In his book, Yuri Senokosov, a well-known Russian philosopher and founder of Moscow School of Political Studies, brings in the context of European history why and how the authoritarian nature of power changed, the reasons and circumstances that transformed the concept of the state, the emergence of the separation of powers, and the development of the Western two-party system with its postulates of conservatism and liberalism. Exploring the nature of power, the problems of people’s trust in it, the achievement of political compromises and national harmony, the author strives to understand the changing nature and character of power in Russia, and the role of conscious participation of citizens in public affairs.