets the principles of justice and quickly responds to changes in society.

3. Availability of a balanced economic framework. It appears in the form of a developed socially oriented market economy.

4. The state takes care of the protection of fundamental civil rights.

5. Guarantees of social security of the country's population. At the same time, citizens, thanks to their activity, provide themselves with the necessary level of financial standing.

Monarchy. On the political map of the world there are several states with this form of government. These are constitutional (parliamentary) monarchies: Great Britain, Belgium, Spain, Norway, Japan and Sweden. They are democratic states. The power of the monarch in these countries is significantly limited, and parliaments deal with the main issues of public life.

Republic. There are several types of states with this form of government.

A parliamentary republic is characterized by the priority of the highest legislative body. Among such countries are Germany, Greece, Italy. The government in these states is formed by parliament and is responsible only to it.

In a presidential republic, the head of state is elected by the people. He himself forms the government with the consent of parliament.

Implementation of the principles of a democratic state using the example of Russia

Russia is a democratic state. This is stated in the country's Constitution. Representative democracy in Russia is ensured by the election of the State Duma and the legally determined formation of the Federation Council. In addition, the country implements such a feature of a democratic state as guarantees and recognition of fundamental human rights and freedoms.

Russia by its structure is a constitutional and legal federation. This means that individual parts of the country (territory) have a certain independence. The subjects of such a federation have equal rights.

Russia is a democratic state that provides guarantees of human rights and freedoms, implements the principle of ideological and political diversity, etc.

Democratic state - this is a state, the structure and activities of which correspond to the will of the people, the generally recognized rights and freedoms of man and citizen. A democratic state is the most important element of democracy in a civil society based on the freedom of people. The source of power and legitimation of all bodies of this state is the sovereignty of the people.

Sovereignty of the People means that:

the subject of public power, both state and non-state, is the people as the totality of the entire population of the country;
the object of the sovereign power of the people can be all those social relations that are of public interest on a national scale. This feature testifies to the completeness of the sovereign power of the people;
The sovereignty of the power of the people is characterized by supremacy, when the people act as a single whole and are the only bearer of public power and the exponent of supreme power in all its forms and specific manifestations.

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separate, their associations;
government bodies and public organizations;
people in general.

In the modern understanding, democracy should be considered not as the power of the people, but as the participation of citizens (people) and their associations in the exercise of power.

The forms of this participation can be different (membership in a party, participation in a demonstration, participation in the elections of the president, governor, deputies, in filing complaints, statements, etc., etc.). If the subject of democracy can be either an individual person or a group of people, as well as the entire people, then the subject of democracy can only be the people as a whole.

The concept of a democratic state is inextricably linked with the concepts of a constitutional and legal state; in a certain sense, we can talk about the synonymy of all three terms. A democratic state cannot help but be both constitutional and legal.

A state can meet the characteristics of a democratic state only in the conditions of an established civil society. This state should not strive for statism, it should strictly adhere to the established limits of interference in economic and spiritual life, which ensure freedom of enterprise and culture. The functions of a democratic state include ensuring the general interests of the people, but with unconditional respect and protection of the rights and freedoms of man and citizen. Such a state is the antipode of a totalitarian state; these two concepts are mutually exclusive.

The most important features of a democratic state are:

real representative democracy;
ensuring the rights and freedoms of man and citizen.

Principles of a democratic state

The basic principles of a democratic state are:

recognition of the people as the source of power, the sovereign in the state;
existence of the rule of law;
subordination of the minority to the majority when making decisions and implementing them;
separation of powers;
election and turnover of the main bodies of the state;
public control over security forces;
political pluralism;
publicity.

Principles of a democratic state(in relation to the Russian Federation):

The principle of respect for human rights, their priority over the rights of the state.
The principle of the rule of law.
The principle of democracy.
The principle of federalism.
The principle of separation of powers.
Principles of ideological and political pluralism.
The principle of diversity of forms of economic activity.

More details

Ensuring human and citizen rights and freedoms a is the most important feature of a democratic state. It is here that the close connection between formally democratic institutions and the political regime is manifested. Only in a democratic regime do rights and freedoms become real, the rule of law is established and the arbitrariness of the state's security forces is eliminated. No lofty goals or democratic declarations can give a state a truly democratic character if the generally recognized rights and freedoms of man and citizen are not ensured. The Constitution of the Russian Federation has enshrined all the rights and freedoms known in world practice, but conditions still need to be created for the implementation of many of them.

A democratic state does not deny coercion, but presupposes its organization in certain forms. This is prompted by the essential duty of the state to protect the rights and freedoms of citizens, eliminating crime and other offenses. Democracy is not permissiveness. However, coercion must have clear limits and be carried out only in accordance with the law. Human rights bodies not only have the right, but also the obligation to use force in certain cases, but always acting only by legal means and on the basis of the law. A democratic state cannot allow the “loosening” of statehood, that is, failure to comply with laws and other legal acts, or ignoring the actions of state authorities. This state is subject to the law and requires law-abiding from all its citizens.

The principle of democracy characterizes the Russian Federation as a democratic state (Article 1 of the Constitution of the Russian Federation). Democracy presupposes that the bearer of sovereignty and the only source of power in the Russian Federation is its multinational people (Article 3 of the Constitution of the Russian Federation).

The principle of federalism is the basis of its state-territorial structure of the Russian Federation. It contributes to the democratization of government. Decentralization of power deprives the central bodies of the state of a monopoly on power and gives individual regions independence in resolving issues of their lives.

The fundamentals of the constitutional system include the basic principles of federalism that determine the state-territorial structure of the Russian Federation. These include:

state integrity;
equality and self-determination of peoples;
unity of the system of state power;
delimitation of subjects of jurisdiction and powers between government bodies of the Russian Federation and government bodies of the constituent entities of the Russian Federation;
equality of subjects of the Russian Federation in relations with federal government bodies (Article 5 of the Constitution of the Russian Federation).

The principle of separation of powers- acts as a principle of organizing state power in a legal democratic state, as one of the foundations of the constitutional system. It is one of the fundamental principles of the democratic organization of the state, the most important prerequisite for the rule of law and ensuring the free development of man. The unity of the entire system of state power presupposes, on the one hand, its implementation on the basis of division into legislative, executive and judicial, the bearers of which are independent bodies of the state (Federal Assembly, Government of the Russian Federation, courts of the Russian Federation and similar bodies of the constituent entities of the federation).

The principle of separation of powers is a prerequisite for the rule of law and ensuring the free development of man. The separation of powers, therefore, is not limited to the distribution of functions and powers between various government bodies, but presupposes mutual balance between them so that none of them can gain dominance over the others or concentrate all power in their own hands. This balance is achieved by a system of “checks and balances”, which is expressed in the powers of government bodies, allowing them to influence each other and cooperate in solving the most important government problems.

Principles of ideological and political pluralism. Ideological pluralism means that ideological diversity is recognized in the Russian Federation; no ideology can be established as state or mandatory (Article 13, Part 1, 2 of the Constitution).

The Russian Federation is proclaimed a secular state (Article 14 of the Constitution). This means that no religion can be established as state or compulsory. The secular nature of the state is also manifested in the fact that religious associations are separated from the state and are equal before the law.

Political pluralism presupposes the presence of various socio-political structures functioning in society, the existence of political diversity, and a multi-party system (Article 13, Parts 3, 4, 5 of the Constitution). The activities of various associations of citizens in society influence the political process (formation of government bodies, adoption of government decisions, etc.). A multi-party system presupposes the legality of political opposition and promotes the involvement of wider sections of the population in political life. The Constitution only prohibits the creation and activities of such public associations, the goals or actions of which are aimed at violently changing the foundations of the constitutional system and violating the integrity of the Russian Federation, undermining the security of the state, creating armed groups, inciting social, racial, national and religious hatred.

Political pluralism is freedom of political opinion and political action. Its manifestation is the activity of independent associations of citizens. Therefore, reliable constitutional and legal protection of political pluralism is a necessary prerequisite not only for the implementation of the principle of democracy, but also for the functioning of the rule of law state.

The principle of diversity of forms of economic activity implies that the basis of the Russian economy is a social market economy, which ensures freedom of economic activity, encouragement of competition, diversity and equality of forms of ownership, and their legal protection. In the Russian Federation, private, state, municipal and other forms of property are equally recognized and protected.

Forms of democracy

The sovereignty of a people can be expressed in two main forms:

directly:
1. by referendum;
2. through free elections of government bodies (the President of the Russian Federation, the State Duma).
in representative forms .

Representative democracy is the exercise of power by the people through elected institutions that represent the citizens and have the exclusive right to make laws. Representative bodies (parliaments, elected bodies of local self-government) are vested with the right to resolve the most important issues in the life of the people (declaring war, adopting a budget, introducing a state of emergency and martial law, resolving territorial disputes, etc.). Constitutions in different countries give various powers to representative bodies, but the functions of legislative power and budget adoption are mandatory and the most important among them.

Representative bodies are not necessarily intended to directly control the executive branch - this is recognized only in states with a parliamentary form of government, but under any system these bodies are still vested with separate constitutional powers in this area. The effectiveness of representative bodies depends to a great, if not decisive, extent on cooperation with the executive branch. Another equally important condition is the independence of the representative institution within its powers, the absence of competing legislative power, and the non-interference of the executive branch in the prerogatives of representative institutions.

In the Russian Federation, representative democracy is ensured by the election of the State Duma and the constitutionally determined formation of the Federation Council

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.

Typology of political regimes:

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.

Authoritarian regimes include:

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."

Democratic regimes include:

presidential republics;
parliamentary republics;
parliamentary monarchies.

Word "democracy"(from the Greek demos and kratos - democracy) is one of the most popular in the modern world. It is first found in Herodotus, who saw democracy as a special form of state power, a special type of state organization, where power belongs not to one person or group of people, but to all citizens enjoying equal rights. Currently, democracy is considered: as a form of structure of any organization, as a principle of relationships based on equality, election, decision-making by the majority; as an ideal of social order based on freedom, respect for human rights, and popular sovereignty; As a type of political regime characterized by the free and competitive choice of the population of one or another option for social development, it organizes and streamlines the conflicting rivalry of interests, preserving the right of defeated social groups to continue participating in the struggle for power. A democratic way of life, democracy in politics is a cultural product of human development, invented for the most effective resolution of conflicts that take place in society, pitting people and social groups against each other.

In the modern world, democratic regimes are most common in economically developed countries with strong traditions of democracy, liberalism and pluralism, and activist political culture.

The democratic structure of society is based on the following principles:

Recognition of the sovereignty of the people, the will of the majority as a source of state power;

Election of the main government bodies and officials, their subordination to voters;

The control and responsibility of state bodies formed by appointment to elected institutions;

proclamation of fundamental democratic rights and freedoms, equality of all citizens before the law, ensuring the equal right of citizens to participate in government;

the legal existence of pluralism in all spheres of society, incl. and political pluralism, the presence of a developed bi- or multi-party system, competition of political parties, the existence of a political opposition on a legal basis both in parliament and outside it;

real implementation of the principle of separation of powers into legislative, executive, judicial;

the dominance of methods of persuasion, coordination, compromise over methods of violence, coercion, suppression;

Absolute priority of legal methods of changing power (constitutionalism).

There are different models of democracy:

classical liberal model(representative democracy); represents democracy not as an order that allows citizens to participate in political life, but as a mechanism that ensures their protection from the arbitrariness of authorities and the lawless actions of other people. One of the first to develop such ideas was the English philosopher T. Hobbes, who argued that sovereignty belongs to the citizens of the state. J. Madison also agreed with Hobbes, who believed that the main goal of a democratic government is to protect the public good and personal rights of individuals. The theorists of this model also believed that democracy cannot be direct, since it can lead to the establishment of a tyranny of the majority, in which individual freedoms and the rights of a minority can be violated in the name of the people. Democracy must be representative;

individualistic model; its main idea is the idea of individual autonomy, its primacy in relation to society and the state. With this model, institutional and legal guarantees are created for a person’s individual freedom, his rights and freedoms are actually ensured, and the individual is recognized as the main source of power. Such a model provides citizens with significant opportunities to choose their lifestyle with full responsibility for their choice, ensures non-interference by the state in various spheres of society and the complete separation of the state from civil society;

pluralistic model; proceeds from the principle that the creator of politics is not an individual or a people, but social groups, the relations between which form interests, value orientations and motives for political activity. Only with the help of a group can an individual express and protect his interests, realize his abilities and capabilities. The purpose of democracy, according to supporters of this model, is to provide all citizens with the right to openly express their opinions, to achieve a balance of interests of different social groups, their equilibrium, and to prevent possible conflicts.

collectivist model; denies the autonomy of the individual and recognizes the primacy of the people in the exercise of power. This model absolutizes the power of the majority, its priority over the minority and each specific person. One of the theorists of collectivist democracy, V.I. Lenin, believed that democracy is a state that recognizes the subordination of the minority to the majority, i.e. organization for systematic violence of one class over another, one part of the population over another;

participatory model; its essence lies in the mandatory performance by all citizens of certain functions in managing the affairs of society and the state at all levels of the political system. At the same time, the political participation of citizens is not a means to achieve any goal; it contains a goal in itself, contributing to the intellectual and emotional development of the individual.

elite model; is based on the assertion that the people have very limited functions in politics, since they are not interested in politics, do not have the necessary knowledge and complete information, and do not know how to make the right decisions. Ordinary citizens have the opportunity to participate in government only at the moment when they elect a ruling minority, after which they are completely removed from power. As a result, democracy can be defined as an institutional event that ensures elite competition for support and votes.

plebiscitary-leader model of democracy(M. Weber); in this model, the representation of the interests of citizens in complex, large societies is inextricably linked with their displacement from politics and the establishment of control over power by the bureaucracy.

In modern political science, the concept of democracy includes not only a normative definition of the system of political government and its characteristics, but also ideological approaches to relations between people, philosophical, ethical and other foundations for the existence of humanity in modern conditions. As for the ideals of democracy, they have remained unchanged, with the exception of one thing - now much more attention is paid to the individual, his opinion and interests, and activity in the field of politics.

To establish a democratic regime, a number of conditions are necessary that can ensure the democratization of society. These are: the presence of civil society, state unity, a certain level of economic development with the accompanying well-being of citizens, the presence of a massive middle class, as well as an activist political culture. However, the presence of all these conditions does not always ensure the implementation of democratic transition - the process of transition to democracy, which, according to most political scientists, consists of three stages: liberalization (at which some civil liberties are consolidated while maintaining the undemocratic nature of the regime); democratization (characterized by the introduction of new political institutions that can change the previous regime) and consolidation (consolidation of a democratic regime).

The concept of “democracy” (from the Greek demos - people and kratos - power) means democracy, the power of the people. However, the situation in which all the people would exercise political power, that is, direct democracy - this is only an ideal. Real democracy is the power of people elected by the people. It is called representative democracy. This circumstance should be kept in mind when considering a democratic political regime.

This mode is characterized by the following features.

1. The source of power in a democratic state is the people. He elects his representatives, giving them the right to decide any issue based on their own opinion. If the elected officials turn out to be not those whom voters would like to see in government, then the situation can only be corrected at the next vote. The law in a democracy protects not only citizens from arbitrary power, but also the government from citizens. The mistakes of a deputy (if he has not violated the law) or his loss of authority are not grounds for his recall.

2. Political power has a legitimate character in a democracy and is exercised in accordance with adopted laws. Acting within the framework of laws, the state at the same time provides citizens with the broadest opportunities to realize their interests and needs. A democratic political regime is characterized by the principle - everything that is not prohibited by law is permitted. Therefore, in democratic countries, the economic initiative of citizens in all sectors of the economy is so widespread, the initiative to create all kinds of associations, organizations, funds, etc., which in itself indicates a high degree of development of civil society.

3. A democratic regime is characterized by separation of powers. This means separation of legislative, executive and judicial powers from each other. The country's highest legislative body, the parliament, has the exclusive right to make laws. In a sense, this authority plays a supreme role, and, therefore, there is a potential danger of excessive concentration of political power in it. Therefore, in a democratic political regime, the three branches of political power balance each other. In particular, the highest executive power (president, government) has the right only to legislative, budgetary, and personnel initiatives. The President has the right to veto decisions made by the legislature. The highest judicial body has the right to determine the conformity of laws issued with the constitution of the state.

4. A democratic regime is characterized by the right of the people to influence the development of political decisions. This influence comes in the form of support or criticism in the media, in demonstrations or lobbying activities, and in participation in election campaigns. Political participation of the people in the development of decisions made guaranteed by the constitution.

5. An important characteristic of a democratic political regime is political pluralism, presupposing the possibility of the formation of a two- or multi-party system, the competitiveness of political parties in their influence on the people, as well as the existence of a political opposition on a legal basis, both in parliament and outside it. In carrying out its mission, the opposition criticizes the authorities. She puts forward an alternative program. The opposition controls power through the activities of its factions and blocs in parliaments and in the media.

6. And finally a democratic political regime is characterized by a high degree of implementation of human rights. These include norms, rules and principles of relations between the state and citizens. Human rights issues are in the spotlight of the world community. There are about 50 political and legal documents that proclaim human rights and enshrine them legally. Among them are the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, adopted by the UN General Assembly on December 10, 1948. The European Convention for the Protection of Human Rights and Fundamental Freedoms (1950). African Charter on Human and Peoples' Rights (1984). Convention against Torture and Other Cruel, Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment (1984), Charter of Paris for a New Europe (1990). Legal norms, human rights and freedoms are proclaimed in these and other documents.