DOI: 10.7256/2454-0609.2015.5.17290

Abstract: The object of this article’s research is the history of the symbols of the Republic of Kazakhstan. In view of the fact that heraldry was not inherent to the culture of nomadic people, the first symbols were brought into the territory of modern Kazakhstan by the Russian Empire. The further development of heraldry in Kazakhstan, which was part of the Russian Empire and later of the USSR, occurred synchronically with the development of heraldry in these states. The Republic of Kazakhstan got its first independent symbols after the collapse of the USSR in 1991. However, unlike other countries of the former Soviet Union, these symbols were formalised, registered in a separate law, and described by a standard. Thus, the issue of the ambiguous symbol interpretations was resolved and the nation’s flag and coat of arms were made to correspond in colour, thereby allowing them to be seen as a unified artistic composition. This article demonstrates not only the strong sides in the composition of the Kazakhstan coat of arms and flag, but also examines their chief inaccuracies, which are of a dogmatic nature. This research utilised the historical approach which illuminated the geopolitical phenomena and prerequisites in creating the coat of arms of the Republic of Kazakhstan. The historical and comparative method – along with the historical-genetic method – exposed the possible continuity from old territorial coats of arms to the state’s modern coat of arms. All of the above listed methods have allowed to identify the main reference points of this research. The main conclusion of the article amounts to the observation that the Kazakhstan coat of arms, despite having a number of dogmatic mistakes, nonetheless was made with scrupulousness and artistic taste. It symbolises peace, welfare, and prosperity of the people. The symbolics of the coat of arms show an integrative vector in the state’s development. The coat of arms and the flag of Kazakhstan in their structure and symbolism are similar to the symbols of the Republic of Belarus – the author notes their same continuity from the symbols of the Soviet era. The heraldry of the Republic of Kazakhstan leans toward its development within the framework of the Euroasian Union, and the Kazakhstan experience of heraldic standardisation can be used as a model for other states in this integrative association.

DOI: 10.7256/2454-0684.2015.1.13766

Abstract:

DOI: 10.7256/2409-868X.2015.1.13999

Abstract: The subject of the present article is the coat of arms and the flag of the Republic of Belarus, their history and geopolitical interpretation. The history of Belarus and domestic policy processes ongoing in the Republic of Belarus are reflected in the symbols of the contemporary coat of arms and flag of Belarus. According to the author of the article, Belarusian heraldry has managed to combine both the pre-revolutionary experience and the experience of the Soviet heraldic science. The author of the article examines the coat of arms of the Republic of Belarus in terms of the basics of heraldry and Soviet heritage of symbols. During the Soviet Union heraldry was forgotten as a science and that is why the coats of arms of the Soviet republics including Belarus were just signs but not actual coats of arms. In the post-Soviet times some CIS countries decided to create new coats of arms explaining that their coats of arms had no actual historical basis while other countries started to change Soviet coats of arms and make them to be symbols of independent states. In this research Zagoruyko has applied the historical approach that allows to describe geopolitical phenomena and political allies of the Republic of Belarus. The historical comparative method and the historical genetic method applied demonstrate that it is possible for a new state to  adopt the old symbols. The above mentioned methods have allowed to define the main points of the research. The main conclusion of the research is that the coat of arms of Belarus flows organically from the coat of arms of the Byelorussian Soviet Socialist Republic despite the fact that the Republic can actually create a new coat of arms based on the coats of arms of the pre-Soviet period. However, the author admits that it was right of the Republic to refuse from using the 'Pahonia' coat of arms that was the symbol of the the Grand Duchy of Lithuania and therefore had a different ideology. According to the author, the flag of Belarus is a interesting example of the country's identity. Even though the contemporary coat of arms does not correspond to a number of heraldry rules and needs to be improved, heraldry of Belarus has a quite structured and traditional nature. 

DOI: 10.7256/2306-420X.2014.5.13515

Abstract: The history of the young state of Azerbaijan goes to depth of centuries, closely intertwining with thousand-year history of such great powers as Persia, the Ottoman Empire, the Russian Empire and the Soviet Union, left an indelible trace in the Azerbaijani culture Today Azerbaijan harmoniously fits into the world community and, being the independent state, independently conducts foreign and domestic policy. In the early nineties the state symbolics was chosen as the people of Azerbaijan: flag, coat of arms, anthem. In this work an attempt to interpret a semantic component of the coat of arms and a flag of Azerbaijan in close connection with history of their creation, and also to estimate their relevance now is made. In research the historical approach showing the political phenomena and preferences of the republic Azerbaijan was used. Along with a historical and genetic method, and also a method of mathematical comparison of statistical data, the main reperny points of research allowed to define a historical and comparative method. It should be noted that after events of 1917, the heraldry was buried in oblivion for this reason, there are a lot of mistakes and inaccuracies meets in the coats of arms of various regions and even the sovereign countries now. Many states of the former Soviet Union approved the state symbols, roughly breaking not only strict dogmas of heraldry, but also historical experience of own earth and the people.  It is possible to claim that the coat of arms of the republic Azerbaijan abounds with disputable symbols. It is possible to correct current situation, it is worth rethinking the main state symbols of the state. Haste of their acceptance at the beginning of the XX century led to a number of mistakes. It is necessary to take for a basis of the coat of arms and a flag of the republic or the irano-Persian symbolics – symbolics of the first homeland of the Azerbaijani people, or symbols which were used in this territory during its entry into structure of the Russian Empire. Today it is the only symbols of Azerbaijan having the historical, dogmatic and ethnographic bases fixed by earlier acts that can't be told about "remake" of the beginning of the XX century.