Issue: №10/1, 2019
The modern processes of legal, political and sociocultural transformations that the post-socialist countries are experiencing in our time contain the threat of the formation of authoritarian state regimes. A deep knowledge of the nature of an authoritarian state makes it possible to create a preventive mechanism that would work to prevent changes in the democratic system towards totalitarianism. The article discusses contemporary jurisprudence discourse on the nature, essence and attributes of an authoritarian state regime. It has been established that in the light of the latest legal thought, the authoritarian regime is considered in the context of a hybrid paradigm, because behind the democratic facade of representative institutions of power, the imitation of electoral processes and the alleged political complicity of citizens in the political life of the country, the teleological nature of dictatorship, excessive centralization of management, the increasing role of coercion and militarization are hidden trends. Among the signs of authoritarianism, modern scholars call: ideocracy, political monopoly, the introduction of state control in all spheres of citizens' life, the absence of civil society institutions or their nominal status. It is emphasized that the key attribute of authoritarianism is an imitation of democracy, the declarative nature of human rights and freedoms in the absence of real methods for their implementation. An important sign of the authoritarianism of law is the presence of ideology, the militarization of the state, total control and active activity of special services. Attention is drawn to the dangers of authoritarian political models in societies undergoing the transformational stages of their development. It is emphasized that authoritarianism negatively affects the achievement of the idea of sustainable development of mankind and contradicts the humanistic nature of the individual. References 1. History of Ukraine: tutorial / V.M. Lytvyn, A.H. Sliusarenko et.al. Kyiv: Knowledge-Press, 2006. 460 p. (in Ukrainian). 2. Romanyuk O.I. From totalitarianism to democracy and national statehood: a systematic analysis of post-communist transformations: monograph. Kharkiv: KhDAK, 2011. 376 p. (in Ukrainian). 3. Sukhonos V.V. The essence and functions of authoritarian state regime in the conditions of transition to democracy (theoretical and methodological analysis): diss ... cand. of law; 12.00.01. Kyiv, 2000. 185 p. (in Ukrainian). 4. Theory of state and law: tutorial / ed. S.D. Husarieva, O.D. Tykhomyrov. Kyiv: NAAS, Education of Ukraine, 2017. 320 p. (in Ukrainian). 5. Sharp Dzh. From dictatorship to democracy: conceptual foundations for freedom. URL: https://www.aeinstein.org/wp-content/uploads/2013/10/FDTD_Ukrainian.pdf (in Ukrainian). 6. Linz J. Totalitarian and authoritarian regimes. Boulder, Colorado: Lynne Rienner Publishers, 2000. 343 p. 7. The Forbes: The era of the great tyrants began in the world. URL: https://tsn.ua/svit/the-forbes-u-sviti-rozpochalasya- epoha-velikih-tiraniv.html
Keywords : jurisprudence discourse, authoritarian political regime, hybrid paradigm, antidemocracy