TO THE PROBLEM OF CIVIL SOCIETY MODELING

Abstract

The article actualizes the issue of modern models of civil society. The construction of viable models of civil society is interpreted as the emergence of formats of interaction between the state and society, where both subjects of such interaction determine the specifics of a particular model by their characteristics. It is substantiated that, with regard to the state, this refers to institutionalized mechanisms of interaction with the public, effective algorithms of checks and balances, separation of powers, ensuring conditions for fair and competitive elections, etc. In turn, the positive markers of the public dimension are a developed network of public institutions, their comprehensive subjectivity, development of private entrepreneurship, interest in public participation and initiative, etc. It is highlighted that the substantive components of the categorization of the concept of “civil society model” are theoretical (emphasizes a certain concept describing an ideal or pragmatic organizational and social order of society where citizens have a significant degree of autonomy, freedom, responsibility and participation in decision-making) and institutional (specifies the configuration of socio-political relations, the scope and availability of opportunities for citizens to influence the development and adoption of public decisions regulated by normative legal acts, the degree of integration of democratic values and principles into the political system). Among the models of civil society, the author considers liberal, communitarian, market, pluralistic, social, “Western” and “non-Western”, the triad of models by N. Rosenblum (“democratic”, “mediatorial” and “electoral” civil society), etc. It is stated that in their pure form, none of the studied models has been properly tested in existing political systems, while mixed types with predominance of certain functions are common. The development of the analyzed models is directly related to the evolution of civil society, and thus to the modernization of relations between the state authorities and the public sector, when the former moves from patronage to partnership, and the latter – from current influence on government decisions to a qualitative change of power.