Russian Social Movements Beatrix, Dylan, Ming, & Ndeye
Beliefs and Attitudes Before, citizens' beliefs were molded by the Communist Party Doctrine Marxism = Russian nationalism, egalitarianism and elimination of poverty and oppression Stalinism = pragmatic internal development, absolutism, and repression
Beliefs and Attitudes The collapse of the Soviet Union brought out the discontent people held for the government They did not trust the government. Statism - russians still depend on the state Political Divisions market economy vs privatization and regulation Slavophile vs Westernization
Political Participation -Voting rates were actually close to 100% in the 20th century because they would face consequences if they stayed home. The elections however were not competitive and candidates were picked by the Communist leadership. -Gorbachev changed this later one by creating competitive elections but voters l had to choose between candidates from the same party since no other parties existed at the time. -Participation in other activities were low because of undeveloped civil society. (ex. church, clubs, charity, labor unions) However they do discuss politics with family and friends and Civil society has been growing.
How active are Russian citizens in politics? Overall, Russians are very active in opposing politics. They don't get much of a say in legitimate politics due to the corruption, so they try to affect it in a non "legitimate" way (protests). Many of the protests are organized on Facebook and other social media sites; Needless to say, most protesters are the younger generations. A recent example of your average Russian protest was when people demonstrated to support members of Pussy Riot (March 2013) The supporters were arrested for violating an Anti-Protest law signed by Putin (June 2012) protests in Moscow - 200,000 protesters outside of Moscow, people support Putin for fear of instability
Youth Movements Putin created several youth movements in order to support the government. (The largest one being Nashi.) There was also Youth Guards and Locals. An effort to build a following of patriotic young people and defuse resistance.
Nashi Movement
About Nashi - Began in March 2005 by Vasily Yakemenko Nashi translates to "Ours" in Russian and is movement that is self declared to be anti-fascist and democratic. In the present, it consists of approximately 120,000 members ranging from 17 to 25 years old. Majority of members come from poor countryside area and idolise Putin as a strong man who has brought security and prosperity to the country. The organization has promised the young members that they will have stability and technology in return for their loyalty. - "Legalized prostitution" Compared to the Hitler Youth Group Goals of the Movement: -Pro-Putin -Prevent foreign control from entering Russia -Prevent youths from entering opposition.
Nashi [cont.] Actions: Organized marches in support for Putin. Staged demonstrations and physically harassed British and Estonian ambassadors. (Throwing rocks, disrupting traffic and tearing down flag.) Rally against corruption--the corruption of the government opponents. Nashi will be replaced/restarted by Putin with a new goal in mind: social adaptation for the youth. They will also no longer be participating in public rallies and taking political action. (Big change.)
What roles did citizens play in toppling the Soviet Union? Gorbachev gave the Russian citizens what they needed to help bring down the Soviet Union entirely With the fall of the police state and the authorization of "free and fair" elections came a huge rush to reform. Basically, Gorbachev wanted to update Russia slightly, but once he let the people vote, they overwhelmed the Communist party by showing their extreme dislike. Many Russians had never before had a chance to show how they really felt under the Communist state, so they all expressed themselves through elections and showing their true anticommunist feelings as soon as Gorbachev opened the proverbial door just a crack.
To what extent are citizens protesting the current backslide towards authoritarianism? Dissent towards Putin silencing freedoms of speech against government Police (OMON) brutality Protesters all ages Over 7,000 people of different backgrounds participated in the march in moscow merely because they wanted to be treated better. (Citizens not subjects!) Protests against rigged elections and for fair courts, property rights and more. Many protesters however support Putin because of their fear of instability video: http://www.economist.com/node/21547259
OMON Russian Police
Additional Sources http://www.thebureauinvestigates. com/2012/04/20/video-how-russias-youthmovement-became-putins-private-army/ http://www.reuters.com/article/2012/06/08/usrussia-protests-idusbre8570zh20120608 http://www.raleightavern.org/lovellb.htm