The institutional order of domination: an effort in conceptualization and empirical measurement

The article examines the political and power-related dimensions of Russia’s contemporary institutional order in terms of modern theories of domination. In these theories, domination is understood as a normatively undesirable form of asymmetric power relations based on dependence and subordination. One side holds institutionally entrenched authority to impose its will on the other, acting arbitrarily and self-servingly. This undermines the basic interests of the affected party and erodes the sources of their agency. The author applies the methodology of institutional political science to interpret modern concepts of domination as the exercise of arbitrary power. From this perspective, two paradigmatic approaches to conceptualizing domination are analyzed: the (neo)Roman and the Athenian republican traditions. The first focuses on the political and legal manifestations and limitations of domination, along with the principles of vivre libre (living free). The second emphasizes the communicative and procedural aspects of vita active (active life), with particular attention to the formation of agency and collective action (praxis). The empirical part draws on data from nationwide sociological surveys in Russia, allowing the theoretical constructs to be tested. The study compares the collective imagined institutional orders held by two distinct groups of respondents, labelled in the research logic as “Citizens” (those confident in legal protection against arbitrary state power) and “Subjects” (those lacking such confidence). By assessing the statistical significance of the identified differences, the study confirms the hypothesis that the institutional order of contemporary Russia (re)produces relations of domination. The scale and intensity of these relations limit the prospects for innovative social development. The article identifies the main factors driving the proliferation of power in the form of domination: delegitimization of the social contract, fragmentation of the political order, societal disintegration, and social entropy. The conclusion points to the inadequacy of piecemeal changes and argues for a systemic transformation of the institutional design. A key objective of such transformation is to ensure that the overwhelming majority of the population has confidence in their guaranteed possession of the political and legal status of a citizen protected by law.

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