“Strong hand” - weak people? Historical and semiotic aspects of the problem of power in Russia

This article focuses on the prevalent issue of the “strong hand” as a requirement for effective public administration in Russia. The purpose of this study is to conduct a semiotic analysis of this position with the aim to decode the ideological elements of the concept. By utilizing historical-comparative and retrospective methods, this study identifies two designations of the “strong hand” concept that align with the two possible paths for Russia’s development: authoritarian-monarchical and democratic-veche. The first part of the analysis establishes basic denotations for the latter interpretation and refutes attempts to eliminate traditional democratic principles from the Russian model of governance by replacing them with authoritarian-monarchical concepts. Additionally, this study examines various approaches to the “strong hand” concept based on political ideologies such as democracy, communism, socialism, and absolutism. By exploring the elements of its denotation, this study correlates different interpretations of the concept with the norms outlined in the contemporary Russian legislation. Ultimately, this study concludes that the elementary denotations of the “strong hand” concept could lie within the true traditions of Russian constitutionalism and democracy, which are rooted in history. This understanding of the concept emphasizes the decentralization of power, rather than the concentration of power in a single individual, ensuring a legal balance and governmental accountability to society.