Короткий опис(реферат):
Досліджено теоретичні і практичні проблемні питання поняття, принципи, структура та
функції громадянського суспільства, а також доведено, що суспільство є природною формою
соціальної організації. Обґрунтовано, що не можна змішувати або ототожнювати категорію
«суспільство» як людську спорідненість з категорією «громадянське суспільство» як історичний
феномен. Запропоновано власні авторські підходи щодо визначення понять «суспільство» і
«громадянське суспільство».
Суть розробки, основні результати:
The article examines the theoretical and practical issues of the concept,
principles, structure and functions of civil society, and proves that society is a natural form of social
organization and therefore, this is the model of the current Constitution of Ukraine, which establishes the
legal status of fundamental institutions of civil society, nature, principles and content of their relationship
with government agencies.
It is substantiated that it is impossible to confuse or equate the category of «society» as a human
relationship with the category of «civil society» as a historical phenomenon, as well as the opinion of
G.V.F. Hegel that the concept of «civil society» is narrower than the concept of «society».
The authors’ own approaches to the definition of «society» and «civil society» are proposed. It is
stated that society has always existed, but society has not always been civil. And so, despite the fact that
civil society is a subsystem of society as a whole, it differs from «human society» historically, structurally
and culturally, as well as certain qualitative features.
It has been noted that civil society emerged only when the relations of Western civilization
formed based on private property market relations, liberal-constitutional political system and appeared
citizen as an independent entity, aware of itself as an individual member of society, endowed with a set of
rights and freedoms, has the tendency and legal capacity to act separately from the state and to interact
with other people on a contractual basis of their own free will, not under duress, and to be accountable to
society and its other members.
It has been emphasized that civil society is a state of ordering society in the interests of each
person. An example is given when, with the adoption of the Concept of the new Constitution of Ukraine,
it was decided to include a separate section «Civil Society and the State» and enshrine the concept of civil
society. But due to the fact that in the current Constitution of Ukraine there is no relevant section and the
very definition of civil society, there is still no established understanding of this concept among scholars.
It has been noted that the basis of any civil society is based on the most general ideas and principles,
such as: environmental freedom of citizens, equality and inviolability of all forms of ownership; definition of
human and civil rights and freedoms; freedom and voluntary work; legitimacy and democratic nature of state
power, equality of all before the law and justice; political and ideological pluralism; freedom of speech and
press, independence of the media, mutual duties and responsibilities of man and public authorities; class
peace, partnership and national consent; effective social policy of the state.
It has been emphasized that civil society is characterized by a horizontal structure of connections and
relations of citizens, their associations, unions and collectives. An important role in this structure is played
by institutions, which should be understood as: various public associations formed voluntarily; independent
media; Public Opinion; elements of the judicial and law enforcement systems independent of the public;
distribution and regulatory institutions of the welfare state; territorial communities. At the same time, none
of these institutions should be dominant. Attention is paid to the specific functions of civil society.
There is a reasonable thesis that there are no priority areas of development in civil society, as it is
impossible to determine which is more important – free press, effective mechanisms of social partnership
or democratic system of government, because it is an organic unity where the development of one
component is closely linked to development and improving others.
