Current trends of the functioning and institutionalization of the social-democratic parties in Europe and Russia

• Main Author: Sorokin Alexandr Grigorievich
• Format: Article
• Language: Russian
• Published: Volgograd State University 2013-11-01
• Series: Vestnik Volgogradskogo Gosudarstvennogo Universiteta. Seriâ 4. Istoriâ, Regionovedenie, Meždunarodnye Otnošeniâ
• Subjects: parties; social-democracy; ideology; institutionalization; opposition
• Online Access: http://hfrir.jvolsu.com/index.php/en/component/attachments/download/572

The author of this article analyzes and characterizes the main tendencies of the development of social democracy in Europe and modern Russia, as well as the peculiarities of the party institutionalization. The perspective of the development of the social-democracy is analyzed. The EU countries have significant differences in political systems, socio-economic development, national and cultural characteristics. In the former Socialist countries of Europe social democratic parties were formed on the basis of the Communist parties. The main current political task for these countries is their integration into European structures and NATO. The social-democratic parties, organizations and movements today claim to be the main actors in the process of creation of a progressive post-capitalist society. The author claims that there is a demand for Social Democracy in Russia, given the social situation in the country and the social expectations of the population. After the change in the legislation about party activities, the quantity of social democratic parties in Russia increased. The institutionalization of these parties with further transition to the status of parliamentary ones could lead to the formation of a full-fledged social democratic trend in Russia. Such a development will contribute to the formation of a multiparty democracy, pluralism and polyarchy of interests. In general, the social-democratic parties today claim to be the main actors in the construction of post-capitalist society. It becomes evident that the balance of political forces shifted to the left, but the question of the ability of global social democracy to rebuild the political system, both in Russia and in Europe, is still open.