Economy

Low level of education or there is just not enough truth information? May be this topic is nothing interesting and they have much more important things to do and to learn? May be the Government does something wrong? These questions are still open. These questions are urgent nowadays.

Unfortunately, a lot of young people are not interested in the political and economic news. It becomes a great problem for a state because they are our new generation and the future of Russia.

The most widespread form of political participation is participation in voting. In terms of involvement in this form, our country does not differ much compared to Western democracies. In average, Russian people - both the activists and the population - participate in voting just as actively as in the majority of Western democratic societies. But the population considers participation in elections not so much as a channel of involvement in public policy or as an instrument of dialog with authorities and agreement of interests and course of local, regional, and national politics, but rather as the way to express their support or protest to authorities and politicians. It explains a high potential of the protest voting of the population, which expresses in such forms as absenteeism, voting against all candidates and casting votes in favor of parties opposing authorities and candidates.    

There is no history of democracy in Russia. A lot of people still wish to have socialist state because they used to be protected by Government. Some people believe or they want to believe in existence of Russian democracy. That is impossible just because if it is democracy you should work hard, be creative and do something yourself. If it is democracy - everyone should participate. Unfortunately, a lot of Russians just care about their own benefit and try to get money for themselves.

The main reason of impossibility to participate in various forms of collective actions is the absence of leaders, organizers of such actions. Young people perceive that they have no other people sharing their views and they do not know where to appeal to. When the responsibility of parents for their children is concerned, both segments of society as a whole show a high and similar level of responsibility. As the object of responsibility become more distant from the circle of relatives, the differences between the two segments of society become greater. The future of civil society and democracy in Russia depends on degree of young people abilities to draw into actions a significant part of politically alienated population.   

Corruption is a stumbling block of Russian economics. Corruption is a comprehensive and complicated phenomenon which has social and criminal characteristics. It has stricken almost all social life spheres, including spheres of state administration, local Government, military service, medicine, education, legal and law enforcement systems, etc..

Corruption has become a way of life for Government officials in Russia. Bribe-taking, in fact, is a widespread practice throughout the Russian bureaucracy. Indeed, the most prevalent crime in Russia today is bribery. Do we really need election if we can buy everything and everybody? Unfortunately, this kind of making business has become normal in modern Russian society. 

Russian President Dmitry Medvedev made it clear that tackling corruption is foremost on his agenda. Last year he surprised critics by delivering on his promise and signed the new anti-corruption legislation package. The legislation was a good first step.   

We can not change this system at one moment because the future of democracy in the hands of young people and it will take some time to grow new generations who think differently and live differently.

When President Obama visited Russia, he told the graduating class at the New Economic School in Moscow: «You get to decide what comes next. You get to choose where change will take us, because the future does not belong to those who gather armies on a field of battle or bury missiles in the ground; the future belongs to young people with an education and the imagination to create. That is the source of power in this century».     

Indeed, young people are more educated than the average citizen, better clued in to market changes and a lot more self-sufficient than their parents and the older generation, which depended on the Government to a much greater extent. Only in that sense I can say that young people are lost, they are lost for the regime. While Russians grapple with their future, young Russians are reaching out to the rest of the world.

They know that because of their difficult history, there is something different about them. Some people call it «Russian soul» - others describe it as «Russian own special mentality». Russia is searching for its own special form of democracy, because democracy is not a set of institutions, it is a mindset.   

Just imagine what young people could accomplish for the country if they worked hard, followed their passions, and used their imagination to come up with innovative solutions to the problem of democracy and human rights in Russia. Young people have now more opportunities than any previous generation could ever have dreamed of. They have the freedom to decide how they want to spend their lives. They can choose their own destiny and together they can establish new Russia – democratic Russia and make this world a better, freer place. Do you agree that young people are the «source of power in this century»? What do you think only young people can establish democracy in Russia for everyone?   

Changes that happen now in Russia is a wake up call for the youth. We need to talk about the values of democracy, telling students about human rights, dignity and equality. Young people must not head in large crowds to join the human rights movement, changing the national attitude to activism is more important.

We only should explain the youth that democracy is not just a system of Governance, it is a way of life. Democracy is flowering of a national and cultural ethos, which comprises tolerance and open dialogue.

Young people in Russia must be educated about their rights, constitution and social awareness. After 80 years of totalitarian rules, this is clearly slow and painful process, but possible. It is up to current generation to make this possible in our lifetimes.

I should say we already have some youth movements in Russia. I would like to tell you about patriotic Russian youth movement Nashi (Ours).

Nashi is a pro-government, patriotic Russian youth movement that was created in March 2005. Since then, the movement has rapidly grown throughout Russia and presently has over 200,000 members. The majority of Nashi members are in their late teens or 20.

The movement activities include voluntary work for members in orphanages and helping restore churches and war memorials; organizing educational and training programs; and mobilizing demonstrations and rallies.    

The Nashi manifesto declares the movement aim to be support for Russia development as a global leader in the 21 century - in a process achieved by economic, social and cultural means rather than military and political domination.

Building of institutions is not enough to create democracy in the country. The most important conditions of this process is a political and legal knowledge, i.e. people knowledge of their rights and liberties; and tolerance, i.e. to respect human rights and freedoms.

A new generation of Russia is unique because they are interested in absolutely everything, they want to know more and they know how to get what they want. It is a new generation and the future of Russia. I am also a representative of young people and also want my Russia to be better. The state and all of us should support and direct, develop and multiply young people initiatives.