Social Capital as a Basis of Positive Transformational Processes in Ukraine

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Social Capital as a Basis of Positive Transformational Processes in Ukraine

Journal Title: Демографія та соціальна економіка - Year 2013, Vol 19, Issue

Abstract

The problem of social capital in Ukraine as a basis of transformational processes is studied in the article. Social capital is examined from the position of national solidarity and possibility of building Ukraine together for people which today are impossible. In connection with this, an issue of strategic character arises – to research the underlying reason for such situation in Ukraine and hypothetical directions of its change for the better which are already possible today. This article is devoted exactly to this question. Reasons for low supply of social capital are revealed, which are conditioned above all things by separations of people in Ukraine, two of which arose as early as old times, two – after 1939 (accession of Ukraine to the USSR, but have manifested in the last two decades), two – after 1991 for the period of nation’s independence. These factors were determined to stipulate such mental feature of ordinary Ukrainian as his low self- sufficiency. First of all it arose due to absence of nationhood in Ukraine for ages. Today this specifically manifests in that people are not the subjects of the political system. Rather, they feel themselves to be «screws» of state administration, electorate and objects of manipulation of politicians. The article emphasized that increasing the level of self-sufficiency of an ordinary Ukrainian as fun- damental basis of increase of social capital supply in a country can be carried out in two strategic directions which are connected with cardinal democratization of state administration. In particular, the first direction is the maximal involvement of inhabitants of villages, settlements, cities in the system of state administration on micro-, meso- and macro-levels so that people could evaluate eventual result of authority activities and take part in formation of social-economic development plans of these territories. The second self-sufficiency increase direction in all spheres of livelihood is through the satisfaction of proper necessities, which characterize the quality of life of these citizens. A unique social technology for realization of the two aforesaid directions which simultaneously can become the key lever of cardinal democratization of state administration in Ukraine is proposed. We are talking about annual sociological survey of public opinion in villages, settlements, cities. Polls concerning the degree of satisfaction of their necessities (level of their self-realization) on a specific questionnaire which are gradually legally fixed as annual local referendums. The use of qualimetric measurements enables a quantitative evaluation of end results of authority activities. In particular, the index of level of self-sufficiency of citizens in five spheres of livelihood, which ultimately elucidates the quality of life of citizens (QLC). That is the subjective index of QLC can hypothetically serve as objective estimation of end results of state administration on micro-, meso- and macro-levels, which will promote cardinal democratization of all system of state administration.

Authors and Affiliations

G. A. Dmitrenko

Keywords

social capital transformation processes factors of destruction self-sufficiency self-organization annual social survey specific questionnaire

EP ID EP287259
DOI 10.15407/dse2013.01.100
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