Polarities of Russian Youth’s Political Activity: A Comparison of Activists of Pro-Government and Opposition Movements

The article is devoted to the empirical diagnostics of the similarities and differences between activists of pro-government and opposition youth movements in contemporary Russia. The analysis of recent scientific literature leads the author to the idea that, after increasing the political activity of Russian youth in 2017-2019, scientific interest in the analysis of its political participation has increased. However, despite the large number of scientific projects in this area, some important questions about the political activity of contemporary Russian youth remain unanswered. One of these complicated questions is the level of difference between the young Russians involved in the political actions of progovernment youth movements and those involved in the work of opposition movements. The rhetoric and the activity of such movements look obviously different. But is it enough to say that they are supported by extremely different young people? Besides, the analysis of previous research works in other countries shows that sometimes differences between activists of different (and even conflicting) youth movements can be quite relative. The literature describes cases in which young people with very similar motives and beliefs became activists of conflicting youth movements. So, the initial hypothesis of the study is the idea that the differences between activists of pro-government and opposition movements in contemporary Russia can be exaggerated, and that their activity can be based on a similar system of incentives. Testing this hypothesis in the course of his own sociological research, the author comes to the conclusion that not only differences, but also similarities can indeed be traced between activists of pro-government and opposition movements in contemporary Russia. Despite the fact that activists of pro-government and opposition movements prefer different forms of political activity, have different ideas about the ideal development of society and have different ideological preferences, they often have common reasons for their interest in political activity. Activists of both pro-government and opposition movements relate their interest in politics with value motives: the desire to achieve social justice or to fulfill a civic duty. So, there is a difference in vectors and forms of their political activity. But the initial nature of this activity is similar.

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