Interaction Between Public Authorities and the Public: Historical and Legal Aspect

Abstract

In the present study, a comprehensive historical and legal analysis of the issue of improving the effectiveness of interaction between public authorities and the public is carried out based on the generalization of historical experience. Key trends in the transformation of this interaction are also outlined in a comparative perspective with the Soviet period in the context of the formation and development of territorial communities.

It has been established that the system of relations between public authorities and the public is one of the key indicators of the level of social development, the democratic nature of the state system, and the effectiveness of public administration institutions. Within the theoretical and legal interpretation of this issue, the expediency of distinguishing two basic models of such interaction is substantiated: the paternalistic model and the model of social partnership. The paternalistic model is characteristic primarily of totalitarian and authoritarian political regimes, whereas the model of social partnership is typical of democratic states, where real citizen participation in the formulation and implementation of public policy is ensured.

It has been proven that under the Soviet political system, the dominant practice of interaction between public authorities and the public was the actual disregard of public opinion in the decision-making process or its formal and imitative incorporation into governance. One of the characteristic features of this period was also the underdevelopment of local self-government as an independent form of public authority and the absence of proper normative and legal закреплення of the relevant terminology in state and legal discourse.

In contrast, in the modern period, starting from 2014, Ukraine has been undergoing a significant transformation of its public administration system and territorial organization of power, manifested in decentralization processes and the strengthening of the role of territorial communities. A qualitatively new level of openness, transparency, and accountability of local self-government bodies has been observed, as well as an expansion of forms of direct citizen participation in the development and implementation of managerial decisions, in particular through participatory democracy tools and participatory budgeting.

It is noted that the implementation of international and national initiatives, including local self-government support programs, contributes to strengthening the institutional capacity of territorial communities, increasing civic engagement, and enhancing mechanisms of interaction between government and society. Ultimately, this creates preconditions for establishing a democratic model of social partnership and forming a sustainable civil society institution in Ukraine.