The theory of representation and political symbolism of parliament in the Russian context

The article deals with perception of the representative function of the parliament by elite and mass society thus demonstrating possibilities of the symbolic approach to study of perception of parliamentarism in post-Soviet Russia. It starts with discussion of particular features of symbolic approach to study of politics. Basing at observations made in the collective project of human capital of the Russian political elites it analyses meanings ascribed to representation by the members of elite and mass groups. It takes as an instrument of analyses the normative models of representation developed at different stages of parliamentarism in Europe and the US. The author comes to the conclusion that the notion of the nature of parliamentarism articulated in the discourse of the deputes of the State Duma is most close to the elitist model of trustee. The representatives not only speak by the name of the people because they understand its needs, but also pretend to teach it about its true interests. They tend to represent a concern for people's welfare as their key professional duty which could be interpreted as an element of the model of delegate - even if only in rhetoric. At the same time in spite of the efforts aimed at strengthening of party representation the model of the party mandate is very rare in the discourse of the Russian parliamentary politicians. It could be explained by the fact that the system of political decision-making is dominated by the executive power that is not formed by the principle of party representation. So, the symbolism of parliament articulated in the discourse of the deputes of the State Duma is close to the model of trustee. However, analysis of surveys of VTSIOM and Levada-center demonstrates that mass perceptions of the Russian parliament do not correspond to high moral standards of people's representatives supposed by this model. So, there is a clear dissonance between perceived and articulated symbolism of the parliament. At the same time the protest movement of 2011-2012 gives an evidence that at least some part of the Russian society demonstrates a demand for the other meanings of political representation.

Keywords

Authors

References