Socio-Political Accord in the Context of Democratic Consolidation (Analytical Review)

The article analyzes theoretical aspects of democratic consolidation and the related problems of socio‑political accord. Democratic reforms are in many respects linked with the success of democratic consolidation, the main result of which consists in the achievement of unity between the society and government, as well as the consensus of goals, objectives and tendencies for the society having chosen the democratic way of development. In modern Russia, solving the problem of social accord achievement is now at a search phase, like the objective of implementing democratic consolidation on the whole. Today, therefore, it is essential to enact all the opportunities for a more objective examining of the situation and of democratic consolidation mechanisms, to characterize the features of this process current phase, to analyze the specifics of State, of political elite’s and political parties’ activities in the process of democratization of Russia. The social (or democratic) consolidation as a political phenomenon is conceived as a process of achieving all the citizens’ mental accord in relation to understanding strategic development problems, as well as directions and goals of this development. This political accord (consolidation) of the society should result in positive changes of governmental, political and social relations and structures. The consolidation will stimulate the development of our society and will lead to the unity of citizens with different ethnic and confessional affiliation, and with various social and cultural statuses. Moreover, the consolidation will result in the support of existing political system and in the general approval of positive changes taking place. Process and result of consolidation suggest that citizens and government subjects on different levels should come to a consensus to make social activity focused and consistent. The political compromise can be achieved only on basis of the citizens’ and political actors’ conscientious attitude, their voluntary and convinced actions. The consolidation is impossible without the coordinated activity of government structures and the bulk of the population. The author shows that the consolidation
serves to strengthen both government relations and the whole society integration, and thus to enhance the country’s ability to repel external and internal threats, to preserve and fortify the Russian state sovereignty and the foundations of the social organism.

socio‑political accord, democracy, democratic consolidation, consensus