The Russia of citizens and the Russia of bureaucrats: Divergence of social spaces

Abstract

Nobody has learned so far how to effectively administer big social systems without bureaucracy. At the same time, bureaucracy slows down developmental processes, stands in the way of efficient management, and sometimes even makes it impossible. All modern democracies face this paradoxical dilemma, but the degree of its seriousness varies depending on current situations and historical traditions. It is no secret that Russia is far from being successful in this respect. What is the public’s opinion on this problem, to what degree is its scope comprehensible, and how significant does it seem to different social groups and to the population as a whole? The author suggests answers to these questions.