The Public Chamber and Social Conflicts in Russia

Abstract

The Public Chamber of the Russian Federation was created in response to a proposal by Vladimir Putin, and it began functioning in January 2006. The creation of that institution reflected a conception of civil society as supporting the state rather than confronting it. Yet the Public Chamber was expected to provide a safety valve for public discontent and a mechanism for correcting problems in the operation of state legislative and executive bodies. This paper examines the manner in which the Public Chamber, on some occasions, has intervened to protect citizens from the abuse of their interests by officials on one or another level in the state. The paper concludes that mechanisms introduced by the leaders of a semi-authoritarian regime to provide feedback for the state may also serve as channels of appeal for citizens who feel that their rights have been violated.

Keywords: Russia, semi-authoritarian regimes, civil society, Public Chamber

JEL Classification: N40