Historiographic Analysis of Switzerland's State Legal Identity: Transformation of the Principle of Legitimism

The state structure, political regime, and form of government, collectively determine the organizational and functional foundations of state power. Studying their legal nature remains a research imperative with enduring scholarly significance. The evolution of territorial state organization is contextually shaped by the development of constitutional-legal doctrines that define the modern political and legal order. Constructing a historiographic framework for political-legal knowledge facilitates a refined analysis of the principles underlying state formation, in particular, legitimism – an institution seldom examined in legal scholarship. Addressing this gap predetermines several key tasks, including the redefinition of chronological parameters and the identification of influential figures in politicallegal thought, both domestic and international. Utilizing rigorously verified sources – previously inaccessible for systematic study – this research reveals previously overlooked dimensions of Russia's impact on global political and legal processes. Certain aspects of this influence stem from the principle of legitimism, manifest in various constitutional and legal institutions. Consequently, examining the interplay between legitimism and constitutionalism yields significant scholarly results. This study employs a retrospective analysis of Swiss statehood formation in the early 19th century, to scrutinize the principle of legitimism. It explores Switzerland’s constitutional development, with particular attention to Russia's role. The study indicates that key features of Switzerland's state-legal identity – its confederate structure and direct democracy – were preserved under Alexander I of Russia’s influence, while armed neutrality emerged through a Russian-proposed resolution. The contemporary relevance of comparing Swiss and Russian constitutional provisions arises from broader global transformations in political and legal models of statehood, exemplified by the 2020 amendments to the Constitution of the Russian Federation, and the imperative of their legitimization. As states reassess the interplay between domestic and foreign policy, research of this nature assumes heightened relevance and scholarly importance.

Keywords: statehood; federation; confederation; Switzerland; historiographic analysis; identity; Congress of Vienna; Russian Empire; legitimism