STRUCTURAL-FUNCTIONAL APPROACH IN THE WORLD-THEORETICAL KNOWLEDGE OF TERRITORIAL COMMUNITIES

УДК 332 Christopher Daniel Colell Master of Arts, University of Technology Dresden, Germany; e-mail: colellchristopher@gmail.com Kneysler O. V. Doctor of Economics, Professor, Head of Finance Management and Insurance Department, Ternopil National Economic University, Ukraine; e-mail: olgakne@gmail.com, ORCID ID: 0000-0001-9898-7031 Spasiv N. Ya. Ph. D. in Economics, Assosiate Professor, Assosiate Professor of Finance Management and Insurance Department Ternopil National Economic University, Ukraine; e-mail: vladnat@gmail.com, ORCID ID: 0000-0003-0797-7220 Fedorovych І.М. Candidate of economic sciences, senior lecturer of Finance Management and Insurance Department Ternopil National Economic University; е-mail: irkafed@ukr.net, ORCID ID: 0000-0001-8150-6553


Introduction.
The structural-functional approach plays a decisive role in considering a territorial community as a system with a complex structure.It consists in the allocation of components of social, economic and legal interaction, the determination of their place, meaning, and functions.This approach involves the analysis of the self-organization of the territorial community as the interaction of certain socioeconomic structures which form the integrity.The territorial community in its context is also considered as a certain integrity, a system that has a complex structure, each element of which, in turn, has a certain purpose and performs specific functions.The advantage of structural and functional analysis is the possibility of simultaneous consideration of the interrelated parties of the object (in this case, it's the territorial community).
The usage of structural and functional approach enables the disclosure of the essence of the territorial community through the interaction of its main structural components: common interests and the only purpose of individuals, common will in activities and common responsibility, common values, joint formation of economic and financial resources, their distribution and use, joint usage of communal property.In addition, the structural-functional approach allows us to comprehend all the dimensions of the territorial community in their interrelation: as a social phenomenon, as the fields for the implementation of important existential needs, as the sources of civic activities, as a world-view construct, as a regional financial recipe and as a producer and consumer of economic benefits.
In the context of the study it should be noted that it is impossible to study any element of the system of local self-organization without functional analysis.Only by defining the functions of territorial communities, we can imagine the role they play in the system of local self-government, in the state mechanism, in society in general, and their socio-economic purpose.
Analysis of the researches and problem statement.The functional aspect of territorial communities is actively investigated by such national authors as M. O. Baimuratov, V. I. Bordeniuk, I. P. Butko, M. P. Voronov, R. K. Davydov, N. K. Isaieva, V. M. Kampo, O. O. Karlov, A. A Kovalenko, M. I. Korniienko, P. M. Liubchenko, M. P. Orzikh, V. F. Pohorilko, M. O. Pukhtynskyi, N. I. Ruda, O. F. Frytskyi and others.A thorough analysis of scientific works on the subject under the study suggests that, despite rather substantial and fundamental scientific and theoretical developments, the researches and disclosure of the functional aspect of territorial communities have not yet been adequately reflected in the investigations of modern scholars.Therefore, all further scientific results of this article will be based on a synthesis of the conclusions obtained by national and foreign scientists in order to develop an appropriate theoretical and methodological basis for the study of the territorial community, based on the structural and functional approach to its knowledge.Accordingly, the purpose of the article is a functional study of the territorial communities.
Results of the investigation.On the assumption that the territorial community as the primary subject of local self-government is the only bearer of functions and powers of local selfgovernment, the amount of its functions coincides with the amount of functions of the local selfgovernment system.Therefore, the assertion about the priority of the territorial community's functions in the system of functions of local self-government bodies is considered to be correct [1, p. 21].It can be confirmed by a statement that "the functions of the territorial communities are conditioned by the nature of local democracy, its principles, goals and objectives, which are to be realized by the local self-government" [2].O. Lyska is convinced that because of studying the functionsthe main directions and types of activities on solving the local problems, the study of the territorial community as a subject of local self-government is carried out [3].
Function (from Latin functionexecution, implementation) is revealed depending on the field of scientific knowledge.In particular, this term is considered as: external expression of the qualities of any object, process in one or another system of relations (functionquality); the role played by an appropriate social institution or process in relation to the whole (functions-roles); connection of parts with the whole, their interconnection (functionsconnections) [4].As it is noted by O. Obolenskyi, the whole systems are transformed into a certain set of functions of their implementation.If the first ones respond to the question "What to do?", the second ones respond to the question "How to do?" [5].
It is well-known that in the structure of local self-government two main elements are distinguishedthe territorial community and local self-government bodies [6].Under the functions of local self-government, they understand the basic, that is, the most common and permanent directions and types of municipal activity, that express the will and interests of the appropriate territorial communities and ensure carrying out of the appropriate relations by them with the enterprises, institutions, organizations located on the territory of the municipal entity, with state bodies, public associations and citizens within the limits of the powers provided by the current legislation of Ukraine [7].Instead, the functions of the territorial communities are more pragmatic, they characterize mainly their activities; they are phenomena and categories of the activities, first of all [8].
In general the theory of the territorial communities' functions comes from the legislation of Ukraine, is based on the experience of local government bodies and the achievement of scientific thought in the field of local self-government [9].Sharing this proper opinion of the national scientist, we are going to form the logical construct of the functional knowledge of the territorial community.
In accordance with the Law of Ukraine "On Local Self-Government in Ukraine", the activities of local self-government bodies can be carried out in the field of budget, finance and prices; management of communal property; in the area of housing and communal services, household, trade services, catering, transport and communications; in the field of construction; in the field of education, health care, culture, physical education and sports; in the field of regulation of land relations and environmental protection; in the sphere of social protection of population; in the field of foreign economic activity; in the field of defense work; to solve the issues of the administrative-territorial system; to ensure the legitimacy, law and order, protection of rights, freedoms and legitimate interests of the citizens, that reflects the application of the sectoral approach to the definition of functions of local self-government bodies [10].
In this context, S. Sakhanenko notes that the main functions, reflected in the Constitution of Ukraine and the Law of Ukraine "On Local Self-Government in Ukraine", are specifically manifested through the establishment of the powers of the executive bodies of the local councils [11].At the same time, O. Batanov points out that "the functions of the territorial communities are the main directions of the activities of these social communities in realization the right of the citizens to participate in local self-government, that express the will and interests of local residents and ensure their implementation of relations with the state, its authorities, and bodies of local selfgovernment " [12].
Let us note that the scientists define the classification of functions of the territorial communities in a different way, basing on the criteria that they consider to be objective in relation to scientific interests.Thus, I. Vydrin considers the functions of the territorial communities: 1) integrative; 2) social control over the activities and behavior of the team members; 3) production; 4) educational; 5) political [13].N. Ruda adheres to a similar classification in her studies [14].Thus, it allows to state that the range of functions of the territorial communities is very broad, but the attempts to isolate and systematize them are characterized by the domination of legal and social substances.S. Sakhanenko expands the list of functions of the territorial community, focusing on economic components and financial security, adding functions for: management of municipal property and financial resources of local self-government; provision of socio-economic and cultural development of the territory; improvement of living conditions of people, creation of a favorable environment for life of the population; protection of public order; protection of interests and rights of local self-government [15].B. Zdravko is convinced that the territorial communities carry out: 1) business; 2) managerial; 3) controlling: 4) social; 5) culturological; 6) political; 7) and judicial functions [16], while he ignores the economic one.Instead, I. Bodrova distinguishes, apart from the economic function, the ecological one along with the social and political functions in the system of the territorial communities' functions, and she gives details about each of them.Thus, "a social function is a direction of the activities of the territorial communities, connected with satisfaction of the needs of its members' living conditions, creation of conditions for free realization of their age, professional, cultural, national-ethnic, religious and other interests by the members of the community, development of the system of social interaction and development of civil infrastructure of the community.A political function is one of the main directions of communities' activities as the institutions not only of civil society, but also of a law-governed state, the content of which is the implementation of a special form of public power at the local level.An economic function characterizes the activities of the territorial communities in developing the sufficient material and financial base for meeting the needs of the communities and their members and implementing the measures for its effective use.The term "ecological function" covers the activities related to maintaining the environment safe for life and health of the population, expedient, efficient and careful usage of natural resources of the community " [17].Just the economic and ecological functional approach, in our opinion, is of considerable urgency, considering the increasing role of the ecological economy as a vision of the latest paradigm of national development.
V. Malyshko classifies the functions in a similar way, but he includes a cultural function into their list, most likely basing on the current legislation [18].And we allow ourselves to disagree with this fact, because it is a subfunction of a social one, therefore, there is no expediency to separate it.
O. Baimuratov points out one more important functionthe informational one, it becomes of a special significance in conditions of total informatization of the society.He denotes that "it is realized in informing the members of the community about the work of local self-government bodies, the state of the municipal economy, the implementation of the publicity principle in municipal activities, and the implementation of the principle of publicity in municipal activities which is an important condition for ensuring active participation of the population in solving the local issues, as well as monitoring the work of local self-government bodies.This function can be realized through the development of the institutes of municipal statistics, information service and municipal marketing [19].
O. Lyska is convinced that one of the main aspects when studying the functions of the territorial communities is the issue of classification criteria.The starting point for classification, according to the scientist, should be the determination of the direction of the local community's functioning, its activities in achieving a certain goal.Accordingly, in order to characterize the activities of the territorial community in such spheres, it is appropriate to highlight political, economic, social, cultural and environmental functions [3].
In scientific sources, the idea of the division of functions into external and internal (exogenous and endogenous) is substantiated.This division is based on the relationship within the territorial community or beyond its borders.So Ya.Zhovnirchyk highlights the internal and external object functions.The nature of the external functions is due to relations that arise between the neighboring territorial communities, the territorial community and the state, and the territorial communities of different states.Such connections are of regional (local), national and international nature respectively [20].At the same time, O. Batanov notes that "the internal and external functions of the territorial communities are in constant interaction within the limits of a single functional activity, the interaction, caused by the nature of the municipal democracy.The external functions of the territorial communities are derived from the internal needs and tasks that local selfgovernment tries to resolve.The external functions serve as a kind of continuation of the internal functions of the territorial communities.The close interconnection between the internal and external functions is conditioned by their joint focus on solution the issues of local importance and the further development of local democracy in Ukraine " [12].
However, it should not be forgotten that the relations within the territorial community and beyond are also formed between the territorial units of different levels, based on the administrativeterritorial division of Ukraine.Accordingly, the classification of territorial communities' functions regarding the status of administrative-territorial units is singled out."Thereby, the functions of the territorial communities of villages, settlements, towns (under the district's jurisdiction) and districts in the cities (where they are created) are distinguished, and also the functions of the territorial communities of the cities under the region's jurisdiction, cities of Kyiv and Sevastopol are singled out" [21].At the same time, using as a base part 1 of Article 140 of the Constitution of Ukraine, and taking into account the definition of local self-government, it is possible to distinguish the following types of the territorial communities: a) the territorial community of the village or the voluntary union of the citizens of several villages into the village community; b) the territorial community of the town; c) the territorial community of the city.And the postulates of the Constitution of Ukraine part 3 and 4 of Article 140 divide the territorial communities into: a) communities of the base level -villages, towns, cities (people's livelihoods are provided within the territorial units); b) communities of the associate levelthe territorial communities of districts and regions (in their framework the collective interests of the territorial communities of villages, towns and cities are realized).In this context, we believe that the "multilevel" territorial communities do not differ in their nature that causes the invariance of their functions to the solution of similar, and sometimes the same issues of local importance.Therefore, such a division from a scientific point of view is debatable, since it involves the conceptual apparatus, but it is reasonable from a practical point of view, as it clearly justifies the functions of each territorial community of different levels in the context of the territorial division, and in such a way it creates conditions for preventing the interference of others in the local affairs.
I. Shumliaieva, in our opinion, overwhelms the conceptual framework at all, due to the separation of the territorial community's functions in terms of the legislative consolidation of the local issues division into its own and delegated ones and, on their basis, the separation of functions into obligatory and additional ones with their detailed peculiarities [22].
Also in the scientific community there is a point of view that the territorial community is the subject of management, and, accordingly, it has got general management functions -planning, organization, motivation, coordination and control [20].At the same time, along with this classification, the author also defines the technological functions in the context of financialbudgetary, normative, information and availability of communal property rights, as well as system-forming functions aimed at creating of the system of local self-government by the territorial communities, thus sharing the viewpoint of foreign scholars [23].As to the latter, Ya.Zhovnirchyk notes that "the system-forming functions of the territorial community are extremely important, because due to them the whole system of local self-government is formed, which is intended to solve local issues and protect the interests of local residents" [20].The author is convinced that one of the aspects of the implementation of the system-forming function by the territorial community is the emergence of the united territorial community.It is rather practical and we completely agree with it, since because of its implementation the object of our study is formed, which will be further emphasized.So Ya.Zhovnirchyk gives a classification of functions of the territorial community from the standpoints of objective, subjective and technological approaches.Together, they reflect the activities of the territorial community in the context of the impact on a particular object, identify the specifics of the activities of special subjectsterritorial communities of villages, towns, cities, districts in the cities; they find out the very technology of the process of functions implementation.The scientist believes that according to such criteria the classification "allows to reveal the functions of the territorial community more fully as the main directions and types of its activities for the solution of the local issues" [20].
M. Kovaliv adheres to the same approaches due to distinguishing of the functions of the territorial community, differentiating them according to the objects of local activity (political, economic, social, cultural, ecological spheres), subjects (types of the territorial communities according to the current legislation), ways and methods of the municipal activities [24]."The most significant criterion for determining the functions of a territorial community is the self-governing nature of the issues of local significance," the scientist says [24].O. Batanov also believes that the territorial communities' functions can be differentiated from the positions of the object, the subject, and methods of municipal activity in accordance with the administrative-territorial units, within which the territorial communities function [1].
Instead, T. Korytko presents a new and systemic approach to the classification of the functions of the territorial communities based on their socio-economic nature and the multidimensionality of its manifestationterritorial, administrative, institutional, economic, organizational, and demographic.Accordingly, in the administrative space, the territorial community performs the following functions: 1) the creation of conditions for the establishment and development of civil society institutions; 2) demand and supply function; in the economic space: 1) the function of demand and supply; 2) the function of reproduction of the manufacture factors (labor resources, capital, land, entrepreneurial abilities); in the institutional space: 1) the development of formal rules through the adoption of normative legal acts by the local government bodies and ensuring their execution; 2) formation and reproduction of informal rules (cultural traditions, customs, norms of business behavior) that affect the local population; in the organizational space: 1) creation of business structures that provide conditions for the effective economic activity; 2) creation of the infrastructure for the life of the population of a territorial community (in particular, housing construction); 3) creation of social infrastructure; in the demographic space: 1) ensuring the socially-normal level of reproduction of the population and improving the quality of life; 2) ensuring a favorable environmental situation; 3) ensuring employment of the population; 4) creation of conditions for a positive balance of the migration processes; 5) provision of the population with social services.T. Korytko also identifies exclusively the internal function performed by the territorial community in the territorial aspect, where it is closed and represented by three main components: provision of natural potential (natural and climatic and tourist-recreational); provision of land resources; improvement of the transportgeographical position (improvement of the territory for the population, placement of production, improvement of the infrastructure) [25].None of the scientists treated the functions of the territorial community so pragmatically and comprehensively, and it allows to state the completeness of such a classification.At the same time, to our mind, the controversy is characterized by the multidimensional manifestation of its socio-economic nature in the territorial, administrative, institutional, economic, organizational, and demographic area, since the historical, ideological, and religious aspects, which, without a doubt, are not secondary, are not mentioned.
H. Patytska forms the list of the territorial community's functions, taking into account the powers specified in the Constitution of Ukraine and partially sharing opinions of L. Murkovych, and distinguishes: planning and programming of the development of the administrative-territorial unit; budgetary and financial functions; material and technical functions; function of social control; regulatory; socio-cultural; informational functions [26].As we can see, functions in their essence determine the activity, and most scientists use the basic elements of this activity as criteria of classification of the territorial communities' functions.
In scientific discussions there is an integrated approach to the definition of the territorial communities' functions as a separate system category.So, M. Kovaliv and I. Krykalska note that "the mechanism for the realization of the territorial communities' functions is a complex system category, which is a set of demographic, territorial, political, organizational, economic, sociocultural, ideological methods and means of materialization of the activities of the municipal government in the process of solving the issues of local importance, as well as delegated powers of local state executive authorities to local self-government within the Constitution and laws of Ukraine.The demographic (social) basis of the mechanism for the realization of the territorial communities' functions means that local self-government is carried out by people.It is the people (citizens of Ukraine, refugees, foreigners) with their experience, professional skills, united into the territorial communities and socialized in the process of independent, under their responsibility, solving of their own and collective problems of the territorial community, the members of which they are, are the dominant element of the mechanism for the implementation of functions of Local Government.The second important element of this mechanism is the territorial basis of local selfgovernment.It is within certain territories that the subjects of public-power relations, the territorial communities in particular, realize their functions.The functioning of the territorial communities is possible only with the optimal combination of the institutions of direct and representative democracy, which collectively constitute a political (organizational) mechanism for the implementation of local self-government functions.Also, the ideological (spiritual) moments, in particular historical, national-cultural and other peculiarities of local life, are not the last in the process of functioning of the territorial communities, that results in singling out the ideological mechanism for the implementation of local self-government functions (symbols of the territorial communities, language, etc.).The activities of the territorial communities conform to the concept of dualism of the functions and powers of local self-government: it has a non-state political and legal nature; it is, above all, an element of civil society " [27].We will allow ourselves to disagree with such a statement, since the position of the authors is a set of formal and informal rules of the territorial communities functioning.Moreover, we consider that the distinguishing of functions through the powers is unacceptable.After all, the powers by their very nature are officially a given right to someone to perform certain activities.According to the current legislation, the powers of the territorial community as the primary subject of local self-government are determined by Article 143 of the Constitution of Ukraine.In the context of the study, we believe, that exactly the powers are the part of the public functions of the territorial community.
Summing up the above mentioned, we note that the functions of the territorial communities are the main directions and types of the activities of these communities in the realization of the right of the territorial community's members to participate in local self-government, based on the will, the parity of relations, satisfaction of the interests, provision of economic needs and welfare within the Constitution and laws of Ukraine.At the same time, we should mention that the separation of functions determines the role and forms the place of each territorial community in local selfgovernment, and thus in the socio-economic development of the appropriate territory.
The central issue in the theory of the territorial communities' functions is their classification, which is based on the distinction between public and private, in our opinion, with the subsequent gradation of each of the subgroups into the elementsindividual functions, the range of which is very broad, but it is one-vectoraimed at providing, coordinating and satisfaction of the interests of all its members.The following words are the confirmation of this fact "public interests can be defined as harmonized, in a certain way balanced interests of the state, local self-government as the organizations of political power, as well as the interests of the entire society.Exactly the public interests affect the international and national levels of territorial communities' relationship.Private interests are the interests of a separate citizen (individual), family, group of citizens, organization, if it is created with the participation of individuals and accordingly does not belong to the sphere of public -state or communal -form of ownership " [28].Any private interest inevitably leads to group and public interests, affecting them in any way [29].
Accordingly, systematization in the sphere of public functions lies in the satisfaction of public interests by providing public services at the local level (protection of the rights and freedoms of the members of a territorial community, defense activities, maintenance of law and order), the execution of public authority functions through the formation of the principles of territorial policy, municipal ideology, religious beliefs, performing of functions and tasks of public institutions.Private functions are concentrated on ensuring the socio-economic development and life of a separate territorial community; that is meeting the material and financial needs of its members, communal property managing, renovating of housing and communal services, social protection, education, health care, cultural and educational activities, environmental protection measures and regulation of land relations.Another aspect in this cohort of immanent functions is the necessary to separate control at the level of representatives of the territorial community for rational allocation and effective use of financial resources to meet these needs, as well as for the activities of local government bodies and officials.The distinguishing of this function is due to the lack of an effective system of control by the population, along with the transfer of broad powers to local selfgovernment bodies.
Conclusions.The territorial community, performing public and private functions, ensures the realization of the basic social and economic rights of its members, involving them to local selfgovernment.The criteria for this classification are the objective nature of the complex of tasks that local self-government and the territorial communities try to solve as their primary subjects.The variety and diversity nature of the tasks, arising before local government, produces the directions of the activities of the territorial communities, namely their functions.This process is interdependent and dynamic, since the range of functions is wide and permanently variable.Therefore, the given classification makes it possible to construct an extensional characteristic of functions.After all, the functions of the territorial community, reflecting the main directions of its activities, reflect the nature of local self-government, clearly defining the essence and purpose of the latter.However, let us stress that the majority of the legally established potential functions in the Constitution of Ukraine and the Law of Ukraine "On Local Self-Government in Ukraine" are practically not implemented, since there is a diffuse state of the territorial communities, which represents an unconsolidated set of their members with different, often even diametrically opposed, interests and values.