Dreval V.Yu. Mechanisms of interaction between civil society institutions and public authorities in lawmaking - a qualification scientific work on the rights of a manuscript.
Dissertation for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy in the specialty 281 - Public Administration and Management (Field of Knowledge 28 - Public Administration and Management). - V. N. Karazin Kharkiv National University, Kharkiv, 2024.
The dissertation solves the challenging scientific and practical task of improving the functioning of the mechanisms of interaction between civil society institutions and public authorities in lawmaking.
In grounding the actuality of the thesis topic, it is noted that the formation of a democratic, legal, and social state is closely related to the development of civil society as a sphere of social activity of citizens who unite to make a common decision, as well as to protect their rights and interests, and to achieve the common good, including by interaction with public authorities and local self-government bodies. An important indicator of the sustainability and civilization of a political system is the functioning of civil society institutions. Through such institutions, citizens and social groups ensure self-organization, advocacy, enforcement, and protection of their rights and interests.
It is noted that the specific features of interaction between civil society institutions and public authorities are primarily explained by the development of democratic governance. In this case, it is also important to note the importance of proper channels of communication between them, which in democratic governance are primarily determined by horizontal ties (in case of the state's superiority or outright dominance, we can talk not only about the impairment of communication but even about the lack of full functioning of civil society).
The features of the creation of civil society in the process of natural and historical development of the state are characterized. The formation of the "civil society institution" and its theoretical understanding can be considered one of the most important achievements of world development and world political and legal thought. The concept of "civil society" was formed both in the process of movements in social and socio-economic relations and through the development of relevant ideas and theories. It is also important to note that there was an almost simultaneous process of formation of civil society institutions and lawmaking in the modern sense.
The issue of the essence and content of the activities of civil society institutions in connection with the exercise of legislative powers by public authorities was examined. The initial basis for this study is the assertion that civil society is a society of citizens with a high level of socio-political maturity, which forms diverse public institutions to protect and realize its interests, and which interacts with public authorities intending to protect its own and other socially significant interests.
The provision on the peculiarities and significance of the activities of civil society institutions in the context of political participation was grounded. The emphasis is placed on the fact that participation is primarily an instrumental activity through which citizens try to influence the activities of public authorities in such a way that they take the actions they desire. On this basis, the author clarifies the essential characteristics of the organizational and legal mechanism of interaction between public associations and public authorities in Ukraine.
The existing set of forms and directions of influence of public associations on the sphere of lawmaking was summarized. In this case, we primarily relied on the natural law approach to the organization of modern public administration, according to which the right of the people to constituent power and to participate in the running of public affairs should be ensured by all necessary state mechanisms.
The essence and structure of a comprehensive mechanism of interaction between civil society institutions and public authorities in the field of lawmaking were defined. The need to develop such a mechanism of relations is primarily due to the complexity and systemic unity of social relations, as well as the need for the harmonious application of many mechanisms to improve the relevant part of social relations (primarily legal, organizational, and communicative). Therefore, by a comprehensive mechanism of interaction between civil society institutions and public authorities in the field of lawmaking, we mean a set of legal, organizational, legal, communication, and other mechanisms and processes that are transformed into a single whole - a coordinated system of public administration decisions and interactions to improve public influence on the lawmaking process.
