Political absenteeism involves active participation in politics. Absenteeism in politics: causes and consequences

The term political absenteeism appeared in the first half of the 20th century. American scientists began to use it, describing the reluctance of citizens to participate in the political life of the country, and primarily in elections. Research into the phenomenon of political absenteeism has given rise to many theories and hypotheses explaining its causes and consequences.

Concept

According to political science, political absenteeism is the self-removal of voters from participating in any voting. Modern ones are a clear demonstration of this phenomenon. According to statistics, in many states where elections are held, more than half of the citizens eligible to vote do not participate.

Political absenteeism comes in many forms and shades. A person who does not attend elections is not completely isolated from relations with the authorities. Regardless of his political position, he remains a citizen and taxpayer. Non-participation in such cases applies only to those activities in which a person can prove himself as an active person, for example, determine his own attitude towards the party or candidates for the position of deputy.

Features of political absenteeism

Electoral passivity can only exist in states where there is no external compulsion to political activity. It is excluded in totalitarian societies, where, as a rule, participation in sham elections is mandatory. In such countries, the leading position is occupied by a single party, changing it to suit itself. Political absenteeism in a democratic system occurs when a person is deprived of responsibilities and given rights. By disposing of them, he may not participate in the elections.

Political absenteeism distorts voting results, since in the end elections demonstrate the point of view only of voters who came to the polls. For many, passivity is a form of protest. For the most part, citizens who ignore elections demonstrate distrust of the system through their behavior. The common view in all democracies is that elections are a tool of manipulation. People do not go to them because they are convinced that in any case their votes will be counted by bypassing the legal procedure or the result will be distorted in some other less obvious way. And vice versa, in totalitarian states where there is a semblance of elections, almost all voters attend polling stations. This pattern is a paradox only at first glance.

Absenteeism and extremism

In some cases, the consequences of political absenteeism can turn into political extremism. Although voters with this behavior do not go to vote, this does not mean that they are indifferent to what is happening in their country. Since absenteeism is a mild form of protest, it means that this protest can develop into something more. The alienation of voters from the system is fertile ground for further growth of discontent.

Due to the silence of “passive” citizens, there may be a feeling that there are not so many of them. However, when these dissatisfied people reach the extreme point of their rejection of the authorities, they take active action to change the situation in the state. It is at this moment that one can clearly see how many such citizens there are in the country. Different types of political absenteeism unite completely different people. Many of them do not deny politics as a phenomenon at all, but only oppose the existing system.

Abuse of citizen passivity

The scale and danger of political absenteeism depend on many factors: the maturity of the state system, national mentality, customs and traditions of a particular society. Some theorists explain this phenomenon as limited electoral participation. However, this idea contradicts basic democratic principles. Any state power in such a system is legitimized through referendums and elections. These tools allow citizens to run their own state.

Limited electoral participation is the exclusion of certain segments of the population from political life. This principle can lead to meritocracy or oligarchy, when only the “best” and “elect” have access to government. Such consequences of political absenteeism completely eliminate democracy. Elections as a way of shaping the will of the statistical majority are no longer working.

Absenteeism in Russia

In the 90s, political absenteeism in Russia manifested itself in all its glory. Many residents of the country refused to participate in public life. They were disappointed by loud political slogans and empty shelves in stores across the street from their home.

In Russian science, several points of view have been formed about absenteeism. In Russia, this phenomenon is a peculiar behavior manifested in avoidance of participation in elections and other political events. It is also an apathetic and uncaring attitude. Absenteeism can also be called inaction, but it is not always dictated by indifferent views. If we consider such behavior as a manifestation of the will of citizens, then it can even be called one of the signs of the development of democracy. This judgment will be correct if we ignore the cases when a state that changes the political system without regard for “passive” voters takes advantage of such an attitude of citizens.

Legitimacy of power

The most important problem of political absenteeism is the fact that if a small part of society votes, it is impossible to talk about a truly popular vote. However, in all democracies, from a social point of view, the structure of visitors to polling stations is very different from the structure of society as a whole. This leads to discrimination against entire groups of the population and infringement of their interests.

An increase in the number of voters participating in elections gives the government greater legitimacy. Often candidates for deputies, presidents, etc. try to find additional support precisely among the passive population, which has not yet decided on its choice. Politicians who manage to make such citizens their supporters, as a rule, win elections.

Factors influencing absenteeism

The activity of citizens in elections may vary depending on regional characteristics, level of education, and type of settlement. Each country has its own political culture - a set of social norms relating to the electoral process.

In addition, each campaign has its own individual characteristics. Statistics show that in states with a proportional electoral system, voter activity is higher than in those where a majoritarian-proportional or simply majoritarian system is established.

Electoral behavior

Exclusion from political life often stems from disappointment with the authorities. This pattern is especially pronounced at the regional level. The number of passive voters increases when municipal authorities continue to ignore the interests of citizens every political cycle.

Rejection from politics occurs after officials do not resolve problems that concern residents of their city in everyday life. Comparing the market economy, some scientists have identified the following pattern. Electoral behavior becomes active when a person understands that he himself will receive some kind of income from his actions. If the economy is about money, then voters want to see tangible changes for the better in their lives. If they do not occur, then apathy and reluctance to get involved with politics appear.

History of the study of the phenomenon

Understanding the phenomenon of absenteeism began at the end of the 19th - beginning of the 20th century. The first studies were conducted at the Chicago School of Political Science by scholars Charles Edward Merriam and Gosnell. In 1924, they conducted a sociological survey of ordinary Americans. The experiment was conducted to determine the motives of voters who avoided elections.

Subsequently, the study of the topic was continued by Paul Lazarsfeld, Bernard Berelson and other sociologists. In 1954, Angus Campbell, in his book The Voter Decides, analyzed the work of his predecessors and built his own theory. The researcher realized that participation or non-participation in elections is determined by a number of factors, which together form a system. By the end of the 20th century, several hypotheses appeared to explain the problems of political absenteeism and the reasons for its occurrence.

Theory about social capital

This theory comes from the book “Foundations of Social Theory” written by James Coleman. In it, the author introduced the concept of “social capital” into widespread use. The term describes a set of collective relations in society that operates according to a market economic principle. That’s why the author called it “capital”.

Initially, Coleman's theory had nothing to do with what had already become known as "political absenteeism." Examples of the use of the scientist’s ideas appeared in the joint work of Neil Carlson, John Bram and Wendy Rahn. Using this term, they explained the pattern of citizen participation in elections.

Scientists compared the election campaigns of politicians with the fulfillment of obligations to ordinary residents of the country. Citizens have their own answer to this in the form of attending elections. Only in the interaction of these two groups is democracy born. Elections are a “ritual of solidarity” for the values of free societies with open political systems. The greater the trust between voters and candidates, the more ballots will be cast in the ballot box. Coming to the site, an individual not only becomes involved in the political and social process, but also expands his own sphere of interests. At the same time, each citizen has an increasing circle of acquaintances with whom he has to argue or seek a compromise. All this develops the skills necessary to participate in elections.

Social influence

As the share of citizens interested in the electoral process increases, social capital itself also grows. This theory does not explain what political absenteeism can lead to, but it shows its nature and genesis. An excellent example for this hypothesis is Italy, which can be divided into two regions. In the north of the country, horizontally integrated social ties are developed between people of the same class, income, lifestyle, etc. It is easier for them to interact with each other and find common ground. From this pattern, social capital and a solidary positive attitude towards elections grow.

The situation is different in southern Italy, where there are many rich landowners and poor citizens. Between them lies a whole abyss. Such a vertical social connection does not promote cooperation between residents. People who find themselves in the lowest social strata lose faith in politics and have little interest in election campaigns. Political absenteeism is much more common in this region. The reasons for the differences between the north and south of Italy lie in the heterogeneous social structure of society.

And political participation of citizens: concept, forms, types.

Political consciousness (psychology and ideology) is an important part of political culture. However, it would be wrong to limit ourselves to only this component. Just as the criterion for the truth of any theory is practice, the best test of a person’s feelings and views is his action or inaction in a certain situation. Of course, it is possible to assume that a person is a patriot after listening only to his statements, but will the prediction made be correct? It may happen that an individual who positioned himself as a patriot turns out to be a deserter or draft dodger during the war. And, conversely, a person who has not publicly declared his love for the Fatherland will consciously defend it with arms in hand. This example shows quite clearly that a complete picture of political culture will be formed only when both political consciousness and political behavior are analyzed in complex. As noted earlier, political behavior can be defined as externally observable and subjectively motivated manifestation of political activity in actions (individual acts of behavior). A characteristic of political activity and, accordingly, political behavior is "political activity", demonstrating measure of manifestation and degree of intensity of activity. Political activity can be compared to a scale on a measuring instrument, with minimum and maximum values indicated. The maximum value was discussed above; now we should pay attention to the minimum and average values. A zero indicator of a person’s political activity is political absenteeism(from Latin absens, absentis - absent) – manifestation of indifference to political life, avoidance of participation in it, political inactivity.

Researchers identify several groups of people who voluntarily refused to participate in political life:

1) Apathetic people that is, those who are not interested in politics due to involvement in their own problems, the demands of a professional career, hobbies for bohemian life or subculture (youth, racial, religious, etc.). They do not connect the events of their own lives with events occurring “outside” their closed world. Some of them consider politics incomprehensible, boring, meaningless.

2) Alienated from politics– those who believe that politics has abandoned them. They believe that whether they vote or not, political decisions will still be made by a few (the establishment). They do not see any differences between political parties or election candidates. These people believe that politics serves only the interests of the elite, and that participation in the political process will not bring any benefits to the ordinary person. The alienated, unlike the apathetic, are not simply passive, but reject the political system as such and can be mobilized by various extremist movements, especially during periods of significant social upheaval.

3) Anomic people - these are those who have lost faith in their own capabilities, goals, social roots, and identity with any social group. They feel their own purposelessness and powerlessness because they have lost the meaning of life. These people view social change as unpredictable and uncontrollable, and political leaders as unable to respond to their needs.

4) Those who trust politicians- a group of people who refuse to participate in politics due to trust in justice, legality, stability, and fairness of political decisions. Such people believe that the prospects for political life will be favorable even without their active participation. However, they can become energetically involved in the political process during a period of depression.

Since the most accessible form of political activity is participation in elections, political absenteeism is manifested among citizens, primarily in their non-participation in elections. According to the data presented in Table 47, the average percentage of absenteeism in Russia for the period from 1993 to 2007. is 40.9%. Is it a lot or a little?

Data on the level of

absenteeism in countries of liberal democracy The data presented indicates that the level of non-participation of Russians in parliamentary elections is quite high. We are second only to the Americans and the Swiss, but high absenteeism in the United States is explained by other reasons:

the difficulty of registering (this happens several weeks before the election and, as a rule, in the district court), the inability of American parties to mobilize voters, and

also by the fact that Election Day in the United States is a working day. Thus, absenteeism is a common phenomenon in all democratic countries. As he notes

Russian researcher, “the widespread prevalence of absenteeism is a disease of democracy, a relapse of oligarchic rule (the power of the few).” How do Russians explain their absence from the elections? According to sociological research, citizens cite the following as the main reasons for not coming to the polling station: a coincidence of circumstances (33.3%), lack of belief that a vote cast can change anything (27.6%), and lack of interest in elections ( 20%), complaints that no one attracted them (13.7%),

non-compliance with the legislation by election commissions (2%), unequal position of candidates (1%) and other (4.5%). If we exclude from the answer options references to a combination of circumstances and the lack of involvement in elections, which represent obvious excuses,

The main reasons for political absenteeism should be recognized as a lack of interest in politics and a lack of faith in the opportunity to influence the political course of the country. Thus, apathetic, alienated and anomic types predominate among absentee Russians. It should also be noted that absenteeism in Russia, as well as in other countries, depends on the significance of elections. In Russia, the share of those who did not participate in presidential elections is significantly less than in parliamentary elections: in 1991. 25.3% did not vote for the president, in the first round of elections in 1996 -30.3%, in

1999 –38.2%, in 2004 –44.3% Between the minimum of political activity (absenteeism) and its maximum (government activity) is located political participation(political participation). Pioneers in the field of studying political participation were American scientists Sidney Verba, Norman Nye and Jeon Kim, authors of the book Participation and Political Equality: A Comparison of Seven Countries (1978). They defined political participation as: “Legitimate actions of private citizens more or less directly intended to influence the selection of government personnel and/or influence their actions.”

In essence, American scholars have defined participation as the legitimate opportunity of citizens to influence the formation and exercise of power, but this interpretation appears to be inaccurate, since its supporters do not consider citizen involvement in prohibited actions or coups d'etat to be participation. That is, according to the logic of American political scientists, what is not permitted by law cannot be political participation. This is not true.

A more accurate definition would be: Political participation – This is the activity of individual citizens or groups seeking in different ways to influence the process of political governance and the formation of political leadership. Modern researchers identify various forms of political participation, such as

1. reading newspapers and discussing political topics with family and friends;

2. signing petitions addressed to the authorities;

4. contacting authorities, communicating with government officials and

political leaders;

5. participation in rallies and meetings;

6. assistance to a party or candidate in elections;

7. participation in strikes, rallies, boycotts, pickets of government agencies;

8. participation in the capture of buildings and clashes;

9. membership in parties and legal organizations;

10. fulfilling the role of a party activist, etc.

It is quite obvious that among the forms of political participation in all countries of the world, the most common is electoral participation (voting). The only exception is the USA. The most popular forms of non-electoral participation are meetings, rallies and petition signing, while aggressive forms of political participation are relatively rare (exception: Czechoslovakia).

However, it should be noted that 1991, when the study was carried out, was the time of the “velvet revolutions” - the period of the overthrow of socialist governments. This explains the high rates of such forms of participation as meetings, rallies and aggressive forms. Multiple manifestations of political participation have forced researchers to think about their typology. The most common among typologies of forms of political participation is the dichotomy: conventional(traditional, routine) – unconventional(non-traditional, protest) participation. Moreover, the first type includes 1,3,4,5,6,9,10, and the second - 2,7 and 8 forms of political activity. Depending on the degree of freedom of the participant, researchers distinguish autonomous political participation(conscious and independent) and mobilized(under pressure from other subjects, often leading to distortion of one’s own preferences) participation.

The typology developed by Western researchers M. Kaase and A. Marsh is considered very successful. Political scientists have divided forms of political participation into five types:

 passive – absenteeism, reading newspapers, as well as signing petitions and participating in elections “for the company”;

 conformist (adaptive) – episodic conventional participation;

 reformist – more active conventional participation than with conformism;

 activist – active conventional participation, as well as episodic protest activity;

 protest type of participation – predominance of non-conventional participation.

Conducted in the late 1980s. A comparative study of political activity in Europe and the USA revealed the following relationship between the types of political participation identified by M. Kaase and A. Marsh. Analyzing political participation in Western countries, it should be noted the significant role of reformism. At the same time, in a number of countries (the Netherlands, Germany, Italy) a significant proportion of the population prefers protests to other forms of participation. In Great Britain, Austria and Finland, on the contrary, passive forms of political participation occupy the leading positions. Despite a significant share of conformism and activism, these types of political activity have not come to the forefront in any country. Characterizing the forms of political activity in modern Russia, it should be noted that a significant part of Russians (29-33%) regularly discuss political issues with family, friends and colleagues; another 16% assist in holding elections; meetings, meetings and conferences are attended by 12%; take part in signing petitions in the media and authorities - 11%; go to rallies and demonstrations – 7%.

But the most widespread form of political participation for Russians, as well as for citizens of other countries, is voting in elections. The majority of Russians surveyed stated that they took part in the past elections and intend to participate in future ones. At the same time, Russian citizens consider federal elections (President and State Duma) to be more important than regional and local ones. If 95 and 84% of respondents declared participation in the former, then 76, 81, 67 and 72%, respectively, admitted voting for the governor, mayor and legislative assemblies of the region and city. Russian citizens view elections mainly as a means of expressing their attitude towards authorities (31%) or politicians (25%). Other motives are much less common. 18% of respondents are convinced of the possibility of defending their own interests through voting, 11% consider elections to be participation in the formation of government bodies, and 10% consider elections a way to solve public problems. Thus, Russians view elections as a kind of channel for conveying public opinion to the authorities. This obviously happens because the majority of citizens (53%) are convinced that the election results are determined by the authorities and only 29-30% of respondents believe that the results correspond to the voting results. Unlike European countries, only 1-2% of Russians participate in protests. Such a small proportion of protesters is obviously associated with the peculiarities of the political consciousness of the citizens of our country, who are ready to endure in the hope that life will improve.

The problem of absenteeism in Russia is now acute enough that it requires not only discussion, but also the adoption of some measures and decisions.

Absenteeism - (from the Latin “absens, absentis” - absent) - removal of voters from participating in voting. In modern democratic countries, absenteeism is a fairly common phenomenon: often 50% or even more of eligible voters do not take part in voting. In Russia this phenomenon is also common. As in foreign countries, in the Russian Federation the greatest voter turnout occurs in national elections, while it is significantly lower in regional elections and local government elections.

In general terms, absenteeism is defined as the absence of individuals in a certain place at a certain time and the associated failure to perform relevant social functions.

Political absenteeism is the evasion of voters from participating in voting in the elections of government officials, heads of state, etc.

Political absenteeism does not mean, however, the complete exclusion of a person from the field of political power relations, since he, as a rule, remains a law-abiding citizen and a conscientious taxpayer. The position of non-participation taken by a person concerns only those types of political activities where he can somehow manifest himself as an active person: express his opinion, express his involvement in a group or organization, determine his attitude towards a particular candidate for deputy parliament.

Absenteeism occurs when external compulsion to political activity disappears, when a person has the right and a real opportunity to abstain from political actions. As a mass phenomenon, absenteeism is absent in totalitarian societies. Therefore, many researchers do not give an unambiguous assessment of this phenomenon. On the one hand, the existence of the problem of absenteeism indicates that the individual has the right to choose the line of behavior that corresponds to his interests, but on the other hand, absenteeism is undoubtedly evidence of people’s indifference to elections and political events.

Absenteeism is dangerous because it leads to a decrease in the number of voters, upon whose turnout the elections are considered valid.

Today, among the problems of public consciousness associated with absenteeism, the most pressing is youth absenteeism. It should be noted that the low level of political participation of young people, or political absenteeism, is not an exclusively Russian problem. “Absenteeism is more common among young people,” regardless of their citizenship. Even in the developed democratic countries of Europe, attracting young people to participate in elections - the most widespread, publicly accessible, simplest and least time and resource-intensive form of political participation - is by no means a trivial task. Measures aimed at increasing the level of political participation of young people are being taken at the highest level, programs are being created, funds are being allocated, but young people still refuse to come to the polls.

In Russia the situation is more complicated. If we talk about the reasons for the political absenteeism of young people in Russia, then experts identify a whole range of them, among which I think the most important are the following.

Low standard of living of the country's population (especially young people). All people’s thoughts come down to finding a means of subsistence; there is no time, energy or desire left for anything else, including activity in the public sphere. People with low incomes were and remain extremely apolitical.

The lack of real, at least in the short term, results of political participation, which deprives young people of faith in the ability to change at least something in their lives through political participation.

Political and legal illiteracy, when most young people simply cannot imagine how they can participate in the political life of the country. Even the chairman of the Central Election Commission of the Russian Federation noted that “many problems in elections in Russia arise due to the low level of legal culture.”

Emotional alienation of young people from power, associated with the high level of corruption and incompetence of existing government institutions. Opposition from older generations, who have become entrenched in politics and often do not want to allow competitors in the form of young people into it.

Thus, it becomes obvious that the problem of political absenteeism in Russia is so acute mainly due to the lack of electoral culture among the population, as well as any competent educational work among it. Moreover, it can be confidently stated that political absenteeism has two directions of its development. The first direction is the lack of electoral education among young people and, as a consequence, electoral absenteeism of young people, the second direction is the presence of socio-psychological factors that prevent the formation of a conscious civil political position in each individual person.

An important factor is the calm foreign and domestic political situation in the country. And this is quite natural. The political theme becomes leading only in periods of revolutionary upheavals, deep social and economic crises. In prosperous periods, due to the inertia of society, politics occupies the minds of a very small part of it.

Candidate registration

8) Propaganda campaign. The legislator determines: the timing of the campaign campaign (start, end), conditions and methods, places, use of the media (equal conditions and equal time for candidates to speak). In some countries, it is prohibited to publish public opinion polls several days before the end of campaigning. Funding – see question 39.

9) Voting. In most countries, voting is secret, personal, using the ballot method. Ballots are printed by the official government (in most countries) and by the parties themselves (eg France). Voting by mail is allowed (Great Britain, Germany), by proxy issued to relatives (France, Germany), early voting is allowed in many countries. There are other methods: mechanical lever, punched card (punching a hole), electronic direct recording system (touch screen, push-button machines), etc.

10) Counting of votes, summing up, publication. The counting is carried out by members of election commissions and other bodies, it is done openly and publicly, party observers, representatives of independent candidates, the public, the media, and international observers are present (they give an opinion on the degree of legitimacy of the elections). The validity of elections or their invalidity is confirmed by various bodies: primarily the central electoral commissions; confirmation of validity may be within the competence of the Parliament, the Judiciary, the Constitutional Court, the Constitutional Council (France).

These are required stages. Also provided optional stages:

12) Final determination of voting results and publication of results

Electoral disputes are decided administratively (by election commissions) and judicially. For judicial purposes, some countries create specialized electoral courts (Brazil), while others do not (USA).

Absenteeism(from Latin absentia - absence), evasion of voters from voting during elections of representative bodies or officials.

Absenteeism– one of the forms of deliberate boycott of elections by voters, refusal to participate in them; passive protest of the population against the existing form of government, political regime, manifestation of indifference to the exercise by a person of his rights and responsibilities. In broad terms, absenteeism can be understood as the fact indifferent attitude of the population to political life, the philistine idea of individuals that nothing depends on them in politics, politics is “none of my business,” etc.

The scale of absenteeism is directly related to the historical conditions for the formation of democratic institutions, to differences in the mentality of peoples, to the existence of different traditions and customs in a given society.

CAUSES:

Absenteeism is usually caused by apoliticality of citizens, loss of their trust in government authorities, low level of political competence of voters, low significance of election results for citizens. Absenteeism has a negative impact because it reduces the legitimacy of the government and indicates the alienation of citizens from the state; in some countries (Italy, Belgium, Greece, Austria) it is punishable by law.

The growing number of absentees is evidence imperfections of the existing political system, an indicator of growing distrust in democratic institutions, an indicator of growing social tension in society.

One of characteristic features of the political life of post-industrial society is a sharp decline in the political activity of citizens. An increase in the number of absenteeism is recorded in almost all economically highly developed countries. (According to the International Institute for Democracy and Electoral Assistance (Stockholm, Sweden), which analyzed voter turnout in general parliamentary and presidential elections in 163 countries, the average voter turnout has decreased in recent years from 70 to 64%3). Thus, with certain assumptions, it can be argued that absenteeism has become a kind of “calling card” of modern times.

The main cause of absenteeism is unacceptability of the social system for some voters, the institution of elections, lack of interest in politics and the need to engage in political activities, and not the complexity of a technical or organizational order, as a number of Western authors claim.

You can select two main types of absenteeism: passive absenteeism- low political and legal culture of certain segments of the population, generating indifference to the political process and alienation from it and active absenteeism- the result of refusal to participate in elections for political reasons, for example, disagreement with putting the issue to a referendum, negative attitude towards all candidates in the presidential election, etc.

Social practice convincingly demonstrates that the participation of the population in the political process and, above all, in the formation of elected authorities is a condition for the successful functioning of any society built on democratic principles. None of the scientists and political figures committed to the principles of democracy doubt the fact that the exclusion of representatives of certain social groups from active political life, the increase in the number of those who consciously distance themselves from politics, inevitably impedes the formation of civil society structures and negatively affects the effectiveness of activities of elected authorities.

For almost everyone who deals with political issues in a scientific and practical sense, it is obvious that the increase in the number of absentees is evidence of the imperfection of the existing political system, an indicator of growing distrust in democratic institutions, and an indicator of growing social tension in society. It is with this circumstance, first of all, that the keen interest in the problem of absenteeism, which is demonstrated by many domestic and foreign scientists, is connected.

Absenteeism is a natural historical phenomenon, an integral attribute of a political system built on the principles of democracy and freedom. It is a phenomenon of the political life of any democratic society and rule of law state that has entered a descending branch of its development. The widespread prevalence of absenteeism, both in countries of classical democracy and those that have recently embarked on the path of democratic development, is associated with the growth of dysfunctional processes in their political systems, the exhaustion of the creative potential of historically established democratic institutions, and the emergence of a “submissive” type of political culture among the broad masses under the influence of the media.

The scale of absenteeism and the forms of its manifestation are directly related to the historical conditions for the formation of democratic institutions, to differences in the mentality of peoples, to the existence of different traditions and customs in a given society

As is known, one of the characteristic features of the political life of post-industrial society is a sharp decline in the political activity of citizens. An increase in the number of absenteeism is recorded in almost all economically highly developed countries, from England to Japan. Thus, we can say that absenteeism has become a kind of “calling card” of modern times.

The number of absenteeists is also growing in Russia, where from 40 to 70% of potential voters do not participate in elections at various levels, whereas in the late 80s - early 90s in the elections of deputies of the Supreme Council of the RSFSR, and then deputies of the first and second State Dumas More than 85% of those included in the voter lists of the Russian Federation participated.

Some modern politicians point to simple laziness of voters as the reason for growing absenteeism. Such an argument can hardly be considered convincing. The reasons, of course, are deeper, more serious and require special research. Analysis by political scientists and sociologists allows us to identify the following reasons for growing absenteeism:

1. Reasons of a general social and political nature. As an example: long-term economic difficulties, the solution of which is not significantly influenced by the election results, a low level of trust in the current authorities, and the low prestige of the deputy corps in the eyes of the population.
2. Reasons related to the imperfection of legislation and the work of election commissions. As experts note, after each election held at both the federal and regional levels, shortcomings and imperfections in the legislation are revealed, which leads to the introduction of a number of significant amendments to the basic electoral law, i.e. Federal Law of the Russian Federation “On the Basic Guarantees of the Electoral Rights of Citizens and the Right to Participate in a Referendum of Citizens of the Russian Federation” Federal Law of June 12, 2002 N 67-FZ (as amended on November 2, 2013) “On the Basic Guarantees of Electoral Rights and the Right to Participate in a Referendum of Citizens Russian Federation". The very presence of such shortcomings provokes distrust among the population.
3. Causes related to the peculiarities of a particular election campaign. In particular, an unattractive candidate, uninteresting campaigning.
4. Random reasons. For example, weather conditions, the state of health of the voter Mikova E. Causes of absenteeism among youth and possible ways to eliminate it [Electronic resource] / E. Mikova. - Access mode: http://do.gendoss.ru/doсs/index-38515. html (November 27, 2013).

It is worth noting that these reasons affect all categories of citizens. But youth is recognized as the most active social group, but it is they who, as a rule, form the basis of modern absenteeists. A young man 18-25 years old does not visit the polling station for a number of reasons: looking at his parents, individual interests, lack of faith in the power of his own vote. As studies by political scientists show, a person becomes socially mature and adapted to modern living conditions of society by the age of 21, i.e., this is the middle of adolescence; after this milestone, it is quite difficult to change preferences, including political views. If we imagine that even now a modern young man, a worthy part of society and the state, ignores participation in the life of his country through the choice of a government representative, then the future situation in this country does not seem so cloudless.

Today, among the problems of public consciousness associated with absenteeism, the most pressing is youth absenteeism. It should be noted that the low level of political participation of young people, or political absenteeism, is not an exclusively Russian problem. “Absenteeism is more common among young people,” regardless of their citizenship. Even in the developed democratic countries of Europe, attracting young people to participate in elections - the most widespread, publicly accessible, simplest and least time- and resource-intensive form of political participation - is by no means a trivial task. Measures aimed at increasing the level of political participation of young people are being taken at the highest level, programs are being created, funds are being allocated, but young people still refuse to come to the polls.

“Firstly, the low level of political culture and political and legal literacy of young people, which determines the fact that young people, especially those who live in the regions, do not have a clear understanding of the mechanisms for transmitting their interests to power, as well as methods of influence on the political process and state power, mechanisms for monitoring the fulfillment of public requests, etc. In conditions of democratization and reform, it is especially important that the population, in particular the young, adequately perceive the ideological and other foundations of the political course, decisions made and political actions of the authorities. This provides legitimacy, that is, support for the ongoing reforms. That is why a low level of political literacy causes either apoliticality or protest moods.

Secondly, the loss of trust in government bodies and procedures, for example, in the electoral process. This happens either when the public demand at the “input” does not correspond with the political decision at the “output”, or when a situation has already developed in which the results of the political participation of young people do not find a response in government structures, due to which they lose faith in is capable of destroying this barrier and changing anything in the political system or political course. In addition, the corruption of the political system, both at the regional and national levels, contributes to the assertion among young people that any important reforms can be “slowed down” or rejected, and instead changes will be implemented that benefit the political or economic elite.

Thirdly, there is still a persistent idea that there is no dialogue between civil society and the authorities, but rather a confrontational relationship. This is caused by the tradition formed over the entire history of the Russian state that a strong government in the country is the main subject of the political process, which regulates the life of the population using both legal and violent methods, chooses and implements a political course and carries out reforms. And the people, in turn, are a kind of opposition to state power, which is always “on the periphery” of the political process and is mobilized only during a crisis of the political system (transition periods). This is exactly how apoliticality and passivity of the population in relation to politics in the country was formed. That is, we can conclude that this reason closely interacts with the type of political culture. Until recently, in Russia it was designated as subject, that is, there was weak participation of the population in politics, their mass resignation to the fact that the political course would be carried out by state authorities almost without taking into account public opinion, along with expectations that a strong government would satisfy all needs and provide decent standard of living. However, now, in my opinion, there is a smooth transformation of a subservient political culture into a culture of participation (activist political culture). To verify this statement, it must be said that more and more people are striving to take an active part in the formation and implementation of politics, regardless of what methods they choose - legal or illegal, positive or protest.

Fourthly, the already mentioned standard of living of young people also plays a significant role, since, having a low level of income, a young person is more likely to strive to overcome his financial problems than political ones. The latter, logically, are relegated to the background. Fifthly, the absence of constantly and effectively functioning socio-political “elevators” - that is, those factors and mechanisms, perhaps even qualifications, that have a decisive influence on the vertical social mobility of the population, in this case , in the political sphere. This is directly related to the recruitment of new competent members from society into the ranks of the country’s political elite, which in practice is replaced by the selection of new “political personnel” through personal connections or corrupt machinations. Another problem within this reason is the resistance of older generations, who have firmly occupied a place in politics for a long time, aimed at preventing the younger generation from governing. Most often this is explained by the lack of qualifications of new personnel or their radical desire to change the political course, but the main reason is the fear of the older generation of losing their posts.

Summarizing all of the above, the problem of absenteeism as one of the basic variations of the political participation of youth in Russia is now quite acute, because all of the above reasons persist to this day."Katusheva K. Trends in the political participation of youth in Russia: political absenteeism, autonomous and mobilized participation [Electronic resource] / K. Katusheva. - Access mode: http://rud.exdat.com/doсs/index-727397.html (November 30, 2013). I would like to note one more important fact. Since the institution of elections was brought to Russia from Western democratic regimes, which in the first decades of democratization and modernization in the world (50s of the 20th century) were considered a universal blueprint for building democracy, it has not yet fully taken root in our country due to national specificity and historical development. Instead of receiving support from the population, it is rather losing its value in the eyes of citizens, which is caused by corruption, political traditions, and many other factors. All this leads to political absenteeism or an increase in protest sentiments.

Among the reasons listed above, the most serious for young people is low political and legal culture, indifference and alienation from the electoral process. To eliminate it, it is necessary to increase the activity of young voters, not only to familiarize them with the constitutional right to vote and be elected, but also to show the mechanism for realizing this right. Legal activity should be understood, first of all, as free, lawful behavior in terms of exercising one’s subjective suffrage. For the purpose of the most comprehensive analysis of the causes of youth absenteeism and the possibilities of eliminating it, we can note the elements that make up the legal activity of citizens - these are legal education, legal culture and legal consciousness.

As a result of legal education, a citizen develops legal needs, interests, attitudes, and value orientations, which to a large extent are important components of the socio-psychological regulation of lawful behavior. The main thing here is that people’s mere knowledge of laws, the structure of the state, and legal proceedings does not yet guarantee the citizenship of the actions of these people in the political and legal sphere. Legal culture also acts as an element of the legal activity of citizens, being its foundation. It is expressed in the unity of the lawful and socially active behavior of the individual, his active life position in the sphere of law, legality and the desire for law and order.

As for legal consciousness as one of the elements of the legal activity of citizens, the main thing here is the citizen’s readiness for the process of implementing legal norms in his behavior.

Legal awareness also takes into account the moral and spiritual potential of the population, historical features and characteristic features of Russian society. It is recognized that citizens themselves, based on their universal, natural essence, must find the most correct real way of applying legal activity, in particular in electoral law, where the need for choice is already dictated in the definition.

So, there are quite a lot of reasons for avoiding elections, but among the reasons listed above, the most serious for young people is the low political and legal culture, indifference and alienation from the electoral process, which obviously does not lead us to a better future. It is necessary to change the existing stereotype in society, because free elections are not the freedom to go or not go to the polls, but the freedom to choose among the candidates presented.

In modern Russia, the proportion of politically apathetic people in the population is quite large. This is due to a crisis of mass consciousness, a conflict of values, the alienation of the majority of the population from power and distrust of it, and political and legal nihilism. Many have lost faith in their own capabilities, do not believe that they can influence political processes, and believe that political decisions are made regardless of their participation in voting and other political actions. People do not feel any personal benefit from participating in politics, believing that it serves the interests of the elite.

Absenteeism among a certain part of the Russian population was significantly influenced by the collapse of the myth about rapid entry into the circle of highly developed countries.

The assessment of the role of absenteeism in political science is ambiguous. Some researchers insist on the need to involve as many people as possible in various forms of political participation. Others believe that limited participation and non-participation can be seen as a stabilizing factor, since the activation of apolitical sections of the population and their inclusion in the political process can lead to destabilization of the political system.

The Russian practice of the development of the political process testifies to the unpredictable, and sometimes contrary to expectations, nature of the behavior of the Russian voter. The tendency that emerged in the last decades of the 20th century to weaken the relationship between social status, membership in a particular group and electoral choice suggests that there is no correlation between political choice, socio-professional affiliation and the social status of the individual who makes this choice. This is a distinctive feature of the development of the political process in Russia. The problem of absenteeism is one of the key problems of Russian democracy.

The rapid expansion of absenteeism in recent years indicates the instability of the current political system in Russia. The decline in electoral activity is, first of all, an expression of the population’s disappointment in the Russian electoral system, a loss of trust in the authorities, evidence of an increase in protest potential in various social groups, a nihilistic attitude towards democratic institutions, political parties and their leaders Political Science: Textbook / Ed. M.A. Vasilika. - M.: Gardariki, 2005.