Specifics of civil society ontogenesis in Russia

The article considers the idea of civil society development through the prism of social and philosophical development. There is no doubt that the civil society ontogenesis in Russia is different from the Western path. Here the most significant specifics are noted. Firstly among them stands the mentality, which is determined geographically. The need for the leader’s personality, rather than the people’s power, may be caused by permanent external threat, which served the tradition of being mobilized. Hence is the super-value of the state and lack of personal, civil, and political freedoms. The civil society ontogenesis in Russia is also characterized by conditions of multinational, multi-confessional and multicultural nature. The author notes that it is at least irrational to project Western models on Russia, which is a country of a different mentality, governmental system and sizes. According to the author, the social changes caused by special military operation in Ukraine highlight new perspectives of civil society. In addition to the established types of protest and submissive civil society, the author identifies a third option - insuring. Although it is loyal to the political regime, it has its own military-political views, and considers its work as assistance to special military operation, cover and compensation of mistakes. Despite the immature of civil society in Russia there are always aspirations for democratization, which are reflected in the Constitution and in the National Security Strategy.