Abstract: The subject of this research is the forms of interaction between the state and civil society at each stage of legal regulation of public relations, as well as conditions under which the law can be viewed as means of ensuring efficient interaction between them. The object is the public relations established between state and society in various spheres of social life. Special attention is given to the necessity of consolidation of public legislative initiative at the federal level, as well as the mechanism for its realization. For the purpose of formation of the legal foundation of interaction between state and civil society, the author suggest developing the Federal Law project “On the basis of interaction between state and society”, as well as defines the subject of legal regulation, addressees, and structural elements of the legislative bill. The scientific novelty of the conducted research consists in the theoretical legal analysis of the forms of interaction between state and civil society at each stage of legal regulation of public relations, and examination of conditions under which the law ensures efficient interaction between state and civil society. The research is based on the analysis of legislation system and socio-political practice of the Russian Federation. The author concludes that to one or another extent, the law mediates public relations in all spheres of social life, because state and society cooperate due to the unity of social nature; under such conditions, the law becomes means of ensuring interaction between state and society at each state of legal regulation of public relations. Examination of law in this regard is justified by the maturity of legal consciousness of the citizens and generally high level of legal culture, as well as establishment and improvement of the normative legal foundation of cooperation between state and civil society.

Abstract: The object of this research is the legal relations established between the civil society and the government in various spheres of social life. The subject is of the historical types of cooperation between the civil society and the government. Based on the analysis of scientific data about the regularities of cooperation between the civil society and the government in the XIX – beginning of XXI centuries, the author determined and examines two historical types of such cooperation: “social contract” and “social dependence”. At the same time, the author focuses attention on the flaws of the reviewed types and their inapplicability on the modern stage of development of the public relations. Scientific novelty consists in typification of collaboration between the civil society and the government in the XIX – the beginning of XXI centuries, as well as in substantiation of the conclusion about the current inapplicability of such historical types as “social contract” and “social dependency”. The main conclusion consists in the fact that in the foundation of such cooperation on the main state of development of the public relations lies the idea of dialogue communication, which allows expecting the mutual understanding and satisfaction of interests of both, the civil society, and the government.

Abstract: The subject of this research is the scientific perceptions on state functions. The article follows the evolution of these perceptions from philosophical ideas on essence, tasks and goals of state to the theory of state functions to the concept of “state function” devised in the Soviet juridical science. The author gives a detailed review to modern perceptions of scientists on functions of statehood, and substantiates a close link between the notion of “state function” and concepts of “essence of state”, “state goals”, “state tasks”, and “state designation”. A special attention is given to the substantiation of the need to conduct systemic research on state functions. The scientific novelty of this research consists in advancement of a hypothesis on the evolution of these perceptions from philosophical ideas on essence, tasks and goals of state to the theory of state functions to the concept of “state function” devised in the Soviet juridical science.