EN
The article considers the main stages of development of the Institute for local selfgovernment in Russia. The author identifies several periods in the development of the municipal level of governance. In paper the main principles of the Soviet model of local government are given. Much attention is paid to the constitutional foundations of local self-government. The author gave clear cut presentation of the basic of the reform of local government 2014–2015. In conclusion the paper points out that there has been a tendency to centralize control, the refusal of municipal autonomy.