The prospects of "Russian Maidan" in the mirror of the Ukrainian revolution

The possibility of repetitions of the Ukrainian events of 2013-2014 in today's Russia is considered in the article. The analysis is based on detecting factors, which had effect on the process of realization of the Ukrainian revolution and on their comparison with the contemporary conditions. It is noted in the beginning of the article that the question itself bears rather polemical character and in the modern period the results of any sociological studies do not allow us forecasting such events in foreseeable future. Alongside with that the statements of opposition spokesmen, experts, journalists, statesmen and public officials of the Russian Federation about the potential danger of such progression of events and, in certain cases about theirs impendence, allow us to regard this problem as topical. The analysis of "the Revolution of Dignity" has helped us to determine several factors, which conditioned such an extreme way of transformation. The factors having effect on the macro level were the geography of the country, the history of the state formation, problems of the state structure (corruption, inequality, elective justice, the existence of oligarchic system, etc.), policy elite dysfunctionality; specific nature of the political institutions (including cultural aspect). The middle level are the factors, which had determined and predetermined the events of 2014: disenchantment of the overwhelming majority of citizens with the policy carried out, lack of support of the government acting at the time on the part of the main "players", intervention of foreign countries into the internal affairs of the Ukraine, as well as the role of mass media. Therefore, we can arrive at the conclusion that the Ukrainian revolution became the result of the system-related crisis phenomena of the Ukrainian society and state. Using the opportunity of the situation different inside and outside forces managed to become more active and execute the plan for the toppling of the legitimately elected president. Mass media also played a discrete role in the transformation of the citizens' discontentment into revolution activity. If we compare the above described situation with the situation in today's Russian society, we will be able to see similar problems. Those are, in particular, the problems of the political and economic systems of the state. Different situations, which can provoke discontentment and can be used for initiating rebellion activity (rules and acts regarding road and cars, several acts regarding the use of Internet, etc., which are unpopular among the majority of the country's citizens) are revealed. Totally, we can make a conclusion of the existence of different preconditions for initiating of revolutionary (protest) actions.

Keywords

Authors

References