Is it necessary to abandon civil society?

Is it necessary to abandon civil society?


Myasnikov A.G.

Dr. Sci. (Philos.), Associate Prof., Prof. of the Department of Methodology of Science, Social Theories and Technologies of Penza State University, Penza, Russia myasnikov-g@mail.ru

ID of the Article:


For citation:

Myasnikov A.G. Is it necessary to abandon civil society?. Sotsiologicheskie issledovaniya [Sociological Studies]. 2016. No 3. P. 141-148




Abstract

The article presents a critique of S.G. Kirdina institutional matrices theory according to which “civil society” is an ideologeme of West-European civilization not suitable for Russian society with its dominating X-matrix. An attempt to replace theory of “civil society” by a concept of “civic participation” is also exposed to criticism. Arguments are presented to protect institutions of private property and economic freedom as fundamental factors for the accelerated modernization of traditional X-societies, including the Russian one. The risks associated with the targeted increase of collectivist ideology and restriction of economic freedom in the Russian society are considered.


Keywords
civil society; civil participation; Х-Y institutional matrices; Russia; private property; power vertical; economic freedom
Content No 3, 2016