Traditional Russian spiritual and moral values in the context of modern legal policy

Abstract

This article is dedicated to the study of the legal nature of the Fundamentals of State Policy for the Preservation and Strengthening of Traditional Russian Spiritual and Moral Values, to determine the role and influence of this strategic planning document on the legal system of the Russian Federation. The authors conclude that the mentioned Fundamentals of State Policy is a political and legal act, which, due to the specific nature of the values it establishes, has a special legal significance in the legislative system of Russia. Firstly, from a formal point of view, the Fundamentals of State Policy differs from many other strategic documents in that it was approved by a decree of the President of the Russian Federation, who, in accordance with the Constitution of the Russian Federation, is empowered to determine the directions of the country’s foreign and domestic policy. Second, from a substantive point of view, this strategic act appeals to values that are prior in importance and nature even to the constitutional act itself. Accordingly, they were not established by the strategic document, but were merely expressed by it. Due to the legal form, these values have been given additional tools for protection and implementation. Because of the fundamental nature of traditional values, their integral incorporation into social practices requires the broad involvement of civil society and its institutions, especially universities and research centers.