Managing Society: “Sovereign democracy” and Civil Society in Putin’s Russia

Abstract

This paper explores the interplay between "sovereign democracy" and civil society in Putin's Russia, with a focus on the challenges of a vibrant civil society emergence.While a vibrant civil society is largely viewed as a key component of a democratic society and a crucial instrument for political change, the Russian civil society organizations have been characterized by organizational weakness, and marginality in terms of their social base, financial assets and influence over policy making (Evans, 2011, p. 46).