Prerequisites of the Russian Parliamentarism and Foreign Policy of the State
Based on the analysis of the historical experience, prerequisites of the Russian parliamentarism in the context of their impact on the foreign policy of the state during the X-XIX centuries have been considered. Approaches of researchers have been offered. Examples of mechanisms of participation of the first organs of popular representation and estate-representative institutions (veche, Boyar Duma, Zemsky Sobor, Senate, Legislative Commission, and Council of State) in the state's foreign policy life have been shown. Veches, that operated in the X - XIV centuries, were the People's Assembly, that were attended by all the free people of the male, head of the family and the owners of households, and which had a significant impact on the foreign policy of the Russian principalities. Boyar Duma were constant class-representative bodies of the aristocracy under the Grand Prince (later - the king), and had foreign policy powers. Zemsky Sobors, which emerged in the middle of the XVI century - the highest state of caste-representative institutions - didn't have the features that have been fixed by law, and were going by the king's initiative to consider of state's affairs. This institution solved and issues declaration of war, conclusion of peace, relations with other states.At the beginning of the XVIII century, the Senate was formed - the legislative, deliberative body and judicialappellate instance - responsible to the monarch, whose members were appointed by him. This institution didn't have the permanent rights but only temporary terms of reference. The ministers, who supervised the army, fleet and foreign affairs, to exercise their powers independently of the Senate, and appealed into him with the decrees on behalf of «His Majesty».Legislative Commissions, which assembled for the codification of the laws in the XVIII century, gave to the Russian absolutism the appearance of estate-representative monarchy. However, the main directions of foreign policy of the state in this period continued to be in the office of the monarch.It is proved that during the period under review, the general trend of the functioning of the Russian state was the fact that the issues of defense and foreign affairs became isolated not on the formal head of the executive power, but, mainly, to the supreme leader. Exactly in his entourage, which included the most influential figures of his time, given their often determines the impact, specific foreign policy decisions were made.