printJudicial System of Post-Soviet Russia:
Social Context
Nisnevich Yu.A.
Dr. Sri. (Pol.), Prof., Department of Political Science, National Research University Higher School of Economics, Moscow, Russia jnisnevich@hse.ru
Nisnevich Yu.A. Judicial System of Post-Soviet Russia: Social Context. Sotsiologicheskie issledovaniya [Sociological Studies]. 2019. No 8. P. 84-95
This article provides insight into the state of the judicial system in post-Soviet Russia within social context. It involves results of a survey of the Russian citizens’ attitude towards the judicial system and judiciary. Majority disapproval is determined by the fact that people do not respect or trust courts of law assuming that they are dependent and influenced by other political and economic actors. They believe that the judges are not willing to protect citizens’ rights, are corrupt, unfair and inhumane, which determines the accusatory bias of the Russian judicial system. At the same time, Russian judiciary consists mainly of representatives of administrative and bureaucratic professional subculture focused on superior authorities and powers, most court chairpersons have Soviet professional training and experience. The judicial system of post-Soviet Russia has inherited problems of Soviet justice and is incapable of acting in the social system as an impartial arbitrator and conscience of the state.
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