Series of scientific reports. This work is devoted to the study of the role of social capital in ensuring the modernization of the Russian economy . The paper emphasizes the importance of institutions for economic development, and attempts to demonstrate how the quality of the institutional environment (including government regulation) can be improved by improving the characteristics of social capital. In addition, this paper reveals the role of social capital in ensuring cost-effective institutional transformations, overcoming the effect of blocking economic reforms. Particular attention is paid to the description of the system of tools (regulatory impact assessment, crowdsourcing, Open Government tools, etc.) ?p. ), on the basis of which the strategy of modernization of the Russian economy is currently being built. The paper also provides recommendations for improving the Russian system of public administration of the economy based on the use of the potential of self-organization of society, the development of social capital.