The article deals with cooperation between the government and civil society. Initially the genesis of the concept of state and government is considered, the classification of the main approaches to the history and development of the states is given. Further, the civil society, considered as a system of relations in the sphere of non-state structures of social life, the sphere of spontaneous self-government of free individuals, voluntarily organizing associations, as well as ways of their cooperation with the state are analyzed in the article. The Russian specificity of the problem, the various positions of Russian scientists on the development and perspectives of civil society in Russia are shown. In the practical part of the article the results of several empirical studies conducted on the basis of the Resource Center of sociological and Internet research of St. Petersburg State University are presented. The views of Petersburgians on the specifics of the relationship between the state and citizens of our country are reflected in these studies. The special role of civil society in the formation and development of the state is concluded, as well as their own classification of segments of the civil society, consisting of four clusters, is submitted.