FEDERALISM AFTER THE COLD WAR: PROBLEM OF CHOICE AND IMPLEMENTATION

The paper analyzes federal structures, the reasons for their introduction, and the peculiarities of the functioning of federalism in the post-Cold War period. It is established that the existing theoretical concepts of federalism analyze stable federal systems that developed before the beginning of the Second World War. It is emphasized that after the end of the Cold War, new federal systems emerged in different parts of the world or separate federal structures were introduced in unitary states that have not yet undergone systematic research. Based on the analysis of modern federal practice, it is determined that new federal institutions in heterogeneous societies are often supported by informal channels, the influence of which is diametrically opposed to the essence of federalism. Against the background of the dominance of the identification of federalization and democratization in classical theories of federalism, it is proven that in modern transitional regimes, the creation of federal institutions can have the opposite effect. “Authoritarian federalism” is analyzed, it is proven that this variant of the federal system is not a true federation. The territorial policy of Ukraine is analyzed through the prism of federalism.The main conclusions of the study: federalism should be understood as a process, not as a fixed institutional design; federalization of the state system in modern states is not the ultimate goal; the most common circumstance that contributes to the introduction of federal structures is a “federal society”, but diversity itself, including ethnolinguistic, is not yet a “federal society”. The conclusion is made about the inexpediency of introducing federalism in Ukraine, and a decentralized unitary system is given a reasoned preference. Prospects for further research are identified: analysis of the introduction and functioning of federal structures in states with different political regimes and their impact on solving the problems of heterogeneous societies.