УДК: 342.34(477)

DOI: https://doi.org/10.36887/2524-0455-2024-2-6

Lozynska Tamara,
Doctor of Science in Public Administration, Professor, Head of the Department of Public Management and Administration,
Poltava State Agrarian University,
https://orcid.org/0000-0003-2858-9374

The article contains a justification of the methodological foundations of the study of local democracy. The importance of the mentioned question is determined by the need for greater methodological clarity in the study of the state of local democracy, which will contribute to streamlining the system of relations between the government and society’s practical activity. The article states that the starting point for such a subject of research as the development of local democracy is the provision of the natural right of a person to decide the issue of his own life directly or indirectly, which corresponds to the community theory of the formation of self-governing power. The point of view of Y. Habermas is supported by the fact that the political system of a particular state is defined as democratic to the extent that the decision-makers in power are elected through impartial periodic elections, during which candidates compete for voters’ votes. It is noted that competitiveness and participation, necessary for studying the local democratic process, determine the formation of research principles and the choice of research methods. The methodology for the study of democratic processes at the local level should reflect its interdisciplinary nature (local democracy is the subject of research not only in public administration but also in law, political science, sociology, history, etc.), the formation of close relations between the population and local government and their mutual influence, which in the best way form the conditions of direct democracy. The article substantiates that the peculiarities of the methodology of the study of the development of local democracy are determined by: a) differences of territorial communities in terms of size (population), economic development, distribution of power; b) the presence of two components in the structure of local democracy: participation and competitiveness; c) absence in the political process or extreme weakness of competition for ideas; d) the determinism of local democracy by many factors, which requires the use of an interdisciplinary approach to its study.

Keywords: methodology, principle, tool, participation, competitiveness, local democracy, method, interdisciplinary approach.

References.

1. Holovchenko, A.V. (2012). «Methodological problems of democratization of the society of the countries of Central-Eastern Europe». Aktual’ni problemy polityky. рр. 203-215. Available at:  http://app.nuoua.od.ua/archive/45_2012/26.pdf.
2. Huntington by Samuel, P. (1991).The Third Wave: Democratization in the Late Twentieth Century. Oklahoma: University of Oklahoma Press. Available at:  https://books.google.co.ck/books?id=6REC58gdt2sC&printsec=frontcover&rview=1&hl=ru#v=onepage&q&f=false.
3. Habermas, Yu. (2005). Hromadianstvo i natsional’na identychnist’. Umovy hromadianstva. [Citizenship and national identity]. Kyiv. Ukraine. Available at:  http://litopys.org.ua/rizne/haber.htm.
4. Keane, J. (2003). Global Civil Society? New York: Cambridge University Press. Available at:  http://www.untag-smd.ac.id/files/Perpustakaan_Digital_1/CIVIL%20SOCIETY%20Global%20Civil%20Society.pdf.
5. Kalynovs’kyj, B., Kulyk, T. (2018). «Methodology of the study of the constitutional and legal foundations of the functioning and development of local democracy in Ukraine». Filosofs’ki ta metodolohichni problemy prava. № 1-2 (15-16). рр. 45-55.
6. Lend’iel, M. (2020). «Modern conceptual approaches to the analysis of political participation at the local level in the societies of Central and Eastern Europe». Naukovyj visnyk Uzhhorods’koho universytetu. Seriia: politolohiia, sotsiolohiia, filosofiia. Issue 12. рр. 27-41.
7. Dobronravova, I.S., Rudenko, O.V., Sydorenko, L.I. (2018). Metodolohiia ta orhanizatsiia naukovykh doslidzhen’. [Methodology and organization of scientific research]. VPTs “Kyivs’kyj universytet”. Kyiv. Ukraine.
8. Yermolenko, D.O. (2015). «The concept and structure of the research methodology of legal awareness of young people». Naukovyj visnyk Uzhhorods’koho natsional’noho universytetu. Seriia: Pravo. Issue 35. Part I. Vol. 1. pp. 11-13.
9. Samsonov, V.V., Sil’vestrov, A.M., Tachynina, O.M. (2022). Metodolohiia naukovykh doslidzhen’ ta pryklady ii vykorystannia. [Methodology of scientific research and examples of its use]. NUKhT. Kyiv. Ukraine.
10. Mel’nychenko, B. (2017). «Legal basis of the organization and activity of public administration bodies in Ukraine». Pidpryiemnytstvo, hospodarstvo i pravo. № 12. pp. 174-177.
11. Yevropejs’ka khartiia mistsevoho samovriaduvannia: Khartiia. Mizhnarodnyj dokument. (1985). [European Charter of Local Self-Government: Charter. International Document]. № 994_036 dated October 15, 1985. Available at:  https://zakon.rada.gov.ua/laws/card/994_036.
12. Dodatkovyj protokol do Yevropejs’koi Khartii mistsevoho samovriaduvannia pro pravo uchasti u spravakh mistsevoho orhanu vlady: Protokol. Mizhnarodnyj dokument. (2009). [Additional Protocol to the European Charter of Local Self-Government on the right to participate in local government affairs: Protocol. International document]. № 994_946 dated November 16, 2009. Available at:  https://zakon.rada.gov.ua/laws/card/994_946.
13. Rekomendatsiia Komitetu ministriv Rady Yevropy “Pro uchast’ hromadian u mistsevomu publichnomu zhytti”: Rekomendatsii. Mizhnarodnyj dokument. (2001). [Recommendation of the Committee of Ministers of the Council of Europe “On the participation of citizens in local public life”: Recommendations. International document]. № Rec(2001)19 dated December 6, 2001. Available at:  https://zakon.rada.gov.ua/laws/card/994_739.
14. Perehlianuta Yevropejs’ka khartiia pro uchast’ molodi v mistsevomu ta rehional’nomu zhytti. [Revised European Charter on Youth Participation in Local and Regional Life]. Available at:  https://rm.coe.int/168071b58f.
15. Latsyba, M.V., Lukeria, I.M., Vaschuk-Ohdans’ka, O.L. (2013). Mistseva demokratiia v Ukraini: novi standarty. [Local democracy in Ukraine: new standards]. Ahentstvo «Ukraina». Kyiv.
16. Dahl, R.A. (2958). «A Critique of the Ruling Elite Model II». American Political Science Revie. Vol. 52. № 2. рр. 463-469.
17. Skoblyk, N.V. (2001). «Leaders’ responsibility to citizens and citizens’ control over them in the works of R. Dahl». Naukovi zapysky. Politychni nauky. Vol. 19. pp. 12-16.
18. Perelik politychnykh partij, iakymy pryjniato rishennia pro uchast’ ikh mistsevykh orhanizatsij u mistsevykh vyborakh 25 zhovtnia 2020 roku. [List of political parties that decided on the participation of their local organizations in local elections on October 25, 2020]. Available at:  https://cvk.gov.ua/vibory_category/mistsevi-vibori/vibori-deputativ-verhovnoi-radi-avtonomnoi-respubliki-krim-oblasnih-rayonnih-miskih-rayonnih-silskih-selishhnih-rad-25-10-2020.html.
19. Kemp, B., Khimenez, M. (2017). Systema otsiniuvannia stanu demokratii na mistsevomu rivni. Bulls Graphics, Sweden: International Institute for Democracy and Electoral Assistance.

The article was received 25.02.2024