(review) The State and Civil Society in Post-Soviet Russia: The Development of a Russian Style Civil Society

 The State and Civil Society in Post-Soviet Russia: The Development of a Russian Style Civil Society

Argument

Cultural and societal norms, which developed during the Soviet period, have continued to shape civil society arrangements in the post-Soviet period. This is because the cultural-historic legacies of both the Soviet Union and the subsequent peculiarities of Russia’s economic, social and political transformations since the collapse of the Soviet Union.

Civil Society in the Soviet Union

-During the Soviet period, social, economic, and political activity was closely controlled by the state

-We argue that these particular relations are the roots of a civil society po-russki.

The perestroika period

-Even though the perestroika period led to the end of monolithic Soviet-style civil society, it did not create a space for collective action which could more effectively bridge between both halves of the hourglass.

-The lack of genuine democratisation of the state and its structure and failure to fundamentally change state-society relations meant that past informal ways of social activity persisted.

-We argue that these circumstances highlight factors which shape an emerging Russian style civil society.

Civil Society during the Yeltsin era

-The fragmentation of civil society has limited TSOs to come together to aggregate and articulate popular interest.

-TSOs found it difficult to engage with the broader public

-TSOs were faced with the limited availability of resources

-As a result post-Soviet civil society has not  inhabited the middle ground between the state and society and is still dominated by ‘informal’ networks existing at either end of the hourglass rather than an autonomous middle ground.

Civil Society in Putin’s/Medvedev’s Russia 

-Following Putin’s ascendancy to power in 2000, the state increased its influence in every aspect of social activity and life

-Legislative changes or Putin’s 2006 law on non-commercial organisations (from here on in NGO Law) have facilitated the capturing process by enabling the state to administer legitimacy to TSOs (Third sector organization).

-many TSOs into merely servants to the state, providing particular services, and effectively becoming shadow structures of the state.

-As the authorities are looking for the best political value of their resources, support for TSOs which address unpopular issues such as HIV/AIDS will find it even more difficult to access necessary resources.

- recognising the ongoing need to increase membership in order to maintain their status quo.

- type of organisation in a civil society po-russki.

Ljubownikow, S., Crotty, J., & Rodgers, P. W. (2013). The state and civil society in Post-Soviet Russia: The development of a Russian-style civil society. Progress in Development Studies, 13(2), 153–166. https://doi.org/10.1177/1464993412466507