This article examines the role and significance of the political opposition in our country. The political processes that occurred in 20th century Russia reflect the complexity of the interrelationships between the government and the opposition. The results of the actions of the opposition movement degraded trust in those institutes in which occurred a destructive conflict between the government and the opposition. The opportunity for a transition of this conflict toward a positiveх functional course is linked with the new quality of interaction and integration of the opposition into the political system of government. At present, a reduction in the influence of political forces which pretend to the role of opposition has occurred. The seriously inadequate strength of the opposition is due to the absence of specific ideological programs and real alternatives to the current government. The existence of political opposition plays an important role in the development of a country, and is a tool for the governmental management of the ruling elite. It formulates alternate systems of ideas having their basis in the formation of programs of the country’s future development as their goals and strategies, giving people the opportunity to manifest their civil position, to activate the passive part within citizens, and gradually to form the necessary political culture in the population.