Kokotova Maria
This article examines the legal regulation of citizen participation in public governance, explaining certain participatory practices that remain inadequately addressed by existing theories. The study aims to elucidate the underlying logic of citizen participation mechanisms by analyzing federal and regional legislation, as well as municipal legal acts, through the lens of competing theoretical approaches. A comparative analysis is conducted regarding principal conceptions of citizen participation: liberal, which prioritizes participation as a means of safeguarding individual rights; communitarian, which frames participation as a tool for advancing the public interest and fostering social solidarity; and republican, which aligns with communitarian principles but applies exclusively within a republican state framework. In addition to that, a Soviet model of public engagement in state affairs is critically assessed. The study argues that certain participatory mechanisms – such as social commissions and village headmen – require an alternative conceptualization, termed the population’s assistance to public authorities. This proposed framework explains phenomena where citizens are involved not only in decision-making but also in implementation, where participants are appointed by authorities, accountable to them, and remunerated for their engagement. The analysis concludes that the design and legal regulation of participatory mechanisms depend on the underlying conception adopted by legislators. However, no single form of participation fulfills the objectives of all theoretical models. Instead, these conceptions collectively function as legitimizing tools for public decision-making.
Keywords: citizen participation; liberal conception; communitarian conception; republican conception; assistant-based conception
Shaveko Nikolai
The foundational theorists of the civilizational approach – Nikolai Danilevsky, Oswald Spengler, and Arnold J. Toynbee – each advanced distinct visions of Russia’s civilizational features. While their perspectives diverge in significant ways, a synthesis of their views identifies several core attributes, such as 1) autocracy; 2) traditional consciousness; 3) collectivism; and 4) a distinctive Russian soul. However, an examination of contemporary Russian society reveals that many of these postulated characteristics are either missing or have been fundamentally transformed. For instance, although the majority of Russians consider themselves Orthodox, the role of religion in their daily lives is far from decisive, and its significance faints in comparison to its influence in earlier historical periods. Spiritually, Russians largely exhibit traits typical of a modern, secular society. Similarly, collectivism is unlikely considered a defining feature, at least in its traditional forms. Collective responsibility has long been regarded as an anachronism, collective labor (such as the rural commune or the Soviet era collective farm) have virtually disappeared, and the extended family has been replaced with a small nuclear one. While a strong family remains a key value, this assertion is contradicted by high divorce rates; in any case, the patriarchal family structure is relic of the past. Among the classic civilizational attributes, only autocracy – albeit with critical distinctions between czarism, Soviet politburo, and contemporary political systems – and certain resource-dependent economic features find resonance in modern Russia. Consequently, any attempt to define Russian civilization through certain value constants must seriously account for the factor of profound cultural changes which requires reflection and conceptualization. This article suggests that a potential resolution lies in re-conceptualizing traditional Russian spiritual and moral values. Rather than viewing them as immutable characteristics of a historical past that revel a unique essence, they should be considered primarily as guidelines for the future – i.e. as the foundation for establishing a new civilizational model.
Keywords: state-civilization; Orthodoxy; civilizational approach; Russian idea; Russian soul; traditional values
