Modern State and the Evolution of Constitutionalism (on the Anniversary of N. S. Bondar)

The question of the degree and forms of the constitution’s influence on real social processes (the organization of power and its exercise, the interaction of the individual and power) is of great scientific and practical importance, as it is related to identifying the prospects for the further development of society and the state, and the limits of the impact of legal norms on this development. The complexity of understanding these processes is due to the fact that most provisions of the constitution are not implemented automatically, but require constant confirmation and updating in the activities of government bodies and citizens, in law enforcement practice. On the path to implementing constitutional norms, obstacles arise that require overcoming through the use of a variety of means within the country’s legal system (interpretation of the constitution, specifying legislation, correction of law enforcement practice, etc.), and often at the political level, when the position of key officials and state institutions is important for the implementation of constitutional norms. In this regard, an objective study of the trends in the implementation of the principles and norms of the constitution becomes particularly important, allowing the identification of patterns in these processes, which constitutes the main subject of the science of constitutional law. Taking these patterns into account makes it possible to model optimal directions for the development of constitutional practice, as well as the main constitutional‑legal decisions reflected in the official constitutional doctrine. The above issues receive a systematic expression within the category of constitutionalism, which plays an increasingly important role in Russian constitutional law science. Constitutionalism is both an indicator and, in a broad sense, an instrument for the implementation of the constitution, supporting the stability of the constitutional order. The article shows the complexity and multifaceted nature of the phenomenon of constitutionalism, as well as the peculiarities of its evolution in Russia. Particular attention is paid to the implementation of the modern constitutional concept of public authority, as well as the role of justice in the development and strengthening of constitutionalism in our country.