Development of local government as a civil society institute: political analysis of social practices

The article justifies special status of local self-government in the system of civil society institutions, considers its role and value in involvement of citizens in the development of socio-political processes at the municipal level as the main sector of the civil society. The author analyses the causes of insufficient participation of the population in resolution of the local community problems. The paper discusses social practice of development of local self-government as a civil society institution by case study of some Russian regions.