Conservative Philosophy and the Doctrine of Sovereignty: A Necessary Connection?

Abstract

This article explains the philosophical sources of contemporary Russian conservative philosophy, which is blended with exceptionalism, the Westphalian conception of sovereignty, the negation of the universality of human rights, and which is based on the positivist precepts of the prevailing legal thinking in Russia. This conservative ideology is not new, as similar conceptions have been developed in Russian intellectual history in the past.

Keywords: neo-conservatism, sovereignty, human rights, Russia and the European Union, constitution, legitimacy, binding force of law, Russian legal philosophy

JEL Classification: K10