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Abstract: This article is an attempt of conceptual analysis of the prominent Russian thinker Vladimir Solovyov’s undiscovered work, namely, his play “The White Lily”, which genre he himself has defined as “mystery-joke”. In spite of the seeming entertainment and unpretentiousness, the play presents definite stage in the evolution of Solovyov’s thought, and expresses some principal points of his philosophical system albeit in a rather simplified and popular form. The text of the mystery (in both printed and handwritten versions) is considered in three main aspects. Firstly, we find out socio-empirical circumstances of
its creation, the motives that guided the author of the mystery when he referred to the new unusual literary genre. The description of thinker’s personality, which is represented in the text in one way or another, is given. Secondly, the textual analysis is presented, which reveals the richness and diversity of the sources used by Solovyov, and provides an interpretation of the fundamental mystical characters and symbols appearing in the play. Special attention is payed to the Bible, especially books of the Old Testament, which influence on Solovyov’s work is underestimated by the researches. Thirdly, it is shown how the mystery text presents one of the fundamental concepts of Solovyov, namely, Sofia (“Wisdom of God”). In relation to this play, the author deals with such attributes of Sofia as completeness, materialization (spiritual physicality), ideality (transcendence), beauty, correlation with Eros. The thesis is substantiated that for the thinker Sofia and the Blessed Virgin Mary (Mother of God) are not antipodes but quite related concepts, and their ratio strives for full identity. In general, it is suggested to consider “The White Lily” as artistic expression of integral mystical-philosophical conception of the author, in
which the earthly, everyday human life appears in the role of projections and transient modus of the Supreme transcendent reality.
Keywords: Vladimir Solovyov; “The White Lily”; mysticism; Sofia; Old Testament; Book of Job; Book of Isaiah; rose; lily; Mother of God.

Abstract: Based on the logic of neo-institutionalism, the article analyzes the formal and informal practices and interaction during the preliminary voting of the party “United Russia” (the primaries) in the Perm region. The potential and impact of formal and informal relations in both public space and transformation of the institute and its structural characteristics is evaluated. The informal methods of communication, speculative methods of organizing and attracting voters are described. The author concludes that the elites increasingly have to resort to informal methods of communication that are convenient for them, but this has a negative effect in the public space, and is seen as a measure of the deficit of legal mechanisms in working with the voters. On the other hand, the development of the informal side of the institute, which acts as its “core”, may affect the further transformation and development of the whole institute that has prospects of positive dynamics.
Keywords: primaries, informal practices, regional elites, neo-institutionalism.

Abstract: The article analyzes the global concept of e-government. The conclusion is drawn that the concept is based on the “rupture talk”. The concept is characterized by the cyclical nature of evolution: the new versions are constantly appearing (the latest is the digital government). Each new variant takes into account the latest achievements of technological progress, however, the basic thesis about the rupture with the past state (i.e. the cardinal transformation of the classical “Weber” system of state administration) under the influence of information technologies, remains untouched. The concept functions as an “anti-politics machine”, transforming political and social problems related to the role of the state in the information society, to technical ones, and at the same time legitimizing the expansion of permissive powers of the authorities. Based on the analysis of “gray literature” and documents of the state strategic planning of the Russian Federation, it is shown how “rupture talk” remains stable due to constant rethinking, supplementing and supporting explanations.
Keywords: public administration; e-government; rupture talk; anti-politics machine.

Abstract: In the article, the set of issues connected with the legal regulation of the use of the Russian official language and the republics’ official languages in the educational sphere in past and present is regarded. The author analyzes the law in order to learn more about the official language of education on the particular level. Federal Law on the Education in the Russian Federation, Federal State Educational Standards, and the republics’ laws are analyzed. The author concludes that it is possible to obtain general secondary education and higher education with specializations and degrees (which are included in the standards approved prior to the Federal Law on Education in the Russian Federation) exclusively in Russian as official language. Education on other levels can be obtained in both Russian as official language and in official languages of the republics. In addition, the author explores legal aspects of studying official languages as school subjects and indicates that it is necessary to make distinction between “the language of studying” and “the language studied as school subject”. The author underlines that generally the obligation to study republic’s official language in the educational institutions corresponds to the official status of those language. Thus, both republic legislator and educational institutions have a right to envisage its compulsory studying in the frame of particular subjects indicated in the standards of general education. The author insists on the impermissibility of the obligation to learn the republic’s official language based only on one’s ethnic origins. The author criticizes such terms as “the mother-tongue speaker” and “the mother-tongue” due to their uncertainty. Finally, the author foresees the possibility to resolve the issue about either compulsory or voluntary study of the republic’s official language for everyone obtaining general education in spite of one’s ethnic origins.

Keywords: official language of the Russian Federation; republic’s official language; language of education; study of official language; compulsory study of official language.

Abstract: The article analyses reflection of the principle of subsidiarity in Russian and Polish legal systems of local self-government. On the base of comparative analysis, the authors consider the following issues: formation of the integrated subsidiarity conception in Catholic social teaching; historical and legal bases of subsidiarity in the systems of local selfgovernment; principle of subsidiarity in territorial organization of local self-government; correlation of subsidiarity and decentralization of power; delamination of public tasks between different levels of the public power according to the principle of subsidiarity; autonomy and independency of municipality as a marker of subsidiarity; principle of subsidiarity in organization of the system of local bodies of power and in financial sphere; reflection of subsidiarity in the institutions of democracy in Russia and Poland. According to the authors, the principle of subsidiarity has two aspects – internal and external ones. Both aspects are reflected in the legislation of Poland, as well as in the legislation of the RF. Nevertheless, in Russia, there is no formalization of this principle in legislation, and the attention is centered on the internal aspect of subsidiarity – relations between the state and local self-government, as well as relations between different levels of local self-government. As for Poland, there is constitutional legal regulation of this principle in respect of relations between public power and civil society. In both countries, the substantial scope of the subsidiarity conception depends on the discretion of legislator. However, the Constitutional Tribunal of Poland has formulated criteria of subsidiarity that should be used in the law-making process. Because of the absence of such criteria in Russia, the discretion of legislator is too wide. In spite of proclamation of separation of self-government from the state, principles of autonomy and independency of the bodies of local self-government are violated, especially in financial sphere. The principles of subsidiarity and decentralization of power are important for social and political life in Russia. Nevertheless, the authors outlines the tendencies of their formalization and even violation.
Keywords: subsidiarity; principle; local self-government; decentralization; democracy; civil society; European Charter of the Local Self-government; catholic social teaching.