ДИСКУРС ПАРАДОКСАЛЬНОСТІ ПОЛІТИЧНОЇ УЧАСТІ ГРОМАДЯН В РОЗВИТКУ ДЕМОКРАТІЇ

Abstract

The aim of the article is a political analysis of certain theoretical positions of the classics of political thought and modern researchers on the participation of citizens in managing society, the role and place of political participation in the development of democracy in general. The thesis, according to which the quality of democracy is measured only by the level of political activity, the scale of political participation, etc., is not confirmed in practice: in theories of democracy, participation is considered as an effective means of expanding the field of public initiative and creativity, limiting the omnipotence of elites and bureaucracy, activities that contribute to the harmonization of social relations and, in general, human development. Both the total involvement of the entire population in politics and the complete exclusion of the broad masses of people from it are incompatible with democracy. Types and nature of political participation, factors and conditions of its implementation, quantitative and qualitative parameters, etc. have been revealed. It is obvious that the democratic reformation of society is impossible without solving a complex of problems of harmonizing key issues of a political system building, creating economic, socio-cultural, organizational-legal, institutional prerequisites and conditions for citizens’ participation in managing the affairs of the state and society. Contradictory consequences of the elections introduction, various forms of mobilization participation, etc. for successful modernization have been shown. The author comes to the conclusion that the involvement of broad masses in the political process, in state administration, etc. is, on the one hand, a factor in overcoming social apathy and nihilism of the population, education of citizenship and a high political culture, promoting the renewal of elites and the democratization of social relations. On the other hand, exaggerating the importance of citizens’ participation in politics, trying to involve them widely at all levels of the power pyramid without an appropriate institutional structure is impractical, as it can harm public administration and even destabilize the political process.