"The article presents an attempt to use heuristic potential of the neoinstitutional approach supplemented with cognitive methods, for explaining the specific character of the transitory societies that came into being on the territory of the former Soviet Union. On analyzing the functioning of social institutions and social nets on the post-Soviet expanse, the author comes to the conclusion that many of the problems arising before the CIS countries in the process of the transit, are called forth by an institutional revolution going on in them. Among most important consequences of such a revolution, he reckons: the gap between formal and informal institutions