The main feature of civil society organizations. What is civil society. Why did renovation movements arise in the church?

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1. The essence of civil society, its main features

The problem of civil society is one of the key ones in modern political science and social practice. Its relevance is explained by the increasingly deepening processes of democratization of public life, the increasing role of citizens and public amateur associations in them. Russia today is precisely the social space where these trends manifest themselves most clearly. Politicians and social scientists talk about the need and ways to form civil society in our country; the problems of its formation, functioning and development are discussed at round tables and conferences, and at other scientific and political forums. It can be argued that the solution to many of the problems facing our society today is associated precisely with the creation of the foundations of civil society and its development. civil society state

Understanding the essence of civil society, the conditions and factors for the formation of its qualitative parameters in relation to the realities of modern life, an idea of the mechanism of interaction between civil society and the state are those aspects that are of particular scientific and practical interest today.

A developed civil society is a historical prerequisite for the formation of a rule of law state. Without a mature civil society, it is impossible to build a democratic political system. Only conscious, free and politically active citizens are capable of creating the most rational forms of collective life. On the other hand, the state is called upon to provide conditions for the realization of the rights and freedoms of individuals and groups.

Civil society is a set of non-state private associations of citizens pursuing individual and group interests.

The concept of civil society was introduced by J. Locke and A. Smith to reflect the historical development of society, its transition from wild state of nature to the civilized.

This concept has been analyzed by many great minds of social thought: from Aristotle, Hegel, Marx to modern authors of the 21st century. By civil society they understood society at a certain stage of its development, including voluntarily formed non-state structures in the economic, socio-political and spiritual spheres of society.

J. Locke formulated the basic principles of civilized relations in society:

§ the interests of the individual are higher than the interests of society and the state; freedom is the highest value; the basis of individual freedom, the guarantee of his political independence is private property;

§ freedom means non-interference by anyone in privacy personalities;

§ individuals enter into a social contract among themselves, that is, they create a civil society; it forms protective structures between the individual and the state.

Thus, according to Locke, civil society is people voluntarily united in various groups and self-governing institutions, protected by law from direct government intervention. The rule of law is designed to regulate these civil relations. If civil society ensures human rights (the rights to life, freedom, the pursuit of happiness, etc.), then the state provides the rights of a citizen (political rights, that is, the right to participate in the management of society). In both cases, we are talking about the individual’s right to self-realization.

The diversity of interests of citizens, their implementation through various institutions, the range of rights and freedoms used in this process constitute the main features of civil society.

Civil society institutions can be divided into three groups. These are organizations in which an individual:

§ receives funds to satisfy vital needs in food, clothing, housing, etc. The individual can obtain these funds from production organizations, consumer and trade unions, etc. 11.;

§ satisfies the needs for procreation, communication, spiritual and physical perfection, etc. This is facilitated by family, church, educational and scientific institutions, creative unions, sports societies, etc.;

§ satisfies the needs for managing the life of society. Here interests are realized through participation in the functioning of political parties and movements.

The ability of individual citizens and various citizen organizations to defend their private interests, the ability to satisfy them at their own discretion, without violating the private and public interests of others, characterizes the maturity of civil society.

Civil society in a broad sense is compatible not only with democracy, but also with authoritarianism, and only totalitarianism means its complete, and more often partial, absorption by political power. Civil society in its narrow, proper meaning is inextricably linked with the rule of law; they do not exist without each other. Civil society represents a variety of relationships between free and equal individuals not mediated by the state in market conditions and a democratic legal state. This is the sphere of free play of private interests and individualism. Civil society is a product of the bourgeois era and is formed mainly from below, spontaneously, as a result of the emancipation of individuals, their transformation from subjects of the state into free citizen-owners with a sense of personal dignity and ready to take on economic and political responsibility. Civil society has complex structure, includes economic, family, ethnic, religious and legal relations, morality, as well as political relations not mediated by the state between individuals as primary subjects of power, parties, interest groups, etc. In civil society, unlike state structures, it is not vertical (subordination) that prevails, but horizontal connections - relations of competition and solidarity between legally free and equal partners. For a modern understanding of civil society, it is not enough to imagine it only from the position of its opposition to state power and, accordingly, to the sphere of realization of public interests. The main thing in the modern, general democratic concept of civil society should be the determination of its own qualitative characteristics of those real public relations, which in systemic unity can be defined as modern civil society. Civil society is not just some kind of voluminous concept that characterizes a certain sphere of social relations, the limits of which are determined only by the fact that it is “the area of action of private interests” (Hegel). At the same time, “civil society” is not a legal, not a state-legal concept. The state cannot, is not able to “establish”, “decree”, “establish” with its laws the image of civil society it desires. Civil society is a natural stage, the highest form of self-realization of individuals. It matures as the economic political development country, growth of welfare, culture and self-awareness of the people. As a product of the historical development of mankind, civil society appears during the period of breaking down the rigid framework of the class-feudal system and the beginning of the formation of the rule of law. A prerequisite for the emergence of civil society is the emergence of economic independence for all citizens on the basis of private property. The most important prerequisite for the formation of civil society is the elimination of class privileges and the increasing importance of the human personality, a person who turns from a subject into a citizen with equals. legal rights with all other citizens. The political foundation of civil society is the rule of law, which ensures individual rights and freedoms. Under these conditions, a person’s behavior is determined by his own interests and he is held responsible for all actions. Such a person places his own freedom above all else, while at the same time respecting the legitimate interests of other people. Since great power is concentrated in the hands of the state, it can easily suppress the interests of social groups, classes and entire people with the help of officials, the army, the police, and the courts. The history of the establishment of fascism in Germany and Italy is a vivid example of how the state absorbs society, how its spheres are nationalized, and universal (total) control is exercised over the individual. In this regard, civil society is an objectively established order of real social relations, which is based on the requirements of justice and the measure of achieved freedom, recognized by society itself, and the inadmissibility of arbitrariness and violence. This order is formed on the basis of the internal content of these relations, which turns them into a criterion of “justice and a measure of freedom.” Thus, the relations that make up civil society acquire the ability to carry certain requirements, normative models of behavior of citizens, officials, government bodies and the state as a whole in accordance with the ideals of justice and freedom. This means that in the relations that make up civil society, the ideas of law as the highest justice, based on the inadmissibility of arbitrariness and guaranteeing an equal measure of freedom for all members of civil society, are embodied. These are those normative (generally binding) requirements that develop and exist in civil society, regardless of their state recognition and enshrinement in laws. But following them on the part of the state is a guarantee that the law in such a society and state acquires a legal character, that is, they not only embody the state will, but this will fully complies with the requirements of justice and freedom. The daily life of individuals, its primary forms, constitute the sphere of civil society. However, the diversity of everyday needs and primary forms of their implementation requires coordination and integration of the aspirations of individuals and social groups to maintain the integrity and progress of the entire society. Balance and the interrelation of public, group and individual interests are carried out by the state through management functions. Hence, global society, i.e., the all-encompassing human community, consists of civil society and the state. Civil society and the state are social universals, ideal types, reflecting various aspects and states of life in society, opposing each other. Civil society constitutes the sphere absolute freedom individuals in their relationships with each other. By definition of J-L. Kermonna, “civil society is composed of a multiplicity of interpersonal relationships and social forces that unite the men and women who make up a given society without the direct intervention and assistance of the state.” Civil society appears as a social, economic, cultural space in which free individuals interact, realizing private interests and making individual choices. On the contrary, the state is a space of totally regulated relationships between politically organized subjects: state structures and political parties adjacent to them, pressure groups, etc. Civil society and the state complement each other. Without a mature civil society it is impossible to build a legal democratic state, since it is conscious free citizens who are capable of rational organization human community. Thus, if civil society acts as a strong mediating link between a free individual and the centralized state will, then the state is called upon to counteract disintegration, chaos, crisis and decline by creating conditions for the realization of the rights and freedoms of an autonomous individual.

The essence and basic principles of civil society. The essence of civil society is that it unites and expresses, first of all, the interests of citizens, their aspirations, freedom, requests, needs, and not the will of the ruling elites, authorities, and the state. The latter (the state) is called upon to act only as a servant of society, its trusted representative. The state is for society, not society for the state. It is possible to indicate a number of the most general ideas and principles that underlie any civil society, regardless of the specifics of a particular country. These include:

1. economic freedom, diversity of forms of ownership, market relations;

2. unconditional recognition and protection of the natural rights of man and citizen;

3. legitimacy and democratic nature of power;

4. equality of all before the law and justice, reliable legal protection of the individual;

5. rule of law, based on the principle of separation and interaction of powers;

6. political and ideological pluralism, the presence of legal opposition;

7. freedom of opinion, speech and press, independence of means mass media;

8. non-interference by the state in the private life of citizens, their mutual duties and responsibilities;

9. class peace, partnership and national harmony;

10. effective social policy that ensures a decent standard of living for people.

Civil society is not a state-political, but mainly an economic and personal, private sphere of people’s life, the really developing relationships between them. Civil society is an open, democratic, self-developing society in which the central place is occupied by the citizen and the individual.

Civil society is a state of society when a person is the highest value, his rights and freedoms are recognized, respected and protected, the state promotes the dynamic development of the economy and political freedom, is under the control of society, state and public life is based on law, ideals, democracy and justice.

Main features:

1. Freedom is ensured when:

The individual is independent of the state - is not under its total control;

The individual is the owner, i.e. has the means necessary for a decent existence;

The human personality is not completely controlled by class, estate, family;

A person independently chooses the sphere of professional self-realization;

A person has the opportunity to freely form and express his political beliefs;

Human rights and freedoms are recognized, respected, and protected by the state;

There are guarantees of human rights and freedoms, mechanisms for their protection.

2. Openness, i.e. the presence of information freedom, freedom of thought and speech, education and upbringing, movement within the country, entry and exit from the country.

3. Pluralism, which is characterized by the presence of different classes, strata, and social groups in society; political forces expressing their interests, free competition of political forces in the struggle to defend interests and for the possession of state power; developed structured political system and its stability; sufficient perfection of the state apparatus and the presence of separation of powers, the presence of different points of view in society, freedom of expression and the absence of a mandatory state ideology.

4. Legal nature. Society has it where there is a rule of law, i.e. a state based on law, compliance with laws and regulations.

5. Self-government and self-development are expressed in the fact that individuals, classes, and social groups independently establish and regulate relationships among themselves. As a rule, without resorting to the services of the state as an arbiter, civil society has within itself the economic, political, cultural and moral potential for its own reproduction and further development.

2. Prerequisites and conditions for the functioning of civil society

The process of formation and development of civil society, its functioning and improvement is carried out on the basis of a set of objective prerequisites and in accordance with certain principles. They ensure the emergence, “maturing”, further movement of civil society to higher forms, its sustainability, stability and vitality. In theory, it is generally accepted that the basis of civil society is: in the economic sphere - private property and market relations; in the political sphere - democracy, law, law; in the spiritual sphere - civilization, justice, morality.

The fundamental principles of civil society are: individual freedom and independence of the individual; balance of rights, freedoms and responsibilities of man and citizen; popular sovereignty; the supremacy and sovereignty of the people; parity of relations “person - society - state”.

Modern civil society is a self-organizing and self-developing system that has internal sources functioning and improvement. At the same time, historical experience shows that it functions and develops much more effectively if certain conditions are created for this. The fundamental of these conditions is the ownership of specific property by each member of society and the right to use it at his own discretion. Moreover, such a right must not only be formal, have a certifying nature, but also have public recognition. Ownership of property can be individual or collective, but the main thing here is the presence of its actual owner. The presence of property and the right to dispose of it constitutes the initial prerequisite for individual freedom.

The next necessary condition for the successful functioning and development of civil society is a developed and diverse social structure. It makes it possible to ensure stable vertical and especially horizontal connections and relationships between representatives of various social groups and strata. The system of these connections creates ample opportunities for the realization of the interests, rights and freedoms of the individual.

A prerequisite for the functioning of civil society is also a high intellectual level of personal development, its inner freedom and independence. A person possessing such characteristics is created by the entire system of institutions of civil society and their functional reliability.

And, finally, of great importance for the effective development and improvement of civil society is the overcoming of legal nihilism in all parts of the social organism, the establishment of a rule of law state, and legal support for the life of citizens. The actual establishment of the rule of law allows society to get rid of a large number of harmful stereotypes for citizens that hinder the development of civil society, and contributes to the improvement of its structures.

All these conditions are largely created by society itself through the state and in spite of it. Through the state - by developing the necessary laws, forming democratic structures, and strict adherence by the state to generally accepted norms and procedures. Contrary to the state - by creating, within the framework of the constitutional field, a counterbalance to the state in the form of amateur associations and self-governing associations of citizens, independent public organizations, mass social movements, non-state media, etc. In this context, the relationship between civil society and the state, the mechanism of their interaction are of particular importance and play a key role in the process of formation and development of civil society.

If human society arose simultaneously with man, then civil society was formed only in the last two centuries. Its formation is associated with the development of diverse forms of private property, a market economy and freedom of economic choice, the establishment of democratic orders, the rights and freedoms of man and citizen, with the recognition of the value of a free and responsible individual.

The formation of civil society is inextricably linked with the establishment of the rule of law. A rule of law state is unthinkable without a developed civil society. Civil society is possible only in a democratic regime, a rule of law state. In conditions of authoritarian and totalitarian regimes civil society cannot function normally.

Historically, civil society has replaced the traditional, class-caste one. Under the estate system, the state practically coincided with the propertied classes and was isolated from the bulk of the population. In traditional societies ancient world In the Middle Ages, social inequality was expressed and enshrined in law: the dominant social group was organized into a state that maintained class boundaries and protected the privileges of the upper classes, in whose name power was exercised. In class societies, the state regulated many aspects of economic, household, everyday, religious, and spiritual life. However, the feudal class system was not completely alien to the nature of civil society. Despite the fact that the political expression of the medieval mode of production was privileges, unequal rights for each of the feudal classes, the class social order allowed society to maintain a certain independence from the state.

Vertical feudal structures, which openly expressed and consolidated social inequality, were replaced by predominantly horizontal non-power relations based on legal equality and the contractual principles of free individuals.

Civil society is essentially bourgeois. Its basis is the legally free individual. The separation of civil society from the state occurred in the process of eliminating class inequality and denationalization of social relations.

This process began with the formation of a representative state acting on behalf of the entire population. This required legislative recognition of the legal equality of people on the basis of vesting them with rights and freedoms. The replacement of class inequality with universal legal equality determined a qualitatively new social position of the individual. Now individuals, regardless of their social origin and property status, were recognized as equal and full participants in public life, endowed with free will.

Private reasons (even if they were multiplicity) would not have led to the creation of such a huge public sphere (system) as civil society is. Consequently, there are general reasons that fuel the process of creation and development of civil society, which are obviously quite serious. There are many of them, we will name the main, fundamental ones.

The first reason is related to private property. In a developed democratic society, the overwhelming majority of the population are private owners. Of course, representatives of large businesses are few in number. However, the middle class is developed and numerous. For the overwhelming majority of these owners, private property is a means of generating income and a means of livelihood for their families. These are private enterprises (in industry, trade, agriculture, extractive industries, etc.), land, real estate for rent, income-generating securities, interest-bearing funds, intellectual property, the owners of which are writers, composers, inventors, scientists, etc. Not only do they have something to lose, but with the loss of property they are deprived of the most important thing - a source of livelihood. Therefore, it is not surprising that the energetic efforts of its owners are aimed at preserving property and creating optimal conditions for its legal capacity.

Experience shows that the most effective are the collective efforts of various types of associations of owners with the same interests, associations of farmers, unions of entrepreneurs, bankers, etc. Their representatives constantly interact with the relevant commissions in legislative bodies and with the government, seeking to optimize the conditions for the functioning of private property, owned by the members of the data organization.

Thus, private property, being the most developed institution of a democratic society, is the first of the main reasons for the emergence and functioning of civil society, its transformation into a powerful self-organizing social structure. It is private property in all the diversity of its specific forms that makes the existence of civil society necessary.

However, a society based on a free market economy is not only represented by property owners. Its essential specific gravity consists of hired labor - workers, engineering and technical staff, office workers. There are other social groups and layers - disabled people, pensioners, people in the liberal professions (lawyers, artists, etc.). The vital interests of these sections of society also force them to unite in their unions, associations, clubs, and various other organizations (for example, the Guild of Stage Veterans, the Pensioners Party, the Bar Association, etc.). These associations are active in many areas: improving living conditions, finding feasible work and sponsors, defending rights if they are violated.

Thus, private property, if necessary, transforms all (or almost all) society into civil society, if we keep in mind this side of it, that is, civil society as a set of voluntarily formed supranational structures.

The second reason is closely related to the first. It's about about a free market economy. A democratic society, along with other freedoms, presupposes an economic system that develops according to its own laws. Only by observing these laws can you successfully conduct entrepreneurial activity. And most importantly, it is very difficult to resist the laws of the market alone. Various types of associations of entrepreneurs, that is, civil society organizations, are designed to facilitate this task. (The issue of civil society organizations in the economic sphere will be discussed specifically below.)

The third reason for the need for the emergence and functioning of civil society is as follows. A democratic state is called upon to satisfy the interests and needs of its citizens as much as possible. However, the interests emerging in society are so numerous, so diverse and differentiated that practically the state cannot have information about all these interests. This means that it is necessary to inform the state about the specific interests of citizens, which can only be satisfied through the forces and means of the state itself. And again, the effect is achieved if we act through civil society organizations. Of course, it is also common for citizens to defend their interests alone.

There are many civil society organizations in every democratic country. They can be organized in connection with specific problems of the region and even a separate city, in connection with professional interests (for example, various guilds of film and theater actors), these are organizations and foundations of a charitable nature, associations related to the need to restore monuments of great cultural significance. This also includes numerous movements (for example, in connection with a protest against the conviction of innocent people), etc. Many such organizations and civil society movements are growing to a national scale. A typical example in this regard is the “green” movement in Western European countries. Turned into powerful force, it ensured that the state allocated considerable additional resources for environmental protection and made changes to the legislation regulating this process.

Thus, the third main reason necessitating the emergence and development of civil society is the exceptional diversity of interests of citizens of a democratic society. It is important to emphasize that it is in a democratic society that the widest range of these interests is possible. And this is connected with the freedoms that this society provides to its people.

From the question of the need for civil society in a democracy, we move on to the disclosure of its possibilities. Democracy not only makes civil society essential, it creates all the basic conditions for its emergence and development. Let us note the most important of them. Main condition active life civil society is social freedom, democratic governance, the existence of a public sphere political activity and political discussions. A free citizen is the basis of civil society. Social freedom creates an opportunity for self-realization of a person in society.

An important condition for the functioning of civil society is transparency and the associated high awareness of citizens, which allows them to realistically assess the economic situation, see social problems and take steps to resolve them.

And finally, the fundamental condition for the successful functioning of civil society is the presence of appropriate legislation and constitutional guarantees of its right to exist.

Consideration of questions about the necessity and possibility of the existence of civil society gives grounds to emphasize it functional characteristics. The main function of civil society is the most complete satisfaction of the material, social and spiritual needs of society.

The functioning of the civil society system, as well as the system of state bodies, is subject to the principles - principles immanent in the nature of each of them. These include:

The principle of humanism. The commonality of the principles of a democratic state and civil society is manifested, first of all, in the goal of serving the interests of man and protecting his rights and freedoms. The position that a person, his rights and freedoms are the highest value serves equally as a principle for the activities of both government bodies and civil society structures.

Another principle common to the functioning of the state and civil society is the principle of freedom of human expression. The manifestation of this principle is reflected in both physical and intellectual freedom of a person, including: freedom of movement, choice of place of stay and residence, choice of occupation and type of activity, freedom of personal life, freedom of thought and speech, expression of opinions and beliefs or refusal from them. The manifestation of this principle is twofold. On the one hand, freedom of human expression is an indispensable condition for the prosperity and progress of the entire human society and state, since only a reasonable and free man is able to transform the world around him in this way in order to maximally adapt this world for a comfortable and safe existence. On the other hand, a person’s freedom of expression is not always positive and may conflict with the interests of other people and the state. In this case, either the state, by establishing legal prohibitions, or civil society itself, by developing moral, corporate and other extra-legal rules of behavior, sets reasonable limits for human self-expression.

One of the conditions and at the same time the principle of functioning of both civil society and the state is the principle of equality. Equality of opportunity in civil society and equality in the state indicate the harmony of the corresponding social relations.

Since both government bodies and civil society structures represent social communities of people united common goals, interests, then the next principle can be called the principle of collectivism. This principle means that each member of a particular community is aware of his belonging to it according to certain characteristics that identify this community, builds his behavior in accordance with the rules adopted by this community, and directs his activities towards the realization of its common interests.

Next general principle state and civil society - the principle of functional conditionality. Any association of people has its own goals and objectives, as well as a function. The function itself presupposes not only a certain semantic content of people’s actions, but also a set of ways, methods and techniques for their implementation to solve certain problems.

The principle of legality, meaning “the exact and universal execution by all organs of the state, officials and citizens of the requirements of the law” applies equally to all structures of civil society.

All of the above principles are inherent in both civil society and the state, since the values embedded in them seem important in any human community. Also, along with general ones, there are also special principles that are unique to civil society. Namely the principle of self-government and the principle of voluntariness.

Self-government of civil society is closely related to the principle of non-interference in its activities by state and municipal authorities. The limit of non-interference is everything that is related to the subject of the statute, internal activities public structures. However, the line between those relations where the state can and cannot intervene is very vague.

Voluntariness can also be noted as a principle of civil society. Consists of non-forced membership of a given association. That is, a person entered civil society on a voluntary basis, and recognizes himself as its member.

Summarizing the concepts discussed in the first chapter, we can come to the conclusion that the process of formation of civil society is complex and contradictory, and takes a long time. The formation of civil society is one of necessary conditions Russia’s progress along the path of economic, political and legal reforms, the establishment of a rule of law state, since the country has set the task of transforming the economy based on the recognition of private property and entrepreneurship, introducing elements of democracy into the socio-political system, strengthening the position of man and citizen, and establishing freedom.

Civil society, including that formed in Russia, is characterized by certain features that contribute to a deeper understanding of its nature, as well as the principles of this society, which we listed above.

3. Features of the formation of civil society in modern Russia

Most researchers pay attention to the complex and long-term nature of the formation of modern civil society in Russia and other CIS countries. Its peculiarity lies in the transition these countries are experiencing from an authoritarian organization of political life and the corresponding mentality of citizens to democratic society. This often zigzag, contradictory process develops in parallel with the creation of the rule of law and the emergence of a democratic culture.

The general picture of the formation of civil society structures in modern Russia has a certain positive development trend, especially in comparison with the past, when free civil life took place mainly in formal and controlled organizations. The Constitution of the Russian Federation, although it does not contain the term “civil society,” enshrines the fundamental rights and freedoms of man and citizen, and abolishes censorship. A multi-party system has emerged, with various social groups and authors - business organizations, media, trade unions, etc.

The current state of the emerging modern civil society in Russia is characterized by the following:

Until a complete system of civil structures has been formed, there is a large number of fragmented entities, weak legal protection for citizens and associations;

Society is split along lines: poor and rich, elites and people, officials and everyone else, center - periphery, etc.;

The social basis of civil society is inadequate and weak - a relatively small middle class (from 16 to 30% of citizens according to various estimates);

Integrative, unifying cultural values (trust, solidarity, consent, social responsibility, respect for life, personality, dignity, etc.) are not sufficiently expressed and rooted;

The weakness of structured interests, the lack of clearly expressed identification of individuals with relevant groups prevent the formation of civil associations, the organization of group actions, etc.;

Passivity and low level (both quantitatively and qualitatively) of citizen participation in social and political life (no more than 10% of the population), with the exception of fateful or fundamental important events for a country, region, city, village;

Weak and ineffective influence of civil society organizations on government structures;

The legal framework of Russian civil society is at the stage of formation;

The appearance of the emerging civil society in Russia is influenced by both its historical properties (the long authoritarian streak of Russia’s genesis, a widespread undemocratic mentality) and modern features of the development of society;

The process of formation of civil society in Russia is far from completion (maturity); the influence of public structures on the adoption of economic, social and political decisions is insignificant; In this regard, the stabilizing role of civil society institutions is also small.

The formation of a modern civil society in Russia is a complex and lengthy process. A significant portion of citizens are still alienated from public life and property, and have a very poor understanding of civil society and its role in society.

In general, the concept of civil society has not yet received wide dissemination and perception at the mass, everyday level in the political consciousness of Russians. It is mostly used by politicians, activists of public organizations, scientists, etc. Unfortunately, a number of modern textbooks for students in political science (for example, K.S. Gadzhiev, A.I. Kravchenko, etc.) do not have special sections on civil society, its state and tasks in the Russian Federation.

One of key issues modern development is the alienation of various social groups and institutions from the state. The level of citizens' trust in both government structures and public organizations is analyzed below.

IN last years The President, the army and some regional leaders had a sufficient level of public trust among government agencies; the level of trust among other government bodies was significantly lower. Among public organizations, the authority of the Russian Orthodox Church, media bodies, trade unions. Public Chamber every fourth Russian trusts. Less trust in political parties - only one in five. Up to 40% of the population believes in priority national projects, which is generally not bad.

Many citizens either do not understand the general meaning and purpose of both economic and social policy states, or do not perceive it as addressed specifically to them.

Another problem is related to separation public policy and private life. To the question - “Do you think participation in elections is the duty of a citizen?” - up to two thirds of respondents usually answer positively. But the belief that participation in elections will provide an opportunity to influence the government has not exceeded 20% of respondents in recent years. Moreover, two-thirds of the respondents not only do not believe in the possibility of influencing the activities of the authorities, but also would not like to participate in the management of public affairs in their village, urban area, etc., because they do not see any point in this.

Obviously, we can talk about an underestimated level of social claims of Russian citizens regarding the problem of constant participation in politics and its insufficiency. Thus, respondents noted that of the seven designated status positions in society, “participation in politics” occupies the last, 7th place. They rated most highly (in descending order): “place in society by education”; "according to qualifications"; "according to the work performed"; "by progression"; "by quality of life"; “by salary” and “by participation in the political life of the country.”

In the development of civil society, there are well-known difficulties associated with an insufficient level of personal security, respect for human rights, and extremely low incomes (poverty) among a third of Russians.

On the one hand, we can talk about the well-known positive dynamics in the development Russian society during the period under review according to such parameters as “freedom of speech”, “freedom of political choice”, “tolerance of other people’s opinions”. On the other hand, many respondents draw attention to the critical or poor state of affairs in the following areas of public life: “respect for human rights”, “personal security”, “equality of all citizens before the law”, “social guarantees”.

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What is civil society

Very often, the development of the state itself directly depends on the level at which civil society is located. To understand the essence of this concept, it is necessary to give a definition. Civil society is a system of social relations and institutions that are not state. This includes formal and informal structures that provide the conditions for political and social activities person.

In addition, civil society is also the satisfaction and implementation of various needs and interests of individuals, social groups and associations. It usually exists in two dimensions: social and institutional.

If we talk about the social component, then this is historical experience, which, as it were, outlines the limits of possible actions of all participants in the political process. Experience can be both collective and individual. It determines the behavior of an individual in the political arena, way of thinking and some other aspects of interpersonal relationships.

If we imagine that civil society is an institutional dimension, then it can be characterized as a set of organizations that express the interests of various segments of the population. In addition, they are trying to implement them regardless of the state.

Thus, the concept of civil society is quite broad, and different political scientists interpret it differently.

Principles of civil society

Any society has its own beliefs, and civil society is no exception. It operates based on the following principles:

Signs of civil society

Society does not depend on the state and has its own developed economic, political, legal and cultural relations between its members, therefore it is characterized by certain characteristics. The main ones are the following:

People's consciousness is at a high level.
There is material security, which is built on the ownership of property.
All members of society have close connections with each other.
There is a controlled state power, which is represented by hired workers who have the appropriate competence and ability to solve society's problems.
Power is decentralized.
Some power is transferred to self-government bodies.
Any conflicts in society must be resolved by finding compromises.
There is a real sense of collectivity, ensured by the awareness of belonging to one culture, nation.
The personality of society is a person who is focused on spirituality and the creation of everything new.

It is also worth mentioning that developed democracy can and should also be included in the characteristics of civil society. Without it it is impossible to build a modern society. In almost any state, society has its own distinctive characteristics.

Structure of civil society

Society is also different in that it has its own structure, which necessarily includes public organizations and institutions. Their task is to ensure and create conditions for the realization of the interests of citizens and the needs of entire groups.

In addition, the structure of civil society also includes some subsystem elements, which include:

National movements and nations.
Classes.
Social strata of society (for example, pensioners, students).
Political parties or movements.
Social movements of a mass nature (for example, trade union organizations, environmentalists, animal rights activists, etc.).
Religious organizations.
Public organizations (dog lovers, society of teetotalers or beer lovers).
Various unions or associations, which may include entrepreneurs and bankers.
A consumer society to which we can all be classified.
Any team in production, in educational institutions.
The family is the unit of our society, so it is also part of its structure.

It often happens that even outstanding individuals can perform the functions of a separate element of society. These include the following: A. Sakharov, A. Solzhenitsyn, D. Likhachev and others.

Functions of civil society

Any organization or association performs its specific functions. This also applies to civil society. Among the main functions are the following:

The production of norms and values that the state approves through its sanctions.
Formation of the environment in which formation is underway individual.
Creating conditions for free development individuals based on various forms of ownership.
Regulation and control of all structures of society and their relationships with each other using civil law. This makes it possible to avoid or overcome various conflicts and develop certain policies in the interests of the entire society.
Protecting the rights of every person and his interests by creating an extensive system of legal mechanisms.
Large-scale self-government in all spheres of public life.

Relations between society and state

The state and civil society are constantly interacting. Society turns to the state with its initiatives, proposals, interests and demands, most often requiring support, and above all material.

The state, in turn, meets halfway in different ways, these could be:

Consideration of initiatives and their support or disapproval.
Allocation of funds for the development of organizations or funds.

In almost any state, the government structures have bodies that deal with public relations. This relationship can take different forms, for example, registering new organizations and providing them with assistance, creating conditions for material support.

In addition to special bodies, there is another form of contact between society and the state. This is when representatives of civil society are members of commissions and councils that work in the government. For example, deputies, experts and narrow professionals who possess valuable information related to the development of society.

If we consider in detail the interaction between society and the state, we can draw certain conclusions:

Civil and law society is a powerful lever in the system of limiting the desire of political power to dominate. Participation in election campaigns is used for this purpose. And also the formation public opinion through independent media.
Civil society constantly needs state support. That is why many representatives of organizations take an active part in the work of government agencies. Despite the fact that most organizations are self-forming and independent, they still interact with the state in different forms.
It has a keen interest in good relations with society.

The concept of civil society is too broad and ambitious, but it necessarily implies close interaction with government agencies. It is very important for a democratic state that these relationships be trusting and close; this is the only way to have economic and political stability.

Civil society and its institutions

As we have already found out, the main element of any society is the person. Therefore, all groups and organizations must contribute to the comprehensive development of the individual and the realization of his interests.

Civil society institutions can be divided into several groups:

Organizations in which an individual receives everything necessary to satisfy his vital needs, for example, food, nutrition, housing. These may be trade union organizations, industrial or consumer unions.
The second group of institutions includes family, church, sports organizations, and creative unions. In them the individual satisfies his spiritual and physical needs.
Political parties and movements satisfy the needs for management activities.

Thus, the implementation of all interests of citizens is carried out by the institutions of civil society. The boundaries of these rights and freedoms constitute its main features.

Characteristic features of modern civil society

Today's times are characterized by civil society, which has the following characteristics:

There is no complete and unified system civil structures. We can also talk about weak legal protection of citizens.
In society one can see the division of people into poor and rich, elite and ordinary people, government officials and everyone else.
Weak social basis of society. According to estimates, the middle class accounts for 16 to 30% of all citizens.
The unifying cultural values: respect for the individual, solidarity, trust and others are not clearly expressed.
Citizens in most cases are passive and do not want to take part in the political and social life of the state.
Organizations have either weak or ineffective influence on government authorities.
The legal basis of civil society is still at the stage of formation.
The appearance of society as a whole is influenced by historical development, and modern features.
Now the process of formation of civil society in Russia cannot yet be called complete. This is a very long journey. Many citizens simply do not realize the role of society in the life of the state and their own.

Big problem on this moment is the alienation of many organizations, groups, institutions from the state.

Global Open Society

Global civil society is already an international sphere of manifestation of citizen initiatives, their association on a voluntary basis in organizations. This area is not amenable to government intervention or regulation. Such a society is the main basis for the development of civilization and a kind of regulator of not only the economy, but also politics in all countries of the world.

An open global society has its own characteristics:

There is a rapid change of officials based on public opinion.
The same can be said about the elite of society.
Availability of accessible media that are not subject to government censorship.
Availability social networks, in which citizens can influence each other.
Public opinion depends on citizens' assessments.
All rights and freedoms are realized in reality, and not just on paper.
Self-government is at a high level.
The state is pursuing correct social policy.
The middle class also has weight in society.
Public organizations exercise control over government structures.

Thus, we can say that a global society is one in which the state does not dominate the relations of citizens.

Society and its development

If we talk about the development of civil society, we can safely say that it is not finished yet. This applies not only to our country, but also to all other world states.

Most political scientists argue that the formation of civil society began in ancient times, for example, in Greece and Rome there were separate elements of society. There was a development of trade and crafts, this led to the emergence of commodity-money production, which was consolidated in Roman private law.

If we talk about European regions, we can distinguish several stages in the development of society:

The first stage can be dated back to the 16th and 17th centuries. At this time, political, economic, and ideological prerequisites for the development of civil society began to appear. This rapid development industry, trade, division of labor, development of commodity-money relations, ideological revolution, development of culture and art.
The second stage begins in the 17th century and continues until the 19th century. This period was marked by the formation of civil society in the most developed countries in the form of capitalism, which was based on private enterprise.
The 20th century is the beginning of the third stage of development, which continues to the present day.

If we talk about the development of civil society in Russia at the present time, we can note a number of features:

Our society has an underdeveloped political culture.
Many citizens lack social responsibility.
Initially, Russia belonged to those countries that are more oriented towards the state than towards society. Such stereotypes are quite difficult to correct.
There is no powerful social layer that would be able to lead the social movement, so the main role in this is given to the state.

The formation of civil society is a long and almost continuous process in which both citizens and the state take active and equal participation. If it is possible to form a modern legal civil society, then the state will be forced to obey the laws and serve for the benefit of citizens.

A. The formation of civil society is inextricably linked with the establishment of the rule of law.

B. Civil society is a set of initiative associations of citizens.

1) only A is true 2) only B is true 3) both judgments are correct 4) both judgments are incorrect

16. An initiative group of district residents opposed the construction of a shopping and entertainment complex planned by the city leadership. This fact illustrates the presence of 1) an authoritarian regime 2) civil society 3) political system 4) local government

Local government bodies, in accordance with the law, carry out

1) adoption and implementation of foreign policy decisions

2) independent decision issues of this territory

3) management of federal property objects

4) announcement of amnesty

Are the following judgments about local self-government correct?

A. Local government in the Russian Federation ensures that the population independently resolves issues

local significance.

B. Local governments independently form, approve and execute the local budget.

1) only A is correct 2) only B is true 3) both judgments are correct 4) both judgments are incorrect

19. Which of the following examples illustrates the activities of civil society organizations?

1) The country's parliament adopted an amendment to the Law on Mass Media.

2) The head of state signed an international arms reduction treaty.

The Association of Artists organized a charity event to help children with special needs.

4) The police ensured the safety of citizens and law and order during the football match.

An exceptional feature of the rule of law is

1) legislative system

2) a system of checks and balances between the branches of government

Diversity of media

4) the supremacy of the judiciary over the legislative and executive

The main feature of organizations representing civil society is

Demonstration of citizen initiative

2) implementation of the government program

3) presence of own commercial interests

4) participation in the activities of government bodies

The main feature of civil society organizations is that they

1) are established by state bodies;

2) do not participate in political struggle;

3) rely on the initiative activities of people;

4) implement government programs.

23. Establish a correspondence between the examples and the elements of the form of state: for each element given in the first column, select the corresponding element from the second column.

A) democracy 1 1) form of government

B) unitary state 2 2) form of state-territorial structure

B) republic 3 3) political regime

D) federation 2

D) monarchy 1

Read the text below, each position of which is marked with a letter. Determine which provisions of the text 1) reflect facts 2) express opinions

(A) Local self-government is recognized and guaranteed in the Russian Federation.

(B) In the Russian Federation, local self-government is exercised by citizens through referendums, elections and other forms of direct expression of will.

(B) Unfortunately, not everyone has realized the importance of local government in solving the problems of their area.

Answers: A – 1; B – 1; AT 2 .

Section 2. Local self-government abroad

Topic 3. Historical excursion into local government abroad.

Topic 4. On the prerequisites and features of the main models of local government

1. A high degree of centralization of management is inherent in the following foreign model of local self-government:

a) Anglo-Saxon model
b) continental model
c) German model
d) Japanese model

2.The continental model of local self-government is currently in effect:

a) In Canada, Australia, New Zealand
b) In the Middle East, Latin America
c) In Russia
d) In Germany

What relationships are typical for the “Weak Mayor-Council” model of municipal government (USA)

a) A weak mayor can be elected by the entire population of the municipality
b) A strong council that trusts the mayor to appoint all officials to positions
c) A strong council that takes upon itself rule-making, general leadership and control over the work of officials
d) The mayor cannot appoint municipal officials

In a democracy, the state, in relation to civil society, performs the following role:

· Creation legal basis for the activities of civil society, ensuring freedom, security and human rights

· development of communications: communications, transport arteries - railways, roads, etc.

Testing:

1. Mutual responsibility of the state and the individual, partnerships between government and society distinguish the state

1) legal

2) sovereign

3) republican

4) federal

2. The sphere of civil society includes activities

1) parliament

2) Writers' Union

3) prosecutor's office

4) armed forces

3. A distinctive feature of the rule of law is

1) sovereignty

2) availability of national currency

3) separation of powers

4) institution of citizenship

4. A voluntary political organization that unites a group of like-minded people expressing the interests of certain social forces and aims to realize them by conquering, retaining and using state power. What concept does this definition correspond to?

1) rule of law

2) trade union

3) Political Party

4) parliamentary faction

5. Organization Z actively participates in political life, but does not set the task of seizing power, but only puts pressure on it, achieving its goals. Organization Z is

1) rule of law

2) socio-political organization

3) political party

4) parliamentary faction

6. What concept is used to characterize non-state social connections and relations of citizens?

1) civil society

2) rule of law

3) welfare state

4) public organization

7. Which organization represents civil society?

1) Consumer Protection Union

2) law enforcement agencies

3) armed forces

4) district court

8. What distinguishes a rule of law state?

1) dominance executive power

2) control over the activities of the media

3) the presence of a single universally binding ideology

4) implementation in practice of the principle of separation of powers

9. Non-state and non-party associations influencing state power, actively participating in political life, but not setting the task of seizing power, but only putting pressure on it, achieving their goals. What concept does this definition correspond to?

1) rule of law

2) socio-political movement

3) political party

4) parliamentary faction

10. The main feature of civil society organizations is that they

1) are established by government bodies

2) participate in political struggle

3) rely on the initiative activities of people

4) implement government programs

11. Which organization represents civil society?

1) association of university rectors

2) law enforcement agencies

3) armed forces

4) district court

12. What distinguishes a democratic state of law?

2) guarantee by laws of equality of parties and movements

3) presence of law enforcement agencies

4) the presence of strict government censorship in the country

13. Are the following judgments about the rule of law true?

A. The rule of law guarantees respect for the rights and freedoms of citizens.

B. A distinctive feature of the rule of law is the consistent implementation of the principle of separation of powers.

14. An initiative group of residents whose houses are adjacent to the park organized a cleanup day to clean and improve the park area. This example worth to activity

1) state apparatus

2) civil society organizations

3) municipal services

4) local government

15. Which of the following examples illustrates the activities of civil society organizations?

1) Parliament adopted an amendment to the law on mass media.

2) Garage owners held a protest against the construction of a highway on the site of their garage cooperative.

3) The head of state made an annual address to parliament.

4) Deputies legislative assembly visited several preschool institutions.

16. Which organization represents civil society?

1) Ministry of Education and Science

2) association of orchid lovers

3) city court

4) prosecutor's office

17. The distinctive feature of the rule of law state includes

1) the presence of a professional management apparatus

2) rule of law

3) presence of a legislative body

4) sovereignty

18. Are the following judgments about the rule of law true?

A. The signs of a rule-of-law state include the inviolability of human rights, their protection and guarantee.

B. A distinctive feature of the rule of law is the presence of a single, universally binding ideology.

1) only A is true 3) both judgments are true

2) only B is true 4) both judgments are incorrect

19. Below are a number of signs. All of them, with the exception of one, distinguish civil society. Find the number of the characteristic that falls out of this series.

1) Diversity of forms of association of citizens, 2) autonomy of organizations, 3) self-organization and self-government 4) democracy, 5) regular turnover of government bodies

20. Find in the list below features legal state and write down the numbers under which they are indicated.

1) the presence of a legislative system

2) rule of law

3) separation of powers

4) taxation of citizens

5) implementation of law enforcement activities

6) mutual responsibility of the state and citizens

21. Below are a number of signs. All of them, with the exception of one, relate to the characteristics of a rule of law state. Find and enter the number of the characteristic that falls out of this series.

1) The rule of law, 2) a single state ideology, 3) separation of powers, 4) ensuring human rights and freedoms, 5) mutual responsibility of the individual and the state.

22. Find civil society organizations in the list below and write down the numbers under which they are listed.

1) Ministry of Communications and Mass Communications

2) environmental movement

3) association of lovers of Russian classical music

4) prosecutor's office

5) association of vehicle owners

6) department of internal affairs

1. Highlight the main features of the development of civil society and social problems characteristic of the period of industrial development.

The main features of its development in the 1890-1960s. there was politicization and extreme ideologization of the public and private life of citizens and their associations, as well as the special role of the conflict between labor and capital in society.

Social problems: conflict between labor and capital, lack of civil rights and freedoms for some categories of the population, in particular women; fear of the beginning of a new won. Trade unions were divided between parties.

2. What significance did the events of 1968 have and what trends in the development of society did they indicate?

The year 1968 marked a new role for citizens who were tired of the dominance of the bureaucracy, government interference, parties and other organizations.

An upsurge in civic activity began.

3. Compare the features of civil society in the industrial and post-industrial eras. Identify the main differences.

The main features of the development of civil society in the 1890-1960s. there was politicization and extreme ideologization of the public and private life of citizens and their associations, as well as the special role of the conflict between labor and capital in society. Trade unions were divided between equal parties, who sought to turn them into instruments of their own political struggle. Conservatives controlled Christian trade unions. Anarchists (anarcho-syndicalists) led large trade unions in France, Italy, Spain, and the USA. The largest trade union associations of workers were under the influence of socialists and communists. The fascists tried to rely on the societies of former front-line soldiers of the First World War, liberals and socialists used the women's movement, etc. Each newspaper or magazine had its own political orientation. Thus, ideological confrontation permeated the public and private lives of citizens.

The change in the role and nature of civil society as a set of voluntary associations of citizens independent of the political state has clearly manifested itself since the 1960s. From this time on, the popularity of political organizations and government bodies, parliaments, governments began to decline, the number of parties, trade unions, boy scouts and other organizations decreased. People have become less likely to participate in elections. These phenomena were typical for all developed countries West. At first, this was perceived as a crisis of democracy and the breakdown of social ties, until it became clear that citizens were looking for other forms of interaction. It turned out that people began to find themselves more often within small interest groups, go to elections less often, but devote more time to various kinds of voluntary associations.

4. What is the new role? civil organizations in modern world?

Scientists called the “global revolution of voluntary associations of citizens”, which began in the 1960s. an unprecedented surge in civic activity and the emergence of new organizations - in defense of consumers, environmental student, alternative, civil initiatives, mutual aid societies, etc.

Their actual slogan is “Society outside the state” and often “Society against the state.” These movements reflect the desire for mutual assistance, to protect the interests of the individual, group, regional and local interests. These are movements to restore the civil dignity of people and ensure their rights, to improve working and living conditions, to revive and protect national culture, to protect the rights of various minorities, to protect the environment, to protect animals, etc.

The main conflict in society is no longer the contradiction between labor and capital, but the conflict between those who have economic and political power and other citizens.

5. Which civil society organizations do you consider most important?

Mutual aid societies, for the protection of consumer rights, societies for the protection of the environment.

6. Which civil society organizations would you like to get involved with and why?

In a society for environmental protection. I would like to leave the Earth in a habitable condition for future generations.

7. Why did renewal movements arise in the church?

These updates were inspired by the times. The development of civil society showed that people are ready and able to take responsibility for their lives. The church with medieval rules no longer satisfied the needs of modern man. And the support of fascist regimes by the church turned people away from it.

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