Open Library is an open library of educational information. The role and place of politics in the life of modern societies

To engage in politics in the context of the ongoing transformations means to consider social life from the point of view of which masses of people are involved in these transformations, how they perceive them, what social initiatives they are ready for, what activity they show in them. In addition, political science examines a special sphere of public life - political, in which the main levers of society are concentrated - the state, parties, trade union and other social and political organizations. Not only the process of radical transformations, but also their results depends on how these organizations interact with each other, what content will fill their activities.

There are also obvious organizational needs, the appearance of which is due to the need to train specialists of the widest political profile, capable of solving practical and theoretical problems. In addition, there are theoretical and historical needs.

Politics is a set of relations that develop as a result of purposeful interaction of groups to conquer, retain and use power in order to realize their socially significant interests.

Contemporary world politics has become the arena of an escalating global struggle. As a global mechanism for regulating social relations, politics is a way to rationalize intergroup conflicts.

Under the influence of integration factors at this stage of development in the world, prerequisites are being actively formed for the further cohesion of national states, the creation of a humanistic world order, the gradual formation of a global civil society, the establishment of the norms and principles of a culture of peace in relations between peoples. More and more states are shifting the emphasis of cooperation from the military sphere to the financial and economic spheres. This leads to the formation of a multipolar world.

Politics as a special sphere of human life has the ability to organize its own orders at various levels of social space. So, regulating interstate relations or the ties of national states with international institutions (UN, European Union, NATO, etc.), politics plays the role of a global planetary mechanism for regulating world conflicts and contradictions. National states, various regional associations and coalitions, and international organizations act as subjects and agents. In this case, politics acts as a way of regulating world and foreign policy relations.

One of the tasks of political science is to study the patterns, basic norms and features of interaction between states, regional and world organizations and other subjects of international relations in modern conditions. This problem has acquired particular relevance today, when the study of decision-making mechanisms, roles and functions of the most important institutions in the system of resolving international conflicts and reaching consensus between states is especially significant.

Politics appears in the unity of three interrelated aspects: as a sphere of public life; as one of the types of activity of social subjects and as a type of social relations between individuals, small groups, etc.

In the first aspect, politics appears to be an element of the structure of society, which is assigned the functions of coordinating general and private interests, exercising domination and maintaining order, realizing generally significant goals and guiding people, regulating resources and managing public affairs.

The second aspect is related to the interpretation of politics as a way of aggregate and individual activity of social subjects, a type of human activity and social behavior.

The third aspect characterizes politics as a type of conflict relations and social interactions.

The policy can be implemented at several levels:

At the lowest level, local problems are solved and political activity at this level is carried out mainly by individual individuals;

At the local level, government intervention is required, the policy is carried out by groups and associations interested in the economic development of their region;

At the national level, the state is the main institution for the allocation of resources;

At the international level, the main subjects of political activity are sovereign states.

The role of politics as a special sphere of public life is conditioned by its three properties: universality, all-encompassing character, the ability to influence practically all aspects of life, elements of society, relations, events; the ability to combine with non-political social phenomena, relations and spheres.

The significance of politics is due to the functions that it performs in society, and which characterize the most important areas of its impact on society:

1. Ensuring the integrity and stability of society as a complex social system, integration of various segments of the population;

2. Management and regulation of social processes;

3. Expression of powerful interests of all groups and strata of society;

5. Political socialization of the individual;

6. Mobilization and achievement of efficiency of general activities.

Politics in its development has received the status of the most important social mechanism, without which no complexly organized society is capable of reproducing and developing its social orders.

At present, the role and significance of a policy depends on the performance of its following functions:

Expression and implementation of powerful interests of groups and sectors of society;

Rationalization of conflicts, imparting a civilized character to intergroup relations, pacifying the warring parties;

Distribution and redistribution of public goods, taking into account group priorities for the life of society as a whole;

Management and leadership of social processes as the main method of reconciling group interests by putting forward the most general goals of social development;

Integration of society and ensuring the integrity of the social system;

Socialization of the individual, its inclusion in the life of a complexly organized state and society. Through politics, a person acquires the qualities that he needs for a realistic perception of reality, overcoming the destructive consequences of subconscious reactions to political processes;

Providing communication. Politics creates special forms of communication between groups of the population conflicting about power, forming or using specific institutions for this

(Media), ways of maintaining contacts between the authorities and the population (political advertising), strategies for informing the population and combating competitors (propaganda, agitation, political public relations - special techniques of public relations)

Creation of reality (projective function).

Abstract on the subject: Political science

The role and place of politics in the life of society. Social functions of politics

Completed: 3rd year student of the correspondence department

eiM-1 groups Antonova Sophia

Moscow, 2010

1. Politics, its role in the life of society. The structure of the political sphere. Political system of society

The word "politics" comes from the Greek word Politika, which means "state affairs", "the art of government".

The political superstructure did not always exist. Among the reasons for its occurrence is the polarization of society, leading to the emergence of social contradictions and conflicts that need to be resolved, as well as the increased level of complexity and significance of managing society, which required the formation of special bodies of power separated from the people. The most important prerequisite for politics was the emergence of political and state power. Primitive societies were non-political.

Modern science offers different definitions of politics. Among them are the following:

1. Politics is the relationship between states, classes, social groups, nations arising from the capture, exercise and retention of political power in society, as well as relations between states in the international arena.

2. Politics is the activity of state bodies, political parties, public associations in the sphere of relations between social groups (classes, nations), states, aimed at integrating their efforts in order to consolidate political power or conquer it.

3. Politics is the sphere of activity of groups, parties, individuals, the state, associated with the implementation of common interests with the help of political power.

The political system of society is understood as the totality of various political institutions, socio-political communities, forms of interactions and relationships between them, in which political power is exercised.

The functions of the political system of society are diverse:

1) determination of goals, objectives, ways of development of society;

2) organization of the company's activities to achieve the set goals;

3) distribution of material and spiritual resources;

4) coordination of various interests of the subjects of the political process;

5) development and implementation of various norms of behavior in society;

6) ensuring the stability and security of society;

7) political socialization of the individual, familiarizing people with political life;

8) control over the implementation of political and other norms of behavior, suppression of attempts to violate them.

The basis for the classification of political systems is, as a rule, the political regime, the nature and way of interaction between the authorities, individuals and society. According to this criterion, all political systems can be divided into totalitarian, authoritarian and democratic.

Political science identifies four main elements of the political system, also called subsystems:

1) institutional;

2) communicative;

3) regulatory;

4) cultural and ideological.

The institutional subsystem includes political organizations (institutions), among which the state occupies a special place. Among non-governmental organizations, political parties and socio-political movements play an important role in the political life of society.

All political institutions can be roughly divided into three groups. The first group - proper-political - includes organizations whose direct purpose of existence is to exercise power or influence it (the state, political parties and socio-political movements).

The second group - improperly political - includes organizations operating in the economic, social, cultural spheres of society (trade unions, religious and cooperative organizations, etc.). They do not set themselves independent political tasks, do not participate in the struggle for power. But their goals cannot be achieved outside the political system, therefore such organizations must participate in the political life of society, defending their corporate interests, seeking to take them into account and implement them in politics.

Finally, the third group includes organizations that have only an insignificant political aspect in their activities. They arise and function to realize the personal interests and inclinations of a certain layer of people (clubs of interest, sports societies). They acquire a political connotation as objects of influence from the state and other proper political institutions. They themselves are not active subjects of political relations.

The main institution of the political system of society is the state. Its special place in the political system is predetermined by the following factors:

1) the state has the broadest social basis, expresses the interests of the bulk of the population;

2) the state is the only political organization with a special apparatus of management and coercion, which extends its power to all members of society;

3) the state has a wide range of means of influencing its citizens, while the possibilities of political parties and other organizations are limited;

4) the state establishes the legal framework for the functioning of the entire political system, adopts laws that determine the procedure for the creation and operation of other political organizations, establishes direct bans on the work of certain public organizations;

5) the state has enormous material resources to ensure the implementation of its policy;

6) the state performs an integrating (uniting) role within the political system, being the “core” of the entire political life of society, since it is around the state power that the political struggle unfolds.

The communicative subsystem of the political system of society is a set of relations and forms of interaction that develop between classes, social groups, nations, individuals regarding their participation in the exercise of power, the development and implementation of politics. Political relations are the result of numerous and varied connections between political actors in the process of political activity. People and political institutions are motivated to join them by their own political interests and needs.

There are primary and secondary (derivative) political relations. The former include various forms of interaction between social groups (classes, nations, estates, etc.), as well as within them, the latter - relations between states, parties, other political institutions, reflecting in their activities the interests of certain social strata or the entire society.

Political relations are built on the basis of certain rules (norms). Political norms and traditions that determine and regulate the political life of society constitute the normative subsystem of the political system of society. The most important role in it is played by legal norms (constitutions, laws, other normative legal acts). The activities of parties and other public organizations are regulated by their charter and program norms. In many countries (especially in England and its former colonies), along with written political norms, unwritten customs and traditions are of great importance.

Another group of political norms is represented by ethical and moral norms, in which the ideas of the whole society or its individual layers about good and evil, truth, and justice are fixed. Modern society has come close to realizing the need to return to politics such moral guidelines as honor, conscience, nobility.

The cultural and ideological subsystem of the political system is a set of political ideas, views, perceptions, feelings of participants in political life that are different in their content. The political consciousness of the subjects of the political process functions at two levels - theoretical (political ideology) and empirical (political psychology). The forms of manifestation of political ideology include views, slogans, ideas, concepts, theories, and political psychology - feelings, emotions, moods, prejudices, traditions. In the political life of society, they are equal.

In the ideological subsystem, a special place is occupied by political culture, understood as a complex of typical for a given society, ingrained patterns (stereotypes) of behavior, value orientations, and political ideas. Political culture is the experience of political activity passed down from generation to generation, in which knowledge, beliefs and models of behavior of a person and social groups are combined.

Politics is a historically transitory phenomenon. It begins to form only at a certain stage in the development of society. Thus, in a primitive tribal society, there were no political relations. The life of society was regulated by centuries-old habits and traditions. Politics as a theory and management of social relations begins to take shape as more developed forms of the division of social labor and private ownership of tools of labor appear, since tribal relations were not able to regulate new relations between people using the old folk methods. Actually, starting from this stage of human development, that is, from the emergence of a slave-owning society, the first secular ideas and ideas about the origin and essence of power, state and politics appear. Naturally, the idea of \u200b\u200bthe subject and essence of politics has changed, and we will focus on the interpretation of politics, which is now more or less generally accepted, that is, politics as a theory of the state, politics as a science and art of management.

The first of the famous thinkers who touched upon the development and organization of society, expressed ideas about the state, was Aristotle, who did this in the treatise "Politics". Aristotle forms his ideas about the state on the basis of an analysis of the social history and political structure of a number of Greek city states. The doctrine of the Greek thinker about the state is based on his conviction that man is a "political animal", and his life in the state is the natural essence of man. The state is presented as a developed community of communities, and the community - as a developed family. His family is the prototype of the state, and he transfers its structure to the state system. Aristotle's doctrine of the state has a clearly expressed class character. The slave state is the natural state of the organization of society, and therefore the existence of slave owners and slaves, masters and subordinates is fully justified.

The main tasks of the state, that is, of political power, should be to prevent the excessive accumulation of wealth among citizens, since this is fraught with social instability; the immense growth of political power in the hands of one person and the keeping of slaves in obedience.

N. Machiavelli (1469-1527), an Italian political thinker and public figure, made a significant contribution to the doctrine of state and politics. The state and politics, according to Machiavelli, are not of religious origin, but are an independent side of human activity, the embodiment of free human will within the framework of necessity, or fortune (fate, happiness). Politics is not determined by God or morality, but is the result of human practical activity, the natural laws of life and human psychology. According to Machiavelli, the main motives that determine political activity are real interests, self-interest, the desire to get rich. The sovereign, the ruler must be an absolute sovereign and even a despot. He should not be limited by either moral or religious prescriptions in achieving his goals. Such harshness is not a whim, it is dictated by the circumstances themselves. Only a strong and tough sovereign can ensure the normal existence and functioning of the state and keep in his sphere of influence the cruel world of people striving for wealth, prosperity and guided only by selfish principles.

The most complete doctrine of politics was developed by Marx, Engels and their followers. According to Marxism, politics is an area of \u200b\u200bhuman activity, determined by relations between classes, social strata, ethnic groups.Its main goal is the problem of conquering, retaining and using state power. The most important thing in politics is the organization of state power.

The state acts as a political superstructure over the economic base. Through it, the economically ruling class ensures its political domination. In essence, the main function of the state in a class society is to protect the fundamental interests of the ruling class. Three factors provide the power and strength of the state.

Firstly, it is public power, which includes a permanent administrative and bureaucratic apparatus, the army, the police, the court, and detention centers. These are the most powerful and efficient government bodies.

Secondly, the right to collect taxes from the population and institutions, which are necessary mainly for the maintenance of the state apparatus, power and numerous government bodies.

Thirdly, this is an administrative-territorial division, which contributes to the development of economic ties and the creation of administrative and political conditions for their regulation.

Along with class interests, the state to a certain extent expresses and protects national interests, regulates mainly with the help of a system of legal norms the entire set of economic, socio-political, national and family relations, thereby contributing to the strengthening of the existing socio-economic order.

One of the most important levers by which the state carries out its activities is law. Law is a set of norms of behavior enshrined in laws and approved by the state.In the words of Marx and Engels, law is the will of the ruling class, elevated into law. With the help of law, economic and social or socio-political relations are consolidated, that is, the relationship between classes and social groups, the status of the family and the position of national minorities.

After the formation of the state and the establishment of law in society, previously nonexistent political and legal relations are formed. Political relations are expressed by political parties that express the interests of various classes and social groups. Political relations, the struggle between parties for power is nothing more than a struggle of economic interests. Each class and social group is interested in establishing the priority of their interests in society with the help of constitutional laws. For example, workers are interested in objective remuneration for their labor, students in scholarships that would provide them at least food, the owners of banks, factories and other property in the preservation of private property. We can say that the economy at a certain stage gives rise to politics and political parties because they are needed for normal existence and development. .

Although politics is a product of the economy, nevertheless, it has not only relative independence, but has a certain influence on the economy, and in periods of transition and crisis, this influence can even determine the ways of economic development. The influence of politics on the economy is carried out in various ways: directly, through the economic policy pursued by state bodies (financing of various projects, investments, prices of goods); the establishment of customs duties on industrial products in order to protect domestic producers; pursuing a foreign policy that would favor the activities of domestic producers in other countries. The active role of politics in stimulating economic development can be carried out in three directions:

1) when political factors act in the same direction as the objective course of economic development, then they accelerate it;

2) when they act contrary to economic development, then they restrain it;

3) they can slow down development in some directions and accelerate it in others.

Carrying out a correct policy is directly dependent on the extent to which the political forces in power are guided by the laws of social development and take into account the interests of classes and social groups in their activities.

So, we can say that in order to understand the socio-political processes taking place in society, it is important to know not only the role of social philosophy, ideology, and politics separately, but also their interaction and mutual influence.

2. The place and role of politics in the development of modern society

2.1 The role of politics in society

Politics is an objectively conditioned and purposeful participation of large masses of people, organized social groups and individuals in the affairs of the state, in solving problems related to the life of society as a whole.

Characteristic features of politics :

The connection between the private and the general, the interest of the individual and the interest of social integrity (group, country, humanity): we enter the world of politics when we solve not only our particular problems, but act on the basis of understanding their connection with tasks that go far beyond our personal interests when many other people are concerned about the same problems;

Any type of policy is associated with the solution of the problems of the existence and functioning of the state - such a social institution, which just serves to solve the problems of interest to the whole society;

Connection with the actions and interests of large masses of people;

Purposeful activity, which presupposes the need for a sober analysis, taking into account the variety of conditions and components of political action, a purely impulsive response here has extremely low efficiency (although it is often found in real politics);

Powerful character, the ability of coercion, volitional influence to give purposefulness to the actions of many people.

It is necessary to take into account that all the above qualities are not isolated, but mutually complement each other: for example, the imperious nature of politics predetermines the use of the state mechanism; the combination of private and general interests is carried out in a theoretical form, and the implementation of a theory, a program involves an appeal to the mechanisms of power.

The role of politics in public life is determined by its functions. Among them are the following:

Integration, unification of all elements of social life, mobilization of social resources for the realization of common goals and interests of society;

Implementation of a common will in the presence of social differentiation, diversity of interests and socio-political orientation of people.

From the middle of the 50s of the XX century. in political science, the concept "political life", introduced into scientific terminology by David Lane, is actively used. It allows us to consider politics in the indissoluble unity of the institutional and behavioral aspects of being, which is expressed in the following features:

Politics can act both as a sphere and a result of interaction between social and political institutions, organizations, structured political relations, and as actions of subjects of political relations;

Political life serves as a sphere of action for public interest and management, and their main instrument is power, coercion, authoritative influence, which almost always use the power of an organization, which can be states, parties, unions, movements, and social institutions;

The active, active nature of politics allows people with its help to influence many aspects of life: economy, culture, science, morality;

Large masses of people are always involved in political life: classes, ethnic and professional communities, on whose activity the direction, appearance, and effectiveness of political events depend;

The center, the knot of political life - the diverse relationships between the individual and the state.

Consideration of politics in precisely this aspect is fundamentally important for a democratic society and the formation of its institutions. After all, democracy is impossible without human participation, and in order to be useful to a democratic society, it must be qualified and active.

External factors influencing the course of political life:

Elements of the natural environment (territory, resources, climate, etc.). Influence political processes, form political problems and influence the choice of ways and opportunities for their solution;

Economic relations prevailing in society, influencing political life (and it itself actively influences their formation);

Development of technology (its impact is manifested in such phenomena as war, an increase in the speed of information dissemination, etc.);

Status characteristics of the social structure of society, combining the fixation of the objective state of the participants in political relations (income, type of occupation, level of education) and their own ideas about their place in society;

The nature of ethno-national communities, for stable state systems are formed on the basis of the nation, nations strive for sovereignty, the formation of separate, independent state structures;

Religion, which often acts as the main factor in the consolidation of large masses of people;

Ideology is a means of spiritual cohesion and leadership, guiding people's behavior in the sphere of political relations, forming will, the desire for political action;

Mass media, information they supply and interpret;

Public opinion, within the framework of which there is an active and direct reflection of vital needs, objective trends in social development;

Political psychology of society.

2.2 The international aspect of politics in modern society

At the turn of the millennium, the international climate changed, which became more favorable for interstate cooperation, but political changes removed only part of the contradictions between Eastern and Western countries, the Middle Eastern states. Contemporary world politics has become an arena of an intensifying struggle between the global and domestic political principles.

Under the influence of integration factors in the world, the prerequisites are actively being formed for the further cohesion of nation states, the creation of a humanistic world order, the gradual formation of a global civil society, the establishment of the norms and principles of a culture of peace in relations between peoples. More and more states are bringing accents of cooperation from the military to the financial and economic fields. The practical results of such integration ties today can be called: undermining the monopoly position of the great powers as the sole arbiters of the world's destinies; democratization of international cooperation. Such tendencies lead to the formation of the logic of the development of a multipolar world, which in turn is being seriously tested.

The steady expansion of the subjects of international politics entails the growth of motivations for behavior in the non-political sphere. Strength, prestige, survival, increased control over resources become sources of constant and unprogrammed shifts in world politics. The reality of modern international relations presupposes the primary orientation of states towards legal norms and regulators of foreign policy relations. At the same time, the system of international law also needs a qualitative update; changes in the structure of the UN and other international organizations are required in accordance with the goals of humanization and democratization of world politics.

Politics is a set of relations that emerge as a result of purposeful interaction of groups regarding the conquest, retention and use of power in order to realize their socially significant interests. In this sense, politics is understood as the result of the collision of multidirectional actions of groups competing with each other and with the government. Among the group needs, a block of irreconcilable interests emerged, the realization of which threatened with a sharp increase in social tension. Thus, a powerful social need for new and effective ways of regulating human relations was formed. This need was realized with the formation of the state - as a specific social institution. Only the state power was the force that could not only ensure the realization of group interests, but also preserve integrity, ensure order and stability of social life. Thus, the activities of the state were aimed at trying on the opposing sides and providing conditions for the survival of the entire society as a whole.

As a global mechanism for regulating social relations, politics is a way to rationalize intergroup conflicts. From the moment of its inception, the state has served as the center of power that is capable of organizing the proper distribution of resources, statuses, and values \u200b\u200bby coercive methods. From this point of view, politics is a way to simplify conflicts, when all their diverse content is brought under a common denominator of state will.

Politics as a special sphere of human life has the ability to organize its own orders at various levels of social space. So, regulating interstate relations or the ties of national states with international institutions (UN, European Union, NATO, etc.), politics plays the role of a kind of global planetary mechanism for regulating world conflicts and contradictions. Here, its subjects and agents are national states, various regional associations and coalitions, international organizations. In this case, politics acts as the highest level of regulation of world and foreign policy relations, or as megapolitics.

Conflict relationships within individual states form the level of macro-policy. This is the most common and typical level of organization for intergroup dialogue. Mesopolitics characterizes connections and relationships of a group nature, occurring at the level of individual regions, local structures, institutions and organizations. Micropolitics - a lower level of interpersonal or intragroup relationships. At each level, political processes form specific institutions, mechanisms and technologies for conflict resolution and dispute settlement.

The world of the political is a complex and multi-layered complex of phenomena and functions of the most important institutions in the system of resolving international conflicts and reaching consensus between states.

An important task of political science is to study the patterns, basic norms and features of interaction between states, regional and world organizations and other subjects of international relations in modern conditions. This problem has acquired particular relevance today, when it is especially important to study the mechanisms of decision-making, the roles and functions of the most important institutions in the system of resolving international conflicts and reaching consensus between states.

Politics is a complex multidimensional concept. As a type of social activity in decision-making, distribution of benefits, setting goals, social leadership, competition for power, competition of interests and influence, politics is carried out within any social group. Analysis of various approaches to the theoretical interpretation of the political sphere allows us to conclude about its multidimensional nature. Politics appears in the unity of three interrelated aspects: as a sphere of public life; as one of the types of activity of social subjects and as a type of social relations between individuals, small groups, etc.

The second aspect is related to the interpretation of politics as a way of aggregate and individual activity of social subjects, a type of human activity and social behavior.

The third aspect characterizes politics as a type of conflict relations and social interactions.

Thus, the reason for the plight of Russia is not only the ill-considered policy of the Russian ruling elite, but also the purposeful actions of NATO countries, and, above all, the United States. Many Western politicians in the 90s. They spoke openly about the need to liquidate Russia as a sovereign independent state. For example, M. Albright, the former Secretary of State in the Clinton administration, said: "The task of the United States is to manage the consequences of the collapse of the Soviet empire." Prominent American politician Z. Brzezinski called for placing the Russian economy under the indirect control of the world's leading powers

The NATO bloc is expanding at an accelerated pace, which has already come close to the borders of Russia, the United States is trying to embroil Russia with its closest neighbors Ukraine, Georgia, the Baltic countries, China, drag it into international conflicts, and confront the Muslim world. This, in particular, is evidenced by the events in Chechnya and the Balkans, in Georgia and Ukraine.

The plans of Western politicians to strangle the Russian state have found support from our domestic liberal globalists. Externally imposed economic liberalization, which for the sake of purely personal gain has been persistently introduced since the early 1990s. our so-called "democrats" led the country to an economic disaster, the collapse of the national industry, depopulation (extinction) of the local population. According to A.S. Panarina, "the country is ruled by the global elite, which has already made its departure from the nation and does not consider" this "people to be theirs" . The advantageous geographical position of Russia, the presence of a vast territory rich in various resources, and the long-term general crisis that hit the country make it an attractive target for external expansion.

At present, Russia has already become the object of various types of expansion: military-political (from NATO); economic (from the United States and some Western countries); ethnic (from China and Central Asia); confessional (from the Islamic world) .

To avoid such a dramatic turn of events, Russia must mobilize all its resources and direct them to strengthening statehood, to reviving economic, military and other potential. For this required :

1) to subordinate political power to the will of the people - to force the ruling elite express and defend in foreign and domestic policy the national interests of Russian society and the state, not your own;

2) return to the state the property stolen from it, restore state control over the extraction and export of natural resources, and place the main stake in the development of large-scale industry on state-capitalist production;

3) limit the ideological expansion of Western mass media;

4) to strengthen the external borders of the state, to establish a visa regime with the countries of Central Asia and the Transcaucasus, to stop the illegal migration of citizens of other states to Russian territory, to assist in every possible way the return to Russia of compatriots living in other countries;

5) to form combat units of the army only on a contract basis, while maintaining general military service, without any deferrals from conscription for all categories of citizens suitable for military service, but limiting the period of conscription to six months;

6) start a real, not ostentatious, fight against corruption at all levels of government.

The events of recent years show that in order to preserve its sovereignty and its importance in the international arena, Russia in its foreign policy should not be guided only by the West. It needs to pursue a cautious foreign policy, maintaining friendly relations with all countries of the world community, guided by the following principles of the priority of its national interests, which should meet the interests of the entire Russian people: international cooperation should be based on pragmatism, and not on personal and social emotions; international treaties should be concluded taking into account the need to solve specific problems and achieve certain goals, and any foreign policy actions should be considered as creating conditions for the country's development.

The policy can be implemented on several levels:

At the lowest level, local problems are solved and political activity at this level is carried out mainly by individual individuals

The local level requires government intervention, the most active policy is carried out by groups and associations interested in the economic development of their region;

The national level is central to policy theory, as determined by the state's position as the main institution for resource allocation;

At the international level, the main subjects of political activity are sovereign states.

The role of politics as a special sphere of public life due to its three properties: versatility, all-encompassing nature, the ability to influence practically all aspects of life, elements of society, relationships, events; inclusion, or penetrating ability, those with the possibility of unlimited penetration and, as a result, the ability to combine with non-political social phenomena, relations and spheres.

The significance of the policy is due the functions that it performs in society, and which characterize the most important areas of its impact on society:

1. Ensuring the integrity and stability of society as a complex social system, integration of various segments of the population;

2. Management and regulation of social processes;

3. Expression of powerful interests of all groups and strata of society;

5. Political socialization of the individual;

6. Mobilization and achievement of efficiency of general activities.

Politics in its development has received the status of the most important social mechanism, without which no complexly organized society is capable of reproducing and developing its social orders. At present, the role and significance of a policy depends on the performance of its following functions:

Expression and implementation of powerful interests of groups and sectors of society;

Rationalization of conflicts, imparting a civilized character to intergroup relations, pacifying the warring parties;

Distribution and redistribution of public goods, taking into account group priorities for the life of society as a whole;

Management and leadership of social processes as the main method of reconciling group interests by putting forward the most general goals of social development;

Integration of society and ensuring the integrity of the social system;

Providing communication. Politics creates special forms of communication between groups of the population conflicting about power, forming or using specific institutions (mass media), ways of maintaining contacts between the government and the population (political advertising), strategies for informing the population and combating competitors (propaganda, agitation, political public Rileyshiz - special techniques of public relations)

Creation of reality (projective function). Politics is capable of forming new relations between people and states, transforming reality in accordance with the plans of various political actors, creating new forms of organizing social life, creating opportunities for new relations between man and nature.

List of references:

1) Smirnov I., Titov V. Philosophy: A textbook for students of higher educational institutions. M., 1998– 288 p.

2) http://policylect.narod.ru/index.html - Electronic lectures on the basics of political science

3) A. V. Klimenko, V. V. Rumanina Social Studies. M., Bustard, 2003 - 480 p.

4) Prigogine A.M. What is politics? (Political theses) // Social sciences and modernity. 1996. No. 5.

Course work

On the topic

Social policy and social work: the place and role of social policy in the theory of social work

Introduction

Chapter 1. Social work as a theoretical activity

Chapter 2. Concept and essence of social policy

Chapter 3. Relationship between social policy and social work

Conclusion

List of references

Introduction

The relevance of research. Recently, a significant step has been taken in the country towards the institutionalization of social work as a system of ideas, values, relationships and institutions regarding the provision of social well-being of people with special needs and currently having a social problem that requires social protection, assistance and social support. Especially noteworthy is the development of the theory of social work, which for a long period, as is known, lagged behind the direct practice of social work.

In the context of rapid social changes at the macro level of the social work system, to optimize its activities, it is necessary to carry out effective social measures and create qualitatively new programs that solve and anticipate the problems of a particular society. The main goal of these efforts is to promote the normal functioning of the social sphere through the implementation of social policies.

Currently, social policy is considered as a specific ideology and practice of the formation and implementation of social obligations of the state and society in general and their individual structures in particular in relation to various groups of the population.

Therefore, the study of the place and role of social policy in the theory of social work is an urgent problem today.

The degree of elaboration of the problem. In an effort to take part in improving the system of protecting the rights of citizens in the face of radical changes in the social sphere, specialists in philosophy, sociology, pedagogy, history and other sciences focused on topical problems of scientific knowledge in social work, studying its foreign experience and their own, Russian traditions.

Researchers such as V.G. Bocharova, S.I. Grigoriev, L.G. Guslyakova, N.S.Danakin, V.I. Zhukov, I.G. Zainyshev, I.A.Zimnyaya, V.A. Nikitin , P.D. Pavlenok, A.M. Panov, A.S. Sorvina, M.V. Firsov, E.I. Kholostova, E.R. Yarskaya-Smirnova and others tried to comprehend the essence of the theory of social work as a science.

Research on the theory, methodology and methodology of social work is actively developing, among which the leading place belongs to the publications of I.A. Grigorieva, L.G. Guslyakova, V.M. Kapitsin, I.K. Larionova, V.P. Moshnyagi, V.A. Nikitin, V.G. Popov, E.I. Holostova, T.V. Shipunova and others.

Russian scientists also turn to the study of the problems of the relationship between social policy and the theory of social work (the works of N.A. Volgin, V.I. Zhukov, V.V. Kolkov, I.M. Lavrinenko, E.I. Kholostova, etc.).

However, the place and role of social policy in the theory of social work has not been sufficiently studied. This leads to the following research problem: social policy as a science objectively comes to the fore in the theory of social work, since at present, it is an emerging social institution, the importance of which is growing both due to long-term trends in the development of a civilized society, and as a result of the situational difficulties of the transforming Russian society.

Research object: theory of social work as a system.

Subject of research: the place and role of social policy in the system of the theory of social work.

Purpose of the research: generalization of theoretical approaches to the problem of the relationship between social policy and the theory of social work.

Summarize the main theoretical aspects of the theory of social work;

To reveal the essence and content of social policy;

Analyze the relationship between social policy and social work theory.

The theory of social work is a field of knowledge about the laws of organizing and improving social work as a practical activity. Object and subject - the fundamental methodological indicators of the development of scientific knowledge. At this stage of development of scientific knowledge, S.I. Grigoriev, that his area is recognized as an independent science, which has its own subject of research, specific methods of scientific analysis.

If theory is a scientifically based explanation of a fact, a part of science that deals with general principles and knowledge as opposed to practical methods and skills, then the theory of social work is a system of views on explaining social processes, phenomena, relationships and the impact of social services on them.

In broad terms, the theory of social work is a system of views and ideas on the use or explanation of phenomena and processes, social relations that arise under the influence of the activities of social services and bodies of social protection and assistance to the population.

In a narrower, special sense, the theory of social work is a form of organizing scientific knowledge about the most essential connections and relationships that arise under the influence of the activities of social services and bodies of social protection of the population.

The theory of social work is characterized by a variety of approaches to the allocation of object and subject. The Dictionary of Social Work notes: “The object of the study of social work is the process of connections, interactions, methods and means of regulating the behavior of social groups and individuals in society. The subject of social work as an independent science is the laws that determine the nature and direction of development of social processes in society. "

Social phenomena, processes and relations are the object of scientific attention of other sciences: philosophy, history, sociology. Each specific science does not study the entire object, but only a certain part of it, a "cut", of a certain type of relationship. The subject of social work research is not global social processes, but specific ones that are directly related to the life of an individual, a social group.

The object of research in the theory of social work as a science, some researchers consider clients who need outside help, and the subject is social problems. Others consider the subject through the social situation of the client as a specific state of the problem of a particular client, with all the wealth of their connections and mediations related to the solution of this problem.

Some specialists in the field of social work agree on the recognition that the object of research of social work is the process of connections, interactions, mutual influences of mechanisms, methods and means of regulating the behavior of social groups and individuals that contribute to the realization of their vital forces and social subjectivity, as well as the nature of the conjugation of vital forces individual and group and means of ensuring their implementation in different social situations.

They believe that the subject of social work as an independent social science is the regularities of promoting the formation and implementation of human life in new economic conditions, as well as the improvement of the mechanisms of conjugation of vital forces and the means of ensuring their implementation, rehabilitation.

Despite the different formulations of the object and the subject, they are similar in that in modern conditions social work goes beyond the boundaries of social assistance to extremely needy categories, becoming theoretical knowledge about a person and ways to improve his social well-being.

In the most general form, the laws of social work express the most significant connections between specialists of social welfare agencies and various groups or individuals who consume social services.

Significant connections between the subject of social work and the object, affecting the effectiveness of achieving the goals of social work, can be expressed by the following patterns:

1. The general interest of the social worker and the client in the final results of their interaction.

2. The integrity of the impact of the social work specialist on the client.

3. Realization of the client's general interests through private ones (if I want to become needed - sit with my grandson, I want to become famous - write an article, book, memoirs).

4. Compliance of the level of development of the subject and the object.

5. Regularities manifest themselves independently of the will, desire of the social worker.

The patterns of social work most fully express in an integrated form the nature and direction of the totality of social ties and phenomena related to the social situation.

One of the central places in the content of the mechanism of social work belongs to the principles and methods of the subject's influence on the object.

The principles of social work are the fundamental ideas and norms of behavior of the organs of social work, conditioned by the requirements of the objective laws of the development and functioning of social processes, the requirements of best practice. The principles, on the one hand, are associated with the laws of social work, and on the other hand, with the practical experience of social work, giving sustainable positive results.

The complexity of the relationship between the client and society, between the object and the subject, explains the multiplicity of principles of social work. They can be grouped into three groups:

socio-political;

organizational;

psychological and pedagogical.

Socio-political principles express the requirements arising from the nature of the state's social policy.

Civil society is a form of organization of the structural elements of society, social ties and interactions in the non-state sphere, which is formed under the influence of objective conditions and subjective factors, aimed at the implementation of basic human rights and freedoms, ensuring the protection of public, group and individual interests and values, and their harmonious combination. In a democratic society, civil society establishes stable, long-term and mutually beneficial relationships with state institutions on a non-antagonistic basis.

The concept of civil society that had developed in Western Europe by the middle of the 19th century included the following basic components:

· Autonomy and freedom of speech;

· Agreement as the basis for the formation of public relations;

· Property as an extremely important condition for the free conclusion of a contract, as well as personal and social freedom in general;

· A form of public and public opinion that goes beyond the market, associated with the expansion of the scope of criticism, education and emancipation.

The transformation of these ideas in the twentieth century led to the understanding of civil society, primarily as a market one, existing in the conditions of the rule of law, the ideology of which is liberalism. It should be considered, first of all, not as a legal one, but as a social institution, a set and complex interweaving of non-political social structures that interact with the political system and exert their influence on it.

Civil society and the state are genetically interconnected with each other and exist, performing the main functional task associated with the development of a person, ensuring his normal life. For this reason, the change in the ratio in favor of the state or civil society is largely determined by the quality of a person, his position in a given time period and the nature of the difficulties and problems experienced by society.

There are certain functions that allow civil society to participate in the implementation of social policy:

Protective function,allowing to provide a living wage for a person and protect society from negative impacts from the external environment (ensuring a minimum wage, pensions, scholarships, work, medical care, defending the rights of citizens in the fight against crime and corruption, combating environmental pollution, etc. );

Adaptation function,acting as an essential mechanism for increasing the ability of the social system to effectively resist disturbing influences (providing access to extremely important information, broad discussion of the state's social policy, presentation of alternative action programs);

Stabilizing function,connected with the creation and maintenance of social stability of society, ensuring effective interaction of this social system and the external environment (cooperation, negotiations, consultations, conclusion of treaties and agreements based on the ideas of coexistence and cooperation of all types of social systems, the creation of supranational structures - the European Parliament ͵ UN , OSCE, IAEA);

Educational function,which is a factor in the formation and implementation of moral norms, rules and spiritual values \u200b\u200bin the consciousness of people in the process of their socialization (monitoring their observance, the formation of respect and continuity for the established spiritual values, the rise of the culture of the people);

Integrative function, consisting in the transformation of social strata, groups, individuals from an object of social interaction and manipulation into social subjects (the institutions of civil society act as “protective barriers” from the dictates of the state, as well as mechanisms for the development of the social system).

In the specific conditions of market transformations in Russia, the development of a social system of social protection based on the activity of citizens, various groups and all strata of the population, and its interaction with the state system of social protection, is of exceptional importance. The role and place of public structures as a democratic base and organizational basis of the country's social security system are determined by their socio-political essence and ability to solve problems:

· Warnings about the emergence of sources of danger and impending threats;

· Creation of conditions for the formation of the middle class in the country as the main pivot and engine of the progressive development of society;

· Protection of rights and freedoms, needs and interests of civil society;

· Shaping public opinion and influencing it;

· Public control over the activities of authorities, the execution of their decisions;

· Involvement of the broad masses in practical activities to ensure national security, stabilize the situation, and achieve general civil peace and harmony;

· Fight against social and moral vices, corruption, official irresponsibility and incompetence of civil servants;

· Development of civic consciousness, creativity, initiative and selfless devotion.

An important role in strengthening the Russian state is played by the strengthening of public control of civil society over state organizations exercising public power: subordination of the administrative apparatus to representative bodies, influence on lawmaking processes, creating opportunities for the direct expression by the masses of their attitude to certain social decisions related to ensuring the security of civil society.

Civil society should seek active participation in the formation of concepts (doctrines) of the country's security, the development of a scientifically based social policy of the state, create various non-governmental foundations, institutions, research centers to analyze the situation in the country and prepare analytical materials and recommendations for strengthening it. For example, in the United States and the developed countries of the West, there are many non-governmental centers and organizations that develop reports and recommendations to the president of the country, legislative bodies on the problems of social policy in their countries and on the corresponding situation in other countries of the world.

As you know, C. Montesquieu deduced the “spirit of laws” from the “spirit of the people”, which develops in the course of a long evolution under the influence of natural and historical factors. Civil laws should be in such close correspondence with the properties of the people for which they are established that only in extremely rare cases the laws of one people can be suitable for another people, Hegel believed. The experience of developed democracies shows that their success is based on the high activity of citizens and their voluntary societies and organizations, as well as informal associations, which is achievable only with a sufficiently developed civil society.

The main tendency of civil society is realized through political action in the technology of solving social problems. Civil society is seeking through the development of the sphere of mass movements, parties, decentralization of state power through the transfer of its part of self-government.

In general, the emphasis of civil society institutions on ensuring the quality of life of Russians, the observance of their rights and freedoms in society, together with other factors, will change the foundations of demographic policy, increase life expectancy and reduce the mortality rate of the population.

Test questions for self-test

1. The difference between the state and civil society.

3. Priority directions in the activities of the state for the implementation of social policy.

4. The concept of civil society.

5. The role and place of public structures as a democratic base and organizational basis of the country's social security system.

Literature

1. Averin A.N. Social policy and social responsibility of the enterprise. - M.: Alfa-Press, 2008

2. Volgin N.A. Social Policy: Textbook. 3rd ed. - M., Exam, 2008.

3. Globalization and social policy of developed countries. - M., 2008.

4. Leonov I.V. Modern welfare state: essence, signs and problems of formation. - M., 2006.

5. Margulyan Ya.A. Social policy of the Russian state in the context of the global financial and economic crisis. USH International scientific-practical conference "Dialogue of cultures - 2009: search for common goals and values". April 2009. Collection of scientific articles. - SPb .: Publishing house SPbAUE, 2009.

6. Smirnov S.N., Sidorina T.Yu. Social politics. - M., 2009.

7. Management of the social sphere of a large city. Collective monograph (edited by Ya.A. Margulyan). - SPb .: SPbAUiE, 2008.

Chapter 6

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