Russian Conceptions of Sovereignty: The Role of the State From Gorbachev to Puti

The traditional roles of the state have been transformed by modern phenomena such as globalization and an emerging human rights regime. In the last century, states have been relinquishing sovereignty in an embrace of international integration, which in turn, has established new normative functions for political governance. However, this embrace is largely seen as an internationalization of Western norms that has been disseminated through a Western-oriented international system. In Russia, the evolution of sovereignty in its relationship to the political regime is noteworthy. Since the dissolution of the Soviet Union, Russia has transitioned from an embrace of postmodern conceptions of sovereignty to a greater reliance on the traditional roles of the state. This runs counter to Western arguments about the apparent erosion of traditional sovereignty, as recent history suggests that sovereignty has remained a primary diver of the Russian political regime and constitutive of regime consolidation. The debate regarding sovereignty in Russia reveals how the concept has been employed as a mechanism to protect its model of state-building, and thus reflects its increased importance in Russian political discourse.