PARAMETERS OF INSTITUTIONAL CAPACITY OF CONSOLIDATED DEMOCRACY: THEORETICAL AND PRAXEOLOGICAL DIMENSIONS

Abstract

The article examines the modern dimensions and principles of belonging to democratic polities, which are becoming crucial for Ukraine in the context of European integration. On this basis, the discussion of social consolidation and adherence to democratic values, which gains new momentum during the war, is considered. It is found that the capacity of democracy in the institutional dimension requires attention to both individual institutions and systemic interaction as a whole. The essence of the assessment of democratic instruments, which are based on key criteria that allow measuring the quality of democracy and its resilience in the face of internal and external pressure, is conceptualized. The importance of political participation, which allows democracy to achieve adaptability to changing circumstances, is revealed. The specificity of impartial electoral systems that guarantee free and fair elections that reflect the true will of the people is shown. It is found that economic and social justice are integral "pillars" of sustainable democracy, since significant inequality can undermine social cohesion. It is proven that democracy requires a commitment to protecting fundamental human rights and freedoms, ensuring dignity and security for all individuals and minority groups. The importance of institutional capacity, which is not fixed in the case of the formal existence of political institutions, is analyzed. The significance of the "slump" of indicators of the functionality of democratic institutions in many countries of Eastern and Central Europe, which were previously considered a model of democratization, is reflected. The feasibility of a new situational response of Ukrainian transformational democracy to the challenges of martial law is substantiated.