Social Responsibility of the Civil Society: Debatable Theoretical Issues (Part 1)

The article deals with the theoretical aspects of social responsibility of the civil society at a modern historical stage. The author critically analyzes concepts existing in Russian and foreign science on the selected research topic and expresses his judgments on such debatable issues as the position and role of the civil society in the development of the country, the identification of subjects of social responsibility of the civil society, the definition of the spheres of competence and responsibility of the civil society institutions, and the possibility of using international experience for the formation of civil society in Russia. A special place in the work is taken by research of a complex structure of civil society from the point of view of its activity and ability to bear social responsibility. The article also explores the relationship of the civil society with the state, and the problems of the formation of its institutions “from above” and “from below”, as well as describes the conditions necessary for the formation of a mature and responsible civil society. As a result, the author expresses a number of debatable judgments and also submits for discussion his own ideas of the structure of the civil society in terms of its social responsibility or irresponsibility, and highlights the problems of the joint responsibility of the authorities and civil society, as well as gives an original definition of the social responsibility of civil society.