Abstract
The сhapter studies the relationship between the development of integration processes and the development of civil society in the post-Soviet space and, in particular, in the countries of the Eurasian Economic Union. It consists of five parts. The introduction presents the main trends and vectors of integration processes in the post-Soviet space. The first part considers the concept of “civil society” and its features in Western and Russian political thought. The second part highlights the features of building a civil society in the independent states of the EAEU. General points and differences in the emerging civil societies of the EAEU countries are revealed. Further, in the fourth part, the “Eurasian idea” is considered in terms of its compatibility with the peculiarities of the development of civil society in the post-Soviet space. The final part proposes a discussion topic on the possibility of political integration within the EAEU.
TopBackground
A combination of the topic of integration and the theme of development of civil society in the EAEU countries is considered in the scientific literature in connection with various studies. First of all, these are theoretical works on the analysis of the concept of civil society, as well as studies of civil society in post-Soviet and post-socialist countries, made by both foreign and Russian experts.
Key Terms in this Chapter
RIAC: (Russian International Affairs Council) is A non-profit academic and diplomatic think tank that was established by the resolution of its founders pursuant to presidential decree No. 59-rp dated 2 February 2010 “On the Establishment of the Non-profit Partnership “Russian International Affairs Council”.RIAC activities are aimed at strengthening peace, friendship and solidarity between peoples, preventing international conflicts and promoting conflict resolution and crisis settlement.
NGO: (non-governmental organization) is An organization that is not part of a government and was not founded by states. NGOs are therefore typically independent of governments. Although the definition can technically include for-profit corporations, the term is generally restricted to social, cultural, legal, and environmental advocacy groups having goals that are noncommercial, primarily. NGOs are usually non-profit organizations that gain at least a portion of their funding from private sources. Current usage of the term is generally associated with the United Nations and authentic NGOs are those that are so designated by the UN. Because the label “NGO” is considered too broad by some, as it might cover anything that is non-governmental, many NGOs now prefer the term private voluntary organization (PVO).
Eurasian Economic Union (EAEU): is An international organization for regional economic integration that has international legal personality and is established by the Treaty on the Eurasian Economic Union.
The Eurasian Development Bank(EDB): is An international financial institution established to promote economic growth in its member states, extend trade and economic ties among them, and support integration in Eurasia through investment. The Bank was conceived by the Presidents of the Russian Federation and the Republic of Kazakhstan and established in 2006, following the signing of an international agreement by the Presidents of those two countries on 12 January of that year. The Republic of Armenia and the Republic of Tajikistan became full members of the Bank in 2009, the Republic of Belarus in 2010, and the Kyrgyz Republic in 2011.
Eurasian Economic Commission (EAEC): is The permanent regulatory body of the Eurasian Economic Union (EAEU), which aimed to ensure the functioning and development of the EAEU, and developing proposals for the further development of integration.
World Values Survey: ( www.worldvaluessurvey.org ) is A global network of social scientists studying changing values and their impact on social and political life, led by an international team of scholars, with the WVS Association and WVSA Secretariat headquartered in Vienna, Austria.