Risks of amendments to constitutional documents: Russian and foreign experience

Abstract

The article considers the risks of amendments to the basic law of the state, which are associated with the inability to accurately predict political and managerial problems arising in the new constitutional context. An analysis is conducted of the changes in constitutions as the basis of the political, economic, and social life of the societies that are bifurcation points from which development can proceed in various directions. This creates risks at the stages of formation and functioning of complex public systems of authority, whose work greatly influences the creation of an optimal quality of life as the criterion of the basic goal of a modern democratic state. The analysis is comprised of factors that affect the reduction or levelling of such risks or increase the possible of their occurrence. A developed democratic political culture and a high degree of public readiness for radical changes in the foundations of the political system (for example, France after World War II) are identified as factors that positively affect the state system, and excessive haste in decision making and lack of broad public fundamental changes discussion (for example, Germany in the early 90-ies of the last century) are identified as factors that negatively affect the social integration of society and the achievement of uniformity in the quality of life on the territory of the state. Both examples demonstrate in the Russian context the need to balance state policy in the process of implementing political decisions that led to amendments to the Constitution of the Russian Federation in 2020.