ABSTRACT
The main form of local self-government in rural areas was the village commune. The model for local self-government that took shape under Alexander II proved unexpectedly resilient. City council leaders quickly realized the enormous potential of local self-government. It was during this period that municipal politicians quickly came forward and later defined quite clearly what local self-government should be like in Russia. Russian local self-government is regulated at two levels of legislation—federal and regional. Even in Russia there are still many supporters of the "firm hand," who perceive the changes under way as just more "playing at democracy," and who see federalism and local self-government as artificially introduced from abroad. The national republics have their own attributes of statehood and under their constitutions are explicitly recognized as states within the Russian Federation. Most Russian Federation subjects have preserved the town and the rural district as the basic municipal entity.
