Tikhоnova N.Е.(2023) The Worldview of Supporters of the Western Path of Development for Russia among the General Population. Mir Rossii, vol. 32, no 4, pp. 6–35 (in Russian). DOI: 10.17323 ...

Текст статьи на сайте журнала URL: https://mirros.hse.ru/article/view/17741 (дата обращения 30.10.2023)

Abstract

The paper uses the data of the all-Russian survey of 2022 to show the specifics of the consistent supporters of the pro-Western course of Russia's development in comparison with the consistent opponents of this course and those who occupy a middle ground between them. It is shown that the different attitude towards the West among representatives of these groups is a consequence of profound differences in their norms, values, attitudes and views, as well as socio-psychological characteristics. The basis of these differences is the choice between the priority of the interests of the community (and, accordingly, of the state) or the priority of individual interests and, accordingly, human rights. This conflict reflects the dual nature of Russian culture, which is located at the intersection of the individualistic cultures of the West and the collectivistic cultures of the East.   Representatives of Westernizers are more often found in strong social groups. However, even in the most prosperous groups according to age, settlement, etc., they are in the minority. Only among young people in big cities, who received the most prestigious types of higher education and grew up in families where both parents also had a higher education, Westernizers make up the majority. At the same time, being in an alien normative-value environment makes them feel like strangers in their native country. As a result, they have a pessimistic view and distrust not only the structures of power and civil society, but also the people around them. The belief that Russia should follow its own path and not be guided by the West dominates in all mass social groups. The norms, values, and attitudes of the group that most consistently shares this belief can therefore be regarded as а normative-value system that is characteristic of Russian culture. However, this does not mean that the beliefs of consistent supporters of the Western path of development for Russia is alien to this culture. In order to assess the place in it of these two groups, one must take into account not only their ratio in the mass strata of the population (7% and 54%, respectively), but also a number of other circumstances - from their coexistence in Russian society for a few centuries to the presence of both of them in all strata and groups of Russian society, albeit to varying degrees, in all strata and groups of Russian society.