GROUPS OF INTEREST IN THE RUSSIAN SOCIAL POLICY: THE EXAMPLE OF ALL-RUSSIAN SOCIETIES OF DISABLED, BLIND, DEAF

Abstract

There is a research gap in the study of interest groups in the social sphere, arguing the possibility of examination the activities of all-Russian public organizations of the disabled, blind, and deaf in interaction with the state authorities in the Russian system of social protection of disabled people. The context of reforming the social sphere in Russia is important because it is suggesting the opposite to conservative principles the transition to market relations and effective management of institutions of social protection. The researchers consider public organizations created in the USSR as of “the power transmission belts” of the state, however these actors may represent interest groups preserving the conservative practices in the social sphere. The aim of the article is to verify whether all-Russian public associations of people with disabilities are interest groups in Russian social policy. The investigation compares the actions of conservative nongovernmental organizations with the theoretical characteristics of interest groups. To argue that the selected actors promote certain interests in the social protection system, a review of the research literature of characteristics of interest groups was conducted. Then, the characteristics were traced in the statutory activities of the investigated organizations. The analysis of the legislation and statutory activities of All-Russian organizations of people with disabilities revealed the possibilities of the organizations to influence political decision-making in relation to persons with disabilities, as well as to contribute to the persistence of the conservative course of social policy, despite the introduced innovations in Russian legislation.