Youth to political life. Motives for political participation and non-participation of young people

26.08.2019

Problems of youth and politics are a constantly developing phenomenon that is directly dependent on the state of society and the state and the processes occurring in them. Youth takes important place V social structure society. It is determined by age characteristics, social status, nature of employment, and socio-psychological properties. Romanticism, dedication, the desire to search for truth, idealization of objective reality, self-affirmation, discovery of one’s “I” and a number of other features that distinguish youth from the middle and older generations. Young people as a social group are extremely heterogeneous. Conventionally, we can distinguish its various groups: working youth, peasants, students, students, urban, rural, etc. Each of these groups is characterized by certain specific features, has its own inherent interests. If you look at world civilization, then the differences in the nature of the event and the characteristics of young people living on different continents are clearly visible. This gives grounds to conclude that, in the most general terms, youth do not represent a single monolithic political and ideological force. However, as shows historical experience youth movement, youth have always strived to be active political life. She is completely different, almost always reacts more actively to change political situation in a country or region than older generation. Young people are more dynamic, energetic, mobile, and ready to take risks, sometimes associated with life.

A special milestone in the youth movement can be considered the Great Conference of Democratic Youth held on November 10, 1945, in which representatives of 63 countries took part. The conference decided to create the World Federation of Democratic Youth, which is designed to promote mutual understanding and cooperation among youth in all areas public life, the struggle against social, national and racial oppression, for peace and security of peoples, for the rights of youth. Since November 10, 1945, most countries have celebrated it as World Youth Day. The history of the youth movement, the creation of state-national and world youth organizations testify to the strength and power of youth. For example, the unprecedented scale of student protests in the late 60s of the 20th century. revealed her enormous growth political activity and political radicalism, students’ growing awareness of the relationship between the system of higher and secondary education and prevailing socio-political relations. The dominant idea in the radical thinking of young people was the idea of “creative revolutionary violence” as a reaction to the absurdity and immorality of bourgeois society. This gave rise to some scientists to declare youth the decisive revolutionary force, the vanguard of the working masses. G. Marcuse, T. Roszak and other scientists saw the origins of youth rebellion in the conflict of generations, in the denial of such factors of life as acquisitiveness, the pursuit of benefits and privileges, hypocrisy official authorities, moral suppression of freedom. For modern Russian society Characterized by the variety of forms of youth participation in political life. Understood as the involvement in one form or another of a person or social group in political power relations, in the process of decision-making and management, political participation is an important component of the political life of society. It can serve as a means of achieving a certain goal, satisfying the need for self-expression and self-affirmation, and realizing a sense of citizenship. In the political life of modern Russian society, which is experiencing systemic crisis, the following forms are distinguished political participation youth.

Creation of youth organizations, movement and participation in them. A certain part Young people spend their political life among their peers, so their desire to unite in organizations is understandable. The heterogeneity of the political consciousness of young Russians, the diversity of political orientations and interests were reflected in the emergence of last decade a large number of youth associations of various orientations, including political ones. The experience of various forms of representation of youth interests in government agencies. In the Kaliningrad region, for example, since 1999 there has been a “youth parliament” designed to discuss and make proposals for improvement youth policy to the regional administration. In Khanty-Mansiysk Autonomous Okrug the youth council is working. In a number of constituent entities of the Russian Federation (for example, in the Moscow region), the activities of such forms of attracting young people to participate in the management of state affairs are provided for by regional laws. Analysis of development trends youth movement in the regions indicates the diversity of conditions for it in various constituent entities of the Russian Federation. Somewhat greater opportunities exist in regions where there is a policy of state support for youth and children's associations. By decision of a number of regional and municipal bodies state power Children's and youth associations are provided with separate tax benefits. However, despite state support, these movements do not yet have a noticeable impact on young people in general and their political life. Most youth associations avoid setting political goals and clearly defining political orientations, although they somehow act as interest groups. Many of them have only a few dozen people, engaged in ordinary business under the guise of youth organizations. In general, it makes sense to talk about the political influence of youth associations today based on their indirect significance for politics. political activity.

Introduction

Politics, always associated with the problem of power, is increasingly of interest to Russian youth. She begins to understand that in specific historical conditions, politics can have a great impact on either accelerating or slowing down the social progress of society, and therefore on the situation and social status the youth themselves.

Increasing the social weight of youth and the growth of the youth movement in last years stimulated interest in youth problems on the part of scientists, especially sociologists and political scientists.

The place and role of youth in the political life of society

youth politics

Youth is a socio-demographic group, identified on the basis of a set of age characteristics, characteristics of social status determined by these and other socio-psychological properties. Youth occupies an important place in the socio-demographic structure and socio-political life of society.

Youth is socially heterogeneous and its various groups (worker, peasant, student, urban and rural) have their own specific interests. The situation and problems of young people in developed and in developing countries. Therefore, young people do not represent a single political and ideological force. Political leaders have always attached great importance to youth positive meaning, since it is she who largely decides the outcome political struggle. Of course, it is necessary to take into account both the age and socio-psychological specifics of young people, due to historically inevitable differences between different generations. As you know, young people react completely differently to changes in the political situation in the country than the older generation.

Young people have always strived for an active political life. It should be noted that already in the first half of the 19th century. young people, mostly students, united in their unions took part in the struggle against despotism and in the national liberation movement. In the second half of the 19th century. except for youth organizations supporting revolutionary movement, Christian youth organizations are also being created (World Alliance of Young Christians, World Association of Young Women Christians, World Federation of Christian Students, etc.).

At the beginning of the twentieth century. in almost all countries Western Europe Unions of socialist workers' youth were organized. In 1907, a socialist youth international was created, and after the 1917 revolution in Russia, a communist youth international.

In 1945, on November 10, the Great Conference of Democratic Youth (there were representatives from 63 countries) decided to create the World Federation of Democratic Youth to promote mutual understanding and cooperation of youth in all areas of society, the struggle against social, national and racial oppression, for the peace and security of peoples , for the rights of youth. Since then, November 10 has been celebrated as World Youth Day.

These are facts of an organizational nature, but they precisely reveal the strength and power of youth. For example, the unprecedented scale of student protests in the late 60s revealed a huge increase in their political activity and political radicalism, and a growing awareness among students of the interconnectedness of the system higher education with prevailing socio-political relations. This gave rise to some scientists (G. Marcuse) to declare youth the decisive revolutionary force, the vanguard of the working masses.

Objective patterns social development V modern Russia are increasingly showing the growing importance of youth in the political life of the country. Today there is a completely new situation compared to the 70-80s, when young people for the most part showed a cool attitude towards politics or even shunned it. This was explained by the firm conviction that politics should be engaged in by people of more mature age who have reached a certain hierarchical level in the party or Komsomol.

Deep socio-economic and political changes events occurring in Russian society seriously affect political behavior younger generation. Firstly, there is a general activation of the political consciousness of young people, which finds expression in intensive discussion of acute public issues and in critically examining the answers to these questions proposed by various political forces. Secondly, the desire to understand the actual state of affairs ourselves leads to the fact that the social thinking of boys and girls, previously focused on solving personal consumer problems of everyday life, is increasingly beginning to be intertwined with political thinking, which gives rise to new needs, interests and values. Thirdly, increased awareness of political processes directly affects the way of thinking and action of young people: their conformism decreases, traditional schemes for explaining social contradictions are revalued, and intensive searches are conducted for new radical solutions to emerging issues.

The strongest impetus for the sharp politicization of the mass consciousness of young people was given by August events 1991 and the September-October events of 1993. Young people, especially those who were directly involved in these events, suddenly felt like individuals capable of influencing politics and even the character of the political system as a whole.

In conditions political pluralism established in the country, the leaders of various parties, movements and associations began to place a serious bet on young people, enticing them with freedom and unprecedented opportunities for personal self-realization. Everyone is now fighting for the votes of young people. Russian politicians, which was especially evident during election campaigns 1995 and 1996.

Teams of experienced propagandists and agitators are developing a special methodology for involving young people in the political process, in which special attention is paid to the variety of forms and methods of working with them. These include regular sociological research, surveys, and invitations (often personal) to various party political events: demonstrations, rallies, meetings, discussions, etc. In addition, today young people are bombarded with a targeted flow of information from newspapers, magazines, radio and television. the main objective is to arouse increased interest in political events, taking place primarily in the country, and win over one or another layer of youth to their side: the Communist Party of the Russian Federation and the agrarians - worker and peasant youth, Yabloko - student and scientific-technical youth, LDPR - the military, DemRussia - trade employees, etc.

The desire of various political forces attracting young people to their side is not a random whim of their leaders. This is serious social base. Indeed, today in our country every fourth resident is a young man under the age of 30. And this is almost 40 percent of the most able-bodied population. Of these, over 25 million are employed in industry and in off-the-job training. At the same time, every third young person was unemployed as of January 1, 1995, and more than 80 percent of young unemployed people received benefits. And this does not take into account the so-called hidden unemployment.

Ignoring many social issues(for example, housing for young people is two times worse than the national average), errors in the choice of means, methods, goals for the development and education of the younger generation, a suddenly formed vacuum of values, unclear life prospects, deformation of previously familiar conditions and way of life are the main factors that lead to the alienation of young people from real socio-political processes in society. Available among some young people with a low cultural and educational level and undeveloped political consciousness indifference and indifference to politics directly affects the ability to think, reason, and analyze independently social phenomena and give them the correct assessment. This, in addition to those mentioned, is influenced by other factors: social origin, material security, social status, profession, degree of awareness, surrounding microenvironment, traditions, habits, religiosity, etc. As a rule, it is this part of the youth that does not take part in elections, in various political actions, joins the ranks of criminals, drug addicts, and homeless people. However, politicians began to turn their attention to these “outcasts of society,” because they, like all other citizens, have the right to vote. In this regard, it is enough to recall the election trips of the LDPR leader V. Zhirinovsky to Russian prisons and colonies.

Today, carrying out systematic work among working and peasant youth, political parties in Russia devote great attention students, whose number in only 548 higher educational institutions is 2.5 million people. In addition, in the average system vocational education 4.5 million students are studying.

The student body is the most responsive part of the intelligentsia and more decisively, more accurately reflects and expresses development political interests various social groups throughout society. The student body would not be what it is if its political grouping did not correspond to the political grouping in the whole society - “corresponded” not in the sense of complete proportionality between student and community groups in terms of their strength and numbers, but in the sense of the necessary and inevitable presence in the student body of those groups that exist in society.

Russian students today are striving to unite their efforts and direct them towards realizing the interests of young people. In the Charter of the Russian Association of Student Organizations of Higher Education educational institutions It is noted that it (the association) is an amateur, voluntary public association created as a result of the free expression of will of student organizations operating on the basis of common interests and located on the territory of Russia. The Association is a legal entity.

The purpose of creating the Association is to unite efforts and coordinate the activities of youth organizations to realize the social and professional interests of youth, creative potential, socially significant initiatives of students, graduate students, young employees and teachers of educational institutions.

The objectives of the Association are: providing assistance in the implementation of student programs; providing practical assistance to student groups, including advisory, informational, methodological and financial assistance; involving the public in the problems of student youth; representing the interests of organizations that are members of the Association in government agencies and public organizations; cooperation with existing organizations, youth associations created for professional and social interests; promoting the development and deepening international cooperation, development of tourism, leisure and sports.

One of the most significant innovations introduced into political practice during the reform of the country’s political system in the late 1980s – early 1990s was the institution of elections, freed from the exclusively ritual function that it previously had. Most researchers agree that in democracies elections are the institutional framework of the political system. “Positively defined power is the institutionalization of the expectation that, within certain limits, the demands of society will be given serious attention. This was most clearly formally reflected, for example, in the election system.” 1 . Nevertheless, sociological measurements of public opinion record Russians’ distrust of the current electoral system. In their minds there is a “presumption of guilt” of the authorities, who always receive favorable results from the popular vote. Thus, according to a survey by the Public Opinion Foundation (FOM) - July 2005 - over half of Russians (55%) believe that the election results do not reflect the opinions of the people. And only less than a third (31%) take the opposite position.

The significance of elections for the political socialization of young people is determined by such normative qualities as alternativeness, freedom and competitiveness. These characteristics of elections, in principle, should contribute to the formation of such qualities of a “political individual” as the ability to make a choice and bear responsibility for it, analyze the balance of power and balance of diverse interests, calculate the pros and cons of a particular decision. However, these positive (functional) consequences of youth involvement in the activities of electoral institutions are often not realized, and we observe only a number of dysfunctions - disappointment in elections and legal forms of political competition in general, the legitimation of violence in the youth consciousness, the formation of the belief that power is not formed not in elections, but in bureaucratic offices or in public squares. Most likely, these dysfunctions are a direct consequence of actual electoral practice in Russia and, to a large extent, of the institutional foundations of elections.

The study of the electoral behavior and electoral consciousness of young people acquires particular significance due to the fact that in any society young people perform the function of transmitting values and practices and actually determine the degree of identity of the society at different stages of its development.

Electoral behavior of young people is participation in elections and referendums different levels. Its measurement is carried out, first of all, according to the criteria of intensity, regularity, awareness, etc.

The electoral consciousness of young people, in turn, can be defined as a set of values, attitudes and norms that determine the electoral behavior of young people.

The nature of the electoral participation of young people reflects low reflexivity (reflexivity in general can be defined as the ability for critical self-assessment, as well as for critical understanding of one’s own experience) public consciousness youth and disbelief in the significance of political institutions for real life practices.

The most obvious and revealing indicator of political activity or passivity of the population is participation in elections. In the public consciousness of young people, the normative value of elections is somewhat higher than that of other generations.

According to the study “Youth and Elections Today: Prospects, Expectations (Electoral Activity of Youth in the Belgorod Region)”, conducted in 2006, 75.32% of respondents were in favor of the need for elections in Russia (“yes” and “rather yes than not"). 14.45% of respondents said that elections are not needed 1 . 60.87% of young people are going to participate in the elections. But only 25.16%, when asked about the motives for such participation, stated that they wanted to participate in solving public problems in this way. For the rest, participation in elections is, at best, a civic duty (41.98%) or following the requirements of the law (14.29%) 2 . According to the results of a survey conducted by the Foundation " Public opinion” according to a national sample in December 2005, of the two proposed alternatives: “Elections are needed” and “Elections are not needed,” 61% of respondents chose the first and 23% - the second. In 2002 this ratio was – 73% and 14% 1 .

However, the normative value of elections is combined with lower levels of declared and actual electoral participation. According to FOM, in presidential elections 2004, 57% of respondents aged 18-35 took part. At the same time, 67% of the sample as a whole participated in them. Only 42% of the population aged 18-35 participated in the 2003 parliamentary elections. Among young people, the lowest share is of those who have finally confirmed their position a week before the vote (62%) and the highest of those who are not sure whether they will go to the polls or not (26%) 2 .

According to a nationwide survey conducted by the FOM in February 2004, in age group 18-35 years old that they always come to polling stations, 48% said, and 10% said they never go. For age groups 36-54 and over 55 years old, the corresponding figures were 64 and 8%; 85 and 4% 3. The demonstrated trend suggests that the declared electoral activity of the youth itself, that is, 18-29 year olds, is even lower than in the first age group. It should be borne in mind that this is most likely the so-called normative electoral activity, which differs significantly from the real one (towards overestimation).

Even lower rates of youth electoral activity were recorded by a study by the Institute of Sociology of the Russian Academy of Sciences in the age category of 18-26 years. 36% of young respondents announced their participation in the elections. In the age group 40-60 years old there were 48%. To the question “Have you had to participate in public and political life over the past year or two? And if so, in what form?” Almost every second young Russian surveyed (49%) gave a negative answer. Among the older generation, such respondents were 37% 4 .

According to a cross-country project of the Vienna Institute social research, and in European countries, young people in general do not differ high level electoral activity. The highest level of participation in elections is observed in Italy, and the lowest in the UK 5 .

The actual electoral participation of young people in the Belgorod region, recorded according to the data of the Election Commission of the Belgorod region, has a fairly high level. If in the Belgorod elections regional Duma in October 1997, extremely low turnout young voters - about 30%, then subsequently the activity of young voters was significantly higher (Table 5) 1 .

Bashuk Artem Sergeevich, student, branch of the Federal State Budgetary Educational Institution of Higher Education "Kuban State University" in Tikhoretsk, Tikhoretsk [email protected]

Scientific supervisor: Serdyuk Irina Ivanovna, candidate psychological sciences, Associate Professor, Associate Professor of the Department of Economics and Management, branch of the Federal State Budgetary Educational Institution of Higher Education "Kuban State University" in Tikhoretsk, Tikhoretsk [email protected]

Participation of youth in the political life of modern Russia

Abstract. This article examines current problems of youth participation in the political life of modern Russia. The importance of the participation of Russian youth in the work of various political parties. The role of student youth in the political life of the country is determined. Key words: youth, youth society, politics, political parties, socialization, students.

Currently, Russian youth are increasingly interested in politics. Young people

They begin to understand that in specific historical conditions, politics can have a great impact on either accelerating or slowing down the social progress of society, and therefore on the position and social status of young people themselves. The participation of young people in the political life of society today is one of the most

current problems of Russian society. At the same time, the goals pursued by young people are very diverse. The participation of young people in the political process of the country is important and necessary.

Youth is the most important social and electoral resource of society, which can be used by various parties, political leaders and forces in their own interests1. The participation of youth in the political life of modern Russia is relevant, due to a number of reasons: – about 25 million people have the right to vote in Russia. young people aged 18 to 29 years, which is about 25% of total number voters; – young people are dynamic and energetic social group, which will determine the development of society and the state in the future; – youth predetermines the employment of the population, its labor activity for soon. therefore it depends on the youth economic development the state and its power. Therefore, in modern Russia, the appeal of political forces to youth, the study and solution of their problems, their involvement in participation in the political process becomes necessary and urgent. The process of personality formation does not occur in an isolated narrow environment, it is carried out in the context of a more or less developed society . The social conditioning of the individual is of a specific historical nature.

goals they strive for

young participants in the political process – socialization of youth in modern society, personal self-development young man, acquisition of communication skills. More distant goals - influence on power and control over power, interactions in the management process, acquisition of skills government controlled at the federal and local level. It can be argued that young people who have entered the age of conscious worldview view the process of political participation as a way of self-affirmation, political education, career growth, occurrences in political system, among the political elite. The status of youth in the political life of society cannot be judged solely on the basis of the formal inclusion of young people in the structures of power. To do this, it is important to assess the level of their self-identification with these structures, as well as the degree of their activity in various forms political activity. A high level of self-identification presupposes a self-perception of one’s involvement in the adoption management decisions, identification of oneself as a subject of power relations and indicates a high degree of involvement of young people in the political life of society. The position of young people in political life is characterized by the degree of inclusion of young people in power structures at various levels and self-identification with them as a subject of power relations, as well as the breadth of opportunities for their participation in various forms of political activity, including spontaneous expression of their will political rights and freedom. Modern society is characterized by a variety of forms of youth participation in political life: – participation in voting; – representative participation of young people in government bodies of the Russian Federation and in local self-government; – creation of youth organizations and movements; – participation in the activities of political parties (in the United Russia party - "Young Guard", in the Communist Party of the Russian Federation - "Union of Communist Youth", in the Liberal Democratic Party - "Youth Center of the Liberal Democratic Party"); - participation in actions of spontaneous expression of one's political morals and freedoms (rallies, strikes and other forms of social protest) 3 .Russian youth are not so much an age group as a special socio-psychological and creative category of people. The importance of youth society in political processes Russia.

Youth, being the subject of political and social relations– an active part of society and can influence the course of implementation of a political decision. In general, the younger generation is satisfied with the opportunities to express their political views that actually exist in the country, and were described above 3. When considering this topic, we must not forget that today young people themselves are beginning to realize the importance of using political levers for the benefit of the people and the development of society . Young people are now entering politics themselves, and this process is already global in nature. Moreover, youth are transformers of social culture and organization of society, i.e. predetermines social progress. In other words, young people carry within themselves a colossally powerful innovative potential, which is the source of current and especially future changes in social life. The increasing role of youth in the life of society is a natural trend that is more pronounced in modern stage modernization. But still, today in Russia there are different assessments of the degree of involvement of modern youth in political processes. The importance of youth society in the political processes of Russia cannot be underestimated. Young people are not so much an age group as a special socio-psychological and creative category of people, which, being a subject of political and social relations, is an active part of society and can influence the course of implementation of a political decision.

Youth today are driving force, which must itself realize its political potential and which can do quite a lot both for itself and for its country. A special place in youth group occupied by students. It has a fairly high level of professional and personal culture, active interest in various aspects life activity, spatial localization and the inherent ability for self-organization. At the present stage, the student movement is developing both within the framework of the youth social movement, and independently, in their organizational legal forms. Exists a large number of student public associations with a small membership base (this applies not only to regional and local public associations, but also to interregional ones). The student movement in Russia is represented, on the one hand, by the social movement of students, on the other, by the trade union student movement. Fundamental differences in approaches to the activities of trade unions and public organizations no students. However, trade unions focus their activities on solving social issues of students, public associations direct their efforts towards supporting socially significant initiatives of student youth, creating conditions for comprehensive self-realization of students.

Ensuring the participation of students in the socio-political life of the country at the all-Russian, regional and local levels is carried out through the bodies student government.It is an important factor in the development of democratic forms of governance in the system of higher and secondary vocational education and a significant element of self-realization and expression of the will of students as the most active part of youth. Today, student self-government bodies exist in every third institution of higher and every fourth institution of secondary vocational education. In conclusion, we note that the future of the entire society will be realized only through the activities of those who make up the youth today, and, understanding this, political leaders talk about the need to support youth activity, including political sphere. Thus, all the transformations that are being carried out in our country are largely aimed at young people. This approach seems appropriate, because the results of the measures taken will be important and noticeable for the entire society.

Stavropol: Stavrolite, 2015. –111 p. 2. Serdyuk I.I. Conditions for the formation and development of personality. // Scientific and methodological electronic journal Concept. –2016. -T. 15. –S. 17411745.3. Basov N.F. Social work with youth: Tutorial. / 4th ed. –M.: Dashkov i K, 2015. –327 p.

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Youth to political life. Motives for political participation and non-participation of young people

Introduction

The place and role of youth in the political life of society

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