Khodyrev A. N. Social Well-being as a Sphere of Competence of Local Government
(Regional administration, Moscow Oblast)
Abstract ♦ The article studies the problems of improving work quality at self-governing local administrations. These issues play an important role and have a crucial humanitarian mission in the structure of modern society.
Local self-governing bodies are a crucial element of public power in modern society as they are integrated into the single mechanism of state authority, on the one hand, and, being a type of direct democracy, form an important part of civil society, on the other.
The article argues in favor of shifting the burden of practical decision-making onto the regional and local levels. However, this change is coming rather slowly. The objective and subjective reasons for that are listed in the article.
Reutov, a technopolis in Moscow Oblast, can serve as an example of a town where an advanced space for social communication has been set up to promote open exchange of opinions. Local authorities of Reutov have accumulated resources of sensitive activity to solve the problems of the community. These resources are detailed in the article.
In 2010–2014, a series of sociological surveys was held in Reutov in order to help optimize the social, economic and information policy in the field of local self-governance. Social well-being was chosen as a composite indicator reflecting how residents assess their status within the community. Taking into account the specifics of Reutov’s history and geography, the research has shown that the residents of Reutov have a more beneficial economic position compared to the national average.
The outcomes of the research will help define and fine-tune the ways and methods of problem solving in the relations between municipal authorities and local self-government. The research data can be used to motivate the community residents to participate in the system of self-governance. Thus, self-governance can achieve more power to provide the foundation for a solidarity-based society of local communities.
Keywords: local self-government, monitoring of public opinion, social well-being, sensitive management.
Khodyrev Aleksandr Nikolaevich, Doctor of Social Science, Advisor to the Governor of Moscow Oblast. Postal address: 1 Stroiteley Blvd., Krasnogorsk-7, Moscow Oblast, Russian Federation, 143407. Tel.: +7 (495) 516-06-93. E-mail:
info@hodyrev.ru
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