Онтологический принцип московской столичности как основа российской государственности

UDC 32:1
DOI 10.20339/AM.01-26.103

Ilya N. Stebakov, 2nd-year Master’s student, Faculty of Political Science (“Public Policy in Contemporary Russia”), Saint Petersburg State University, Russia, e-mail: iliyaback@yandex.ru, https://orcid.org/0009-0005-6465-9730

The article proposes the concept of the ontological principle of Moscow’s capitalness as a fundamental element in the formation of Russian statehood. In this concept, the capital of Russia is viewed not merely as the administrative or cultural-symbolic center of the country but as the existential core of the Russian state that defines its political being. Drawing upon the works of prominent Russian philosophers of past centuries (M.N. Katkov, A.I. Herzen, G.V. Vernadsky) as well as contemporary scholars, the study substantiates the unique principle of power centralization that has determined the specific features of state governance in Russia. The article traces the transformation of this principle through various historical forms, demonstrating that it has been consistently preserved throughout different historical periods, adapting to new political, institutional, and ideological frameworks. It is argued that in the Russian Federation, the principle of Moscow’s capitalness continues to exist as a particular form of state organization, manifested in the concentration of administrative decision-making in the capital and the strengthening of the vertical structure of power. The research emphasizes the need for further analysis of this phenomenon to better understand the foundations of Russian statehood and to develop effective mechanisms for governing the country in the 21st century.

Keywords: Moscow capitality, Russian statehood, ontological principle, capital city, history of Russia, political philosophy

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