Parliamentarism is ... Parliamentaryism in Russia

Parliamentarism is a system of state management of a society characterized by a clear division of legislative and executive functions. At the same time, the supreme legislative body should occupy a privileged position. This article examines what parliamentarism is in Russia and other countries, the stages of its formation and features.

What is Parliament?

Parliament is the highest representative body of the state. It works on a permanent basis and is elected by the population of the country. It is his interaction with other state bodies that is called "parliamentarism". This institution is also characterized by supremacy in the legislative field.

Parliament performs certain functions: representative, integrative and regulatory. The first is that it expresses the will of citizens. The people as the sole source and supreme bearer of power empower the parliament on its behalf to fulfill the legislative role. Integrative function is that it is a national body for solving problems. Also, the parliament is called upon to harmonize the diverse social interests, the spokesmen of which are political parties. Its third function is that the norms established by it are the main regulator of social relations.

Signs of Parliamentarianism

Parliamentarism is a system of interaction between the state and society. Its formal and legal features, which are in one form or another enshrined in the Constitution, are the following

1. Delimitation of legislative and executive power.
2. Privileged status of parliamentarians and their legal independence from voters.

There are other signs, but they are not legislated.

Parliamentarism is not connected with specific forms of government. This phenomenon is typical of every modern democratic country. Russian parliamentarism is also a historically conditioned consequence of the state's socio-political development.

From the history of world parliamentarism

Back in the VI. BC. E. In Athens, from the richest citizens elected a collegiate body - the Council of four hundred. But the emergence of parliamentarism in its modern understanding occurs in the 13th century. This is due to the emergence in England of a special representative body. However, the parliament gets real power only after the revolutions of the 17th-18th centuries. Then in most Western European countries there are representative bodies of legislative power.

In 1688, the Bill of Rights was adopted in England , where the place of parliament in the system of government was first determined. Here he was assigned legislative powers. One of the main principles of parliamentarism was also fixed. He proclaimed the responsibility of ministers to the representative body of the legislature.

In 1727, for the first time in England, the parliament was formed on a party basis.

The beginning of the development of parliamentarism in Russia

Parliamentarism is primarily one of the institutions of democracy. In Russia he appeared recently. But the germs of parliamentarism can be seen even in the times of Kievan Rus. One of the authorities in this state was a people's veche. This meeting was an institution through which the people participated in solving public problems. All free residents of the Kiev state could take part in the Veche.

The next stage in the development of parliamentarism in Russia is the appearance of the Zemsky Sobor. They played a big role in the legislative activity. Zemsky Sobors consisted of two chambers. In the upper part there were officials, higher clergy, members of the Boyar Duma. The lower included representatives elected from among the nobility and townspeople.

In the later period of absolute monarchy, ideas of parliamentarism developed, but there was no special body of legislative power beyond the control of the emperor.

Country's Parlamentation in the 20th Century

The beginning of the revolution in 1905 marked the transition of the country from monarchy to the constitutional system and the beginning of parliamentarism. This year the emperor signed the highest manifestos. They established a new representative legislative body in the country - the State Duma. Since then, no act has entered into force without its approval.

In 1906, a parliament was formed, consisting of two chambers. Lower - the State Duma, and the upper - the State Council. Both chambers were located by legislative initiative. They sent their projects to the emperor. The upper chamber was by nature a semi-representative body. One part of its chairmen was appointed by the emperor, and the other was elected from amongst the nobility, the clergy, major traders, etc. The lower house was a kind of representative body.

Parliamentarism in Soviet Russia

After the October Revolution, the old system of state power was completely destroyed. At the same time, the notion of "parliamentarism" was rethought. A new supreme organ of state power was created-the All-Russian Congress of Soviets. It was formed through elections, held in several stages, from the chairmen of local assemblies. At the same time, the system of representation was arranged in such a way that in the Soviets the majority belonged to the workers, and not to the peasantry. This congress did not work on an ongoing basis. That is why the All-Russian Executive Committee of the Soviets was elected from among its members. He acted on an ongoing basis and had legislative and executive powers. Later, the Upper Council was created. This body had legislative functions and was elected by direct secret ballot.

Parliamentarism in Russia at the present stage

The 1993 Constitution in Russia established a new system of state power. Today, the rule of law and the leading role of parliament are characteristic for the country's organization.

The Federal Assembly includes two chambers. The first is the Federation Council, the second is the State Duma. For the first time, the lower house of the Russian parliament began its work in December 1993. It consisted of 450 deputies.