Vol 19, No 1 (2017)

The author examines the issue of civil society in the Muslim world in general and in Russia in particular. It received a special significance after the Cold War, when liberal democracy and the concept of civil society were proclaimed as universal models, able to explain features of the modernization process. Research and practical realization of this process in non-Western societies is strongly influenced by the identification of the institution of civil society with the Western post-Christian civilization, with liberal political culture. However, historical experience shows that civil society cannot be transferred from a different social environment, it must grow on its own culture. This totalizing universalistic thinking and the functionalist-evolutionist modernization approaches are not conducive to finding an answer to the question of the existence of civil society in non-Western societies. It needs a civilizational approach, a historical analysis of cultural contexts of occurring processes of modernization, establishing a market economy, democratic political regimes and civil society. The contemporary postmodern discourse supposes civilizational multiplicity of political modernity and political modernization process. The key in these circumstances is a question about the peculiarities of the coexistence in the modern world societies at different stages of social development. In particular, it is necessary to take into account the possible coexistence of several pre secular cultures (Islamic, Confucian) and liberal democracy as post secular phenomenon.

In this article the authors consider the history of introduction of electronic state services in the Russian Federation, the Integrated portal for state services and the portals of Moscow and Moscow Region as well, and the statistics regarding the usage of the electronic services by the citizens. The subject of this research is the electronic state services of the Russian Federation, the acting federal laws and government programs in the sphere of providing electronic state services.

The article considers the expression of political polarization in American society at the present stage and reflection of these processes in the American social and political thought. The author points out different approaches to the explanation of this phenomenon. One approach is the following strengthen of polarization in the United States. There are few problems, which are discussed in relation to this scenario: the ideological, racial and cultural fragmentation of society; the effect of polarization factor on political institutions and control the political process; the impact of electoral practice, activities of state institutions and political parties on the social heterogeneity, etc. Another approach is the different view of polarization and its role in society. The group of researchers is of the opinion that in the second half of XX - at the beginning of XXI centuries American society was not polarized on the base of politics. In describing the process of political polarization in the US the author also pays attention to the following aspects: distribution of political preferences in society, factors that determine political positions of individuals and groups of people. Among the important factors highlighted the activities of the US media. On the one hand, the media are influenced by political and social groups, provide information that the audience expects from them. On the other hand, mass media forms public opinion and promote the approval of a certain ideology.

Based on a comparative analysis, the article considers the political activities of the national leaders (Zviad Gamsakhurdia, Eduard Shevardnadze, Mikhail Saakashvili and Bidzina Ivanishvili) in the transitional period of Georgia. Through their personal qualities, the authors analyze the role of charismatic leaders and their place in the Georgian politics.

With the collapse of the Soviet Union, informal social movements (“neformaly”), that began their activities at sunset of the USSR shaping a third sector of society - civil society (1st - the public sector, the second - the economic sector). The policy of “perestroika” contributed to the activation of informal movements around the Soviet Union. “Neformaly” in the center of the country and in the individual republics differed from one another by their ideological orientation. In particular, informal nationalists were popular in the South Caucasus.