The essence of the political system, which was established in the country at one time or another in a history of history, when the government has characteristic goals, methods and means to exercise its powers, is what the concept of “political regime” means.
Particular structure or methods of interaction?
In determining the political regime, a state or political system is not so important as identifying ways of interaction between the state and society, measuring the rights and freedoms of each individual, the formation of all political institutions, methods and management style. What defines any political regime: the concept, signs, types of it - these features are very diverse and able to change.
Even the same state structures can constitute essentially different political regimes. Also, similar or similar regimes easily arise in different systems of policy. For example, the political regime of some constitutional monarchies (Belgium, Norway and others) is a republican power structure where democratic methods of government are applied. And, for example, Iran, which has a democratic structure of politics in the organization of state power, is in fact an authoritarian state. After analyzing the situation within the state, a definition is derived that means the concept of political regime.
The main symptoms
One of the most important characteristics is the principle of organization of all institutions of power, as well as the pursued political goals and methods, and ways to achieve them. Slogans such as “victory at all costs” or “the end justifies the means” characterize a totalitarian state political regime. The concept and types of modes are classified depending on the analysis performed.
The nature of the political regime consists of the level of public political culture and historical traditions of the people. Any dictator or ruling elite usurps power exactly as much as they are allowed to do this by civil society and the masses. In some countries, totalitarian regimes are established easily, naturally, such is their traditional political culture.
Varieties
Researchers usually distinguish three main types from countless varieties of government: democratic , totalitarian and authoritarian . Having examined all of them and having analyzed, we can make a definition of what the concept of "political regime" means.
Totalitarian state
Totalitarianism - a social system rather specific, developed as a social and political phenomenon in the twentieth century. The term comes from the Latin totalis - complete, whole, all, which means it applies to the state system, total, that is, complete submission to the state of its citizens.
The concept of totalitarianism was introduced into political terminology in 1925 by the Italian leader of social nationalism B. Mussolini. However, the principles of totalitarianism originate even in the ideal state of Plato and in the works of the utopians T. Campanella, T. Mora and others.
The most striking and attractive feature of totalitarianism was the demand for absolutely universal equality. Gracch Babeuf called for the withdrawal of even the hope of man from becoming a more influential, wealthy, knowledgeable than other fellow citizens. And this is the planned structure of building and developing the state, the transformation of society through communist ideas.
Political organism
The idea of subordinating to the state all citizens was preached by J.-J. Russo, French philosopher. The total controllability of society proceeded from a completely understandable "fatherly" desire to bring their people to happiness, and for this it is necessary to transform this society with the help of equality, reason, social justice and freedom. The human person is as if dissolved in the political body of the state, in its moral collective whole.
The state - the bearer of the common will of citizens, has indivisible sovereignty and absolute power. The disobedience and disobedience of individual citizens or groups causes the use of force, forcing them to be free within the framework of a common will. The main features of totalitarianism:
- almost always problems with the legitimacy of power, since such regimes are established after rebellions, putsch and other usurps of power;
- the vast majority of citizens are not able to form power and influence it, to control its actions;
- total bureaucratization of all social relations, including art and science, which are also controlled by the state; absolute dependence of citizens on the state, internal terror;
- a system of legislative acts instead of a legal system, laws are not universal, power is not bound by the rule of law; most often the only political party in the state to which power belongs;
- cult of personality of the leader;
- ideologization and politicization of all relations in society;
- closeness to world civilization.
Ideological trends divide totalitarianism into "right" and "left." The concept of the political regime of the state implies that the "left" is one that is based on the principles of Marxism-Leninism, and the "right" is subordinate to the ideas of national socialism, that is, fascism. Any totalitarian regime has characteristic features: a paramilitary organization of the whole society, unquestioning submission to a higher leadership and a rigid vertical of power.
Authoritarian state
The origin of the term from Latin auctoritas - the influence of power. All power is concentrated in one person - dictator or monarch, this is the meaning of the concept. The political regime is characterized by the highest centralization of power, almost all aspects of life are state-controlled, command and administrative methods of leadership, unconditional submission to the system, people are alienated from it, real opposition does not exist, freedom of the press is limited.
There is no real separation of powers between the judiciary, executive and legislative, although purely formal structures like these can exist. The constitution under authoritarian regimes may be preserved, but declarative in nature. The election system exists, but with an exponentially fictitious function, the results are predetermined in advance and do not affect the nature of the existing political regime.
Transition mode
This is a fairly common type of political system. Characteristics put the authoritarian regime in an intermediate position, when a totalitarian society begins to strive for a democratic or vice versa, which means the concept of "political transitional regime."
The authoritarian regime is diverse, it is distinguished by goals and methods of solving problems, as well as forms of organization of power - progressive, conservative or reactionary. The concept of a state political regime consists precisely in the fact that the essence of power is rarely established for a long time, and there is no eternal state system.
Democratic state
The term comes from the Latin demos and kratos - people and power, democracy. With this form of social order, the people are considered the owner of state power, its bearer. The concept and essence of the political regime of democracy is also multifaceted. Such a state system, where democracy is fully realized, does not exist, it is an ideal of social structure.
In a democracy, the following popular aspirations must be fulfilled: freedom, justice, equality, respect for all human rights, citizen participation in government. Usually, states that position themselves as democratic contrast themselves with authoritarian, totalitarian, and other dictatorial regimes.
Signs of democracy
In the pure form of democracy, not a single state has yet been established, so often people choose a party with a double name: a Christian democrat, a social democrat, a liberal democrat, even a national democrat. Thus, narrow socially oriented social movements try to show commitment to democratic values. The political regime, signs, types of it are classified according to the main criteria derived from the analysis.
The conditions under which the democratic regime of the state is determined:
- the supreme power of the people is recognized legally;
- main authorities are periodically selected;
- suffrage is universal, and every citizen can take part in government and the formation of all representative bodies and institutions of power;
- every citizen has the right not only to choose state managers, but can also be elected to any state elected position;
- decisions are made by the majority, and the minority is subordinate to the majority;
- representative bodies control the activities of the executive branch;
- elected bodies are accountable to their constituents.
Types of democracy
The main ways of implementing democracy depend on how the people can exercise the right to power, how the state political regime obeys it. The concept and types are divided as follows:
a) direct democracy , when voters directly make decisions and monitor their implementation - this characterizes early forms of democracy such as a tribal community (ancient Athens, ancient Rome, Novgorod, Florence and other republic cities);
b) plebiscite democracy , when people make decisions only in specific cases - veche, maidan, referendum;
c) representative democracy , when representatives of the people are in power and govern the state, this is the most common and effective form of democracy, not without its drawbacks (choice problems).
The role of the state in governance
According to the form of government and the territorial structure of the country, it is impossible to recognize the meaning of the concept of “political regime”. Here it is necessary to know the ways in which state authorities interact, to see the importance of class forces in the political sphere, to understand what role the state actually plays in managing the population of its territories.
A broad approach makes the political regime, the concept, its forms a phenomenon of social life and the entire state system of this society as a whole. The narrow approach makes it only the state and state life, as it concretizes many other forms of government (form of government, for example).
But what is the meaning of the term “political regime” by people who evaluate the phenomenon in only one aspect? Both approaches are necessary here, both broad and narrow, otherwise there is no way to understand the political processes taking place in both areas - socio-political, and state. Also, the nature of the political system will remain unclear - all its public organizations, parties that play an important role in public life.
Management form characteristic
To characterize the social political system, much needs to be considered. The totality of the methods and techniques of government in the very "narrow" sense includes the concept of the political regime of the state. This is the definition of the level of guarantee of rights and freedoms, whether or not the constitutional (official) and actual legal norms are in conformity. The nature of the relationship between the government and the legal foundations of the state implies a "broad" view of the state political regime. This is the only way to see the whole picture.
This characteristic primarily reflects legal or non-legal means of government. It is equally important to determine the methods of using power: prisons and other punitive institutions, democratic or dictatorial methods of influencing the civilian population, the presence or absence of ideological pressure, violation or ensuring the freedom of an individual, protection of rights, economic freedom, attitude to patterns of ownership, and so on.
The composition of the political system
The influence of the state extends to all parts of this political system without exception: political parties, labor collectives, and public organizations, all seemingly non-systemic objects: the church, momentary mass movements, and so on. All the components of this system are significantly influenced by the system.
At the same time, there should be a hard feedback, since the state, by definition, should feel the impact of the political and social environment. Thus, mutual influence contributes to the establishment of a political regime.
Government form of government
So what does the term “political regime” mean? Briefly, one of the formulations says - this is the class essence of power (K. Marx). Also, according to Marx, all political regimes can be divided into socialist / protosocialist and capitalist / protocapitalist. They are explicit and authoritarian, monocratic (dictatorial), autocratic and democratic, can be a directory (with collective board) and combined.
Most often, political regimes are divided into forms and types after analyzing the relationship between power, society and the individual. Such a classification gives ideal, that is, theoretically defined types of state political regimes. In real life, not a single political regime in its purest form exists.
However, the subdivision into three main types (totalitarianism, democracy and authoritarianism) corresponds to the fact that, to varying degrees, approaching the theoretical norm, these types are most often present both in the history of mankind and in the modern world. The ability of political regimes to evolve makes analysis and classification more difficult, but the characteristics will certainly make themselves felt. For example, a political regime, the concept and signs of which corresponded to democratic principles, as a result of a coup, insurrection, coup can turn into any other.