An argument in favor of changing the paradigm of the phenomenon' study of territorial organization of public power in the post-Soviet states

Abstract

In the post-soviet states, the paradigm of the administrative-territorial structure of the state continues to be used, which is based on the approach to the distribution of state power in relation to the territory from top to bottom inherent in non-democratic societies. This model, built on the principles of authoritarian regimes, is sufficiently stable, but excludes local initiative and the mobilization of own resources for development. It is obvious that this model of territorial organization of public power requires a radical reform, and in order to successfully carry out the reform it is necessary to change the research paradigm of the phenomenon. The paradigm of territorial organization of public power, proposed by us, is based on the ascending approach of the phenomenon that has, as a starting point, the recognition of the plurality of public territorial collectivities in the contemporary democratic societies. In such an approach, the distribution of public power in relation to the territory does not consist only in the delimitation of the territory of the state, but is an ample process of identifying the optimal territorial dimensions for the local and intermediate communities. The search for a territorial optimum meets two basic tasks: a) the self-sufficiency of local communities and b) ensuring the conditions for the functioning of the local democracy.