The Recentralization of Power: Examining the Political Ideologies of Russian Leaders.

Abstract

In recent years, following the consistent logic of the three main political ideas of the country – the individual, society, and the state – Russia has begun to conduct research on the future political path of the country’s development under the influence of three main factors: feelings of separation, feelings of alienation, and concerns about security. This adjustment of direction can be summarized as a strategy of the «recentralization of power.» This strategy includes at least two parts: the recentralization of political power and the recentralization of political action, both of which cover international and domestic politics. The recentralization of political power means that the emphasis is no longer on decentralization and empowerment, but instead on centralized power and strict rules. The recentralization of political action means that the emphasis is no longer on competition and negotiation, but on common goals and unified actions. From the point of view of international politics, the recentralization of actions is mainly reflected in the evolution of the dynamics among great powers towards major power confrontations and the evolution of regional cooperation towards major power leadership. From the perspective of domestic policy, the recentralization of actions is predominantly reflected in the consolidation of decision-making processes and the synchronization of developmental progress, coupled with an intensification of political measures. The strategy of the «recentralization of power» signifies Russia’s profound adjustments to its systemic framework and policy implementation. These adjustments should not be perceived merely as short-term or temporary initiatives; rather, they must be interpreted at a higher level, within a broader historical and contextual framework, grounded in a deeper strate gic logic and shaped by the developmental experience of Russian leadership over the past three decades. The article provides a brief summary, as well as a vision of the future path of political development. The implementation of this strategy signifies not only that Russia has begun to reflect on its political history over the past century, but also that Russian politics has entered a new cycle.