Abstract
The paper examines the political values of the Russian middle class and in particular, middle class support for democracy. The study demonstrates that middle class is not a homogeneous and cohesive body. Occupational, demographic and spatial divisions have weakened the solidarity of the middle class and questioned its role as a catalyst for democratic change. A crucial divide here is between those members of the middle class who depend on the state for their livelihood and those who work in the non-state sectors of the economy. In contrast to those scholars who see the Russian middle class as a bastion of democracy and a major source of opposition to the Putin regime, this analysis demonstrates that a majority of the members of the middle class support the regime and given the choice will opt for the status quo over the uncertainties of regime change and revolutionary upheavals.
| Translated title of the contribution | The Russian Middle Class: Agent of Democracy or Bastion of the Status Quo? |
|---|---|
| Original language | Russian |
| Pages (from-to) | 163-185 |
| Number of pages | 22 |
| Journal | Politicheskaia Nauka |
| Issue number | 1 |
| Publication status | Published - 17 Apr 2017 |
Keywords
- Russia
- Middle class
- Democracy
- Political values
- Solidarity
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