Problems of functioning and development of local self-government in Russia

Abstract

The paper is based on the results of the study devoted to the actual problems of functioning and development of local government and conducted by the Institute of Public Administration and Management, RANEPA, in 2014 (20 ad-ministrative units, 8 federal districts, N=1120; experts were representatives of local government, local self-government and enterprises, etc.) . The author examines basic characteristics of public social activity, its origins as well as public expectations from the government to tackle the problems of municipalities. The following issues are explored in the paper: influence of local government on the development of social activity; partic-ipation of the public in the activities of the local self-government as well as pri-vate initiatives; reasons behind the public participation in the life of municipalities; social factors that incite citizens to participate in the public life of municipalities; impact of different factors on social and political activities at a local level; analysis of the problems resulted from the general situation in a municipality as well as the results of the activity of the local authorities