Social foundations of functioning and development of local communities

Abstract

The purpose of the article is an attempt to answer the question about the role of endogenous social resources in the functioning and development of local communities. The initial thesis of the analyses undertaken in the article is included in the statement that such resources as subjectivity, participation and civic activity constitute the social foundation and functional requirement for the duration and development of local communities. In the scientific recognition of the subject matter, a method of analysing the literature was used. The scope of the study includes characteristics and analyses of the subjectivity of local communities, participation at the local level and civic activity. The first part of the study shows the subjectivity of local communities as a function of decentralisation and development of local government. Attention was focused on a set of phenomena, processes and factors of the sociological and political character – the integrated coexistence of which is an expression of subjectivity – by providing a real impact of the residents on the functioning and development of the local community. In the second part of the study, social participation was analysed as a manifestation of decentralisation of public administration and an important element of local development programming. A multi-level system of cooperation between citizens and local authorities was presented, as well as rules determining the effectiveness of involvement and participation in the conditions of local government. It stressed the importance of the local government as an institutional environment formation of the active participatory attitude towards undertaking the activities within local communities for the implementation of their needs and self-development. The following part of the article focused on social civic activity as common and conscious articulation, implementation and defence of the interests, needs and aspirations of the local community. Types, scope and manifestations of civic activity were presented, emphasising the pro-development and functional benefits of civic involvement. The analyses and descriptions provided in the article lead to the conclusion that the functioning and development of local communities are a bottom-up, integrated process of economic, political, social and cultural character. Their orientation and proper conduct are positively influenced by endogenous and social potential in the form of subjectivity, participation and civic activity. A synthetic approach to the issue under scrutiny is the author’s model of social triple helix depicting interdependencies and interpenetrations of the three spheres of influence – subjectivity, participation and civic activity within the functioning and the development of local community.