The legal status of social movements in the Russian Federation is enshrined in the Federal Law “On Public Associations”. In general, the legal status of a social movement is identical to the status of a public organization, with the exception of the lack of membership: the entry of persons into participants in a social movement may not be formalized by individual statements or other documents (unless otherwise determined by the charter of a particular movement).

The highest governing body of a social movement is a congress (conference) or general meeting. Also, each movement must have a permanent governing body of the social movement - an elected collegial body, accountable to the congress (conference) or general meeting.

Social movements, like other forms of public associations, can register in the manner prescribed by Article 21 of the Federal Law “On Public Associations” and acquire the rights of a legal entity, or function without state registration and acquisition of the rights of a legal entity. In the case of state registration of a social movement, its permanent governing body exercises the rights of a legal entity on behalf of the social movement and performs its duties in accordance with the charter.

The rights of public associations (including social movements) are enshrined in Article 27 of the Law “On Public Associations”. In particular, the right to participate in elections and referendums is provided in the manner established by the legislation of the Russian Federation.

Socially beneficial goals pursued by social movements can be: social, charitable, cultural, educational, scientific, development of physical culture and sports, satisfaction of spiritual and other non-material needs of citizens, as well as other goals aimed at achieving public benefits.

The real position of social movements (both registered and unregistered) in the Russian legal field is undergoing constant evolution, going through various stages. Since the early 1990s in Russia, the degree of state control over the activities of social movements and the level of their state support have periodically changed.

Types of social movements

In general, the legal status of a social movement does not differ from other types of public associations (with the exception of political parties). So, there may be:

• youth social movements (whose participants can be citizens over 14 years of age);
• children's social movements (whose participants can be citizens over 8 years of age).

According to the territorial sphere of activity, the following types of social movements can be created and operate:

• all-Russian (carry out their activities in accordance with the statutory goals in the territories of more than half of the constituent entities of the Russian Federation and have their own structural units there - organizations, branches or branches and representative offices);
• interregional (carry out their activities in accordance with the statutory goals in the territories of less than half of the constituent entities of the Russian Federation and have their own structural units there - organizations, branches or branches and representative offices);
• regional (the activities of which, in accordance with its statutory goals, are carried out within the territory of one subject of the Russian Federation);
• local (whose activities, in accordance with its statutory goals, are carried out within the territory of the local government).

Social movements and political parties

Previously, in accordance with the federal law “On Political Parties,” all-Russian public movements (as well as all-Russian public organizations) could transform into political parties, which was one of the two forms of creating political parties provided for by law. In this case, the congress of the all-Russian social movement made a decision on the transformation of this all-Russian social movement into a political party, on the transformation of its regional divisions in the constituent entities of the Russian Federation into regional branches of the political party, on the adoption of the charter of the political party and on the adoption of its program, on the formation of leadership and control -auditing bodies of a political party. A new political party was considered created from the date of making the corresponding entry in the Unified State Register of Legal Entities.

At the same time, after the Federal Law “On Political Parties” came into force in 2001, a reverse process took place: political parties that did not meet the strict requirements of this law (in particular, in terms of the number of members and regional branches) were often transformed into all-Russian social movements .

In May 2015, a new law on political parties was adopted, which prohibits the creation of new parties from social movements. Social movements are also prohibited from using the word “party” in their name.

Under public association is understood as a voluntary, self-governing, non-profit formation created on the initiative of citizens united on the basis of common interests to realize common goals specified in the charter of the public association. The content of the right of citizens to association, the basic state guarantees of this right, the status of public associations, the procedure for their creation, activities, reorganization and (or) liquidation are regulated by the Federal Law “On Public Associations”, the Civil Code of the Russian Federation and other laws on certain types of public associations.

Public associations can be created in one of the following organizational and legal forms:

Ø public organization;

Ø social movement;

Ø public fund;

Ø public institution;

Ø public initiative body;

Ø political party.

Public organization is a membership-based public association created on the basis of joint activities to protect common interests and achieve the statutory goals of the united citizens. The highest governing body of a public organization is the congress (conference) or general meeting. The permanent governing body of a public organization is an elected collegial body accountable to the congress (conference) or general meeting. In the case of state registration of a public organization, its permanent governing body exercises the rights of a legal entity on behalf of the public organization and performs its duties in accordance with the charter.

Public organizations represent voluntary associations of people in order to realize their common interests and social activity (for example, the activities of environmental organizations, creative unions and voluntary societies for saving cultural monuments). Their activities are not limited to participation in government, although they often acquire a political character. It is also necessary to emphasize that public organizations are these are amateur formations, not subject to external instructions (except for state laws) and guided in their activities by special normative documents - charters - jointly developed by their members.

Social movement is a mass public association consisting of participants and not having membership, pursuing social, political and other socially useful goals supported by participants in the social movement. The highest governing body of a social movement is a congress (conference) or general meeting. The permanent governing body of a social movement is an elected collegial body reporting to a congress (conference) or general meeting. In the case of state registration of a social movement, its permanent governing body exercises the rights of a legal entity on behalf of the social movement and performs its duties in accordance with the charter.

Social movements differ from public organizations not only in that they can unite many organizations, including political parties, often of different and even opposing orientations. In some cases, signs of organization and movement are combined (in popular fronts). An example of such a mass movement is the “All-Russian Popular Front”, created on the initiative of V. Putin with the aim of uniting the efforts of public organizations with the ruling party “United Russia”. Typically, movements are created to perform a specific task. Here is how, for example, V. Putin defines the tasks of the “All-Russian Popular Front”:

“We are creating the “People's Front” so that all constructive ideas are in demand, so that civil society - youth, women's, veterans' organizations, business circles, trade unions and associations - have an additional opportunity to directly, directly participate in the development of the most important government decisions" .

We can distinguish such types of social movements as elite and mass, conservative and protest movements, reform and revolutionary, violent and non-violent; depending on the object of struggle - anti-war, human rights, environmental, etc.; by social composition - youth, women's, national, workers, peasants, etc.

The characteristic features of social movements are:

1) relative diffuseness, lower level of organization;

2) high degree of spontaneity, weak institutionalization.

Spontaneously emerging social movements are always caused by people's dissatisfaction: some believe that everything needs to be changed urgently, others fiercely resist changes that do not suit them.

Social movements require leaders who can articulate the goals of the movement and lead the masses. A movement can be led by one leader, a group of leaders (including hierarchically organized ones), or leadership groups competing for influence.

The fate of social movements is different. If a significant portion of society supports the goals of the movement, then it has a good chance of institutionalization, otherwise the movement is likely to disintegrate. Moderate state opposition can be useful in giving a movement moral authority, but the harsh measures of a totalitarian state can destroy the movement completely.

Thus, public organizations and social movements are special institutions of the political system along with the state and parties. Unlike government entities These organizations do not have power and cannot make generally binding decisions. Public organizations participate in solving political problems of society, but do not directly rule as state institutions.

A public movement (hereinafter referred to as the Movement) is a non-profit public association created on the initiative of a group of citizens on the principles of self-government and on the basis of common interests, to implement the goals defined in the Charter.

A social movement is a mass public association consisting of participants and without membership, pursuing social, political and other socially useful goals supported by participants in the social movement.

Basic provisions for the creation and activities of social movements:

A social movement is a non-membership public association, i.e. from the moment of state registration of a social movement, the persons who founded the social movement become its participants.

A social movement can be created by citizens and (or) legal entities (public associations) (A social movement can be founded by at least three persons).

According to the territorial sphere, the social movement is divided into:

• All-Russian social movement (a movement that operates in the territories of more than half of the constituent entities of the Russian Federation and has its own structural units there - organizations, branches or branches and representative offices);
• Interregional social movement (a movement that operates in the territories of less than half of the constituent entities of the Russian Federation and has its own structural units there - organizations, branches or branches and representative offices);
• Regional social movement (a movement whose activities are carried out within the territory of one subject of the Russian Federation);
• Local social movement (a movement whose activities are carried out within the territory of a local government body).

The founding document of the Social Movement is Charter.

The highest governing body in the Social Movement is the Congress (Conference) or General Meeting.

The permanent governing body of the Social Movement is an elected collegial body (Board, Council, etc.), accountable to the Congress (Conference) or General Meeting.

The movement has the following rights and capabilities

• acquire property and personal non-property rights on its own behalf;
• be a plaintiff and defendant in court;
• in the interests of achieving the statutory goals, carry out transactions that comply with the statutory goals of the Movement and the legislation of the Russian Federation, both on the territory of the Russian Federation and abroad;
• have an independent balance sheet, ruble and foreign currency accounts in banking institutions, a round seal with its name;
• have their own flag, stamps, emblems, pennants and other symbols, subject to state registration and accounting in the manner established by the legislation of the Russian Federation;
• freedom to determine its internal structure, forms and methods of its activities.

Price list for registration actions of the Social Movement

Public organization- non-governmental/non-state voluntary association of citizens based on common interests and goals. The definition "third sector" (public) is sometimes used in addition to the public and private sectors.

The term has a legal meaning - Article 8 of the Federal Law of May 19, 1995 No. 82-FZ “On Public Associations” states:

“A public organization is a membership-based public association created on the basis of joint activities to protect common interests and achieve the statutory goals of united citizens.”

Members of a public organization, in accordance with its charter, can be individuals and legal entities - public associations, unless otherwise established by this Federal Law and laws on certain types of public associations.

By having membership, a public organization differs from a social movement, in which membership is not required.

The highest governing body of a public organization is the congress (conference) or general meeting. The permanent governing body of a public organization is an elected collegial body reporting to a congress (conference) or general meeting.

Social movements(the phrase is often used social movements) - a type of collective action or association that focuses on specific political or social issues. A social movement is also an organized collective effort that promotes or impedes, even to the point of canceling, social change.

Socio-political organizations and movements- these are voluntary associations of people to express and realize public interests by “pressuring” public authorities.

They represent diverse groups of people who have specific goals and demands for political power, which become the reason for their collective actions (trade unions, youth and women's movements, ethnic and religious groups, associations, etc.). As a rule, people who are dissatisfied with the activities of certain parties, who do not want to limit themselves to the framework of their charters and programs, and who do not have clearly expressed political interests join the movement. Public organizations are a tool for fulfillment of needs, social and political interests of people. They have a wide, massive and dynamic composition of participants, large territorial and national representation. The social base of movements is broad and varied - representatives of various social, ideological, national, religious and other groups can belong to the same social movement.

Signs of a socio-political organization are: a broad social basis, mass participation, independence, effectiveness, direct expression of the interests of the people, recognition of power and opposition to it. Socio-political movements, as a rule, adhere to only one political concept and seek a solution to one major political problem; they have one goal, and not a set of goals (like parties).

Socio-political movements, not striving for power, they try to influence it, drawing the attention of this power to solving their problems. The center of political activity in a socio-political movement is its core (vanguard) - initiative groups, clubs, unions, etc. Unlike a political party, a socio-political movement does not have a formal internal hierarchy, clearly defined permanent membership and relevant documents ( program, charter, etc.).

The task of public organizations– expression, protection and implementation of the interests of various social, professional, age and other groups of society.

Main types socio-political organizations: unions and associations, meetings and associations, chambers and committees, armed groups and pressure groups.

Types of socio-political movements:

– depending on the field of activity: socio-political, ethno-political, religious, economic, environmental, anti-war, scientific, etc.;

– depending on the goals: revolutionary and counter-revolutionary, reformist and conservative, national democratic and general democratic;

– depending on the number of participants: mass or elite;

– depending on the place in the political spectrum: left, center and right;

– depending on the scale of activity: local, regional, federal, interstate, etc.;

– depending on the social composition: professional, women’s, youth;

– depending on the nature of the occurrence: consciously organized and spontaneous;

– depending on the methods of action: violent and non-violent.