Parliamentarism is a system of public administration of the company, which is characterized by a clear separation of legislative and executive functions. In this case, the highest legislative body should occupy a privileged position. This article discusses 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. He 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 he is an expression of the will of citizens. The people as the sole source and supreme bearer of power empowers the parliament on its behalf to fulfill the legislative role. The integrative function is that it is a national body for solving problems. Also, the parliament is called upon to coordinate diverse social interests expressed by political parties. Its third function is that the norms established by it are the main regulator of social relations.
Signs of parliamentarism
Parliamentarism is a system of interaction between the state and society. Its formal and legal features, which in one form or another are enshrined in the Constitution, are the following
- Differentiation of legislative and executive powers.
- The privileged status of parliamentarians and their legal independence from voters.
There are other signs, but they are not fixed by law.
Parliamentarism is not associated with specific forms of government. This phenomenon is characteristic of every modern democratic country. Russian parliamentarism also acts as a historically determined consequence of the socio-political development of the state.
From the history of world parliamentarism
Back in the VI century. BC e. in Athens, a collegial body, the Council of Four hundred, was elected from the richest citizens. But the formation of parliamentarism in its modern sense occurs in the XIII century. This is due to the emergence in England of a special representative body. However, parliament receives real power only after the revolutions of the 17th-18th centuries. Then, in most Western European countries, representative legislative bodies appear .
In 1688, the
Bill of Rights was adopted in England
, where for the first time the place of parliament in the system of government was 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, a 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. He appeared in Russia recently. But the beginnings of parliamentarism can be seen back in the days of Kievan Rus. One of the authorities in this state was the People’s Chamber. This meeting was an institution through which people participated in solving social 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 emergence of Zemsky Cathedrals. They played a large role in legislative activity. Zemsky cathedrals consisted of two chambers. The upper part included officials, higher clergy, and members of the Boyar Duma. The lower one included representatives elected from among the nobility and posad people.
In a later period of absolute monarchy, the ideas of parliamentarism developed, but there was no special legislative body not controlled by the emperor.
Parliamentation of the country in the XX century
The beginning of the revolution in 1905 marked the country's transition from a monarchy to a 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 come into force without its approval.
In 1906, a parliament was created, consisting of two chambers. The lower is the State Duma, and the upper is the State Council. Both houses were seated by legislative initiative. They sent their projects to the emperor. The upper house was by its nature a semi-representative body. One part of its chairmen was appointed by the emperor, and the other was elected from among the nobility, clergy, large merchants, 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 very concept of “parliamentarism” was rethought. A new supreme body 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. Moreover, 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 its composition. He acted on an ongoing basis and had legislative and executive power. The Upper Council was later 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 of the country's structure.
The Federal Assembly consists of 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.