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Political and Civil Youth Movements inModern Russia
Russias YouthPolitics
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Since 2005, Russian politics is street-oriented
Youth is perceived as natural avant-garde of outdoor political activities Young activists are more enthusiasticand idealistic, less busy, have fewerobligations and responsibilities, tend tobe more radicalIn period of crisis, protest activity may
spread quickly and involve large part of
Youth Political Activity:Influence
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Opposition vs. Kremlin
Oborona
SmenaNDSMNazbolsAKM
SKMRKSMBetc.
NashiDMDMolodayaGvardiya
Rossiya MolodayaESMetc.
Opposition Groups Pro-Kremlin Groups
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Oborona Oborona (Defense) is
an independent non-partisan youth civicmovement
Oboronas goal is toestablish a moredemocratic, civilizedpolitical regime withstrong civil society andrule of law
Oborona practicesmethods of nonviolentresistance and civildisobedience
Oborona was foundedin 2005 and now it hassome 1000 members in
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Smena Smena (Shift) is
a pro-democracyyouth groupfounded in late2004
Smena has noformal leadership
Smena unitesseveral hundredactivists
Like Oborona,Smena participatesin DissentersMarches and other
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NDSM NDSM (Peoples
Democratic YouthUnion) is a youthbranch of RNDS(Russian PeoplesDemocratic Union) Mikhail Kasyanovsparty (unregistered)
NDSM actively supportspopular protest against
Moscow constructionpolicy NDSM in Moscow
managed to elect 2activists in municipalauthorities
NDSM had about 1000
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Nazbols (NBP) Nazbols, formerly NBP
(National Bolshevik Party)is a group, mostly youth,leaded by EduardLimonov
Drift of ideology: fromsemi-fascism to left-wingmixed with nationalism
Methods: radicalnonviolent (Greenpeace-like) protest actions
There are approx. 3000nazbols in Russia
NBP was banned byauthorities as extremistorganization
Target for massrepressions, both judicial
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Left-wing Movements AKM (Avant-garde of Red
Youth) is a non-partisanradical left youthmovement
AKM is esp. active inMoscow popular protestsagainst city authorities
RKSMB (Revolutionary Communist Youth Union) a radical left youthmovement
SKM (Union of Communist Youth) is a youthmovement close toCommunist Party
AKM and RKSMB haveseveral hundred activistseach, SKM has more than1000
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Youth Democratic OppositionGroups Today
Clear ideology
based on widelyrecognizedprinciples of democracy, rule of law, freedom of expression etc.Strong internalmotivation of activistsAbility to work inextremely difficultsituations
Limited resources
Restricted access toand defaming inmediaPersecution andharassment
Strengths Weaknesses & Obstacles
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NashiNashi (Ours) is the largest andbest known pro-Kremlin youthorganizationFounded in 2005 to win thestreets for KremlinEnormous material, political andmedia support by GovtDeclared ideology: sovereigndemocracy, antifascismPromote: loyalty to Putin,statism, nationalismMethods: mass rallies, media-oriented actions, physicalassaults on opposition activistsMotivation: career, money,personal developmentHas about 1000 members
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DMDDMD (Youth Voluntary Squad) is a Nashisdivision responsiblefor physical
counteraction tooppositionBased primarily onsoccer fan clubs, e.g.Gladiators
Reportedlyresponsible forassaults on nazbolsand other oppositionactivists in 20052006
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Molodaya Gvardiya (MGER)Molodaya Gvardiya(Youth Guard) is ayouth branch of United Russia partyMGERs goals are toattract youth toUnited Russia, tohelp fight oppositionMajor motivation iscareer advancementHas from severalhundred to severalthousand members
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Rossiya MolodayaRossiya Molodaya(Young Russia) is aradical pro-Kremlinand anti-oppositionyouth group inMoscowHas about 50members
Ideology:nationalism,statismMethods:provoking anddiscrediting
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ESMESM (Eurasian YouthUnion) is an eccentricgroup inspired byideology of AlexanderDuginIdeology: mixture of semi-fascism,nationalism,imperialism, anti-Americanism, Orthodox
Christianity, andPaganismMore active in Ukraine,Moldova and SouthOssetia than in RussiaHas several dozenmembers
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Youth Pro-Kremlin Groups Today
Support by popular
political figure PutinHuge resourcesinvested by Kremlinand its friendly
oligarchsMaximum priority instate-controlledmedia (including
TV)
Dependent position,
lack of internaldemocracyDependence ondecreasingcentralized funding
Weak ideologicalmotivation,excessive focus oncareer and materialadvantages
Strengths Weaknesses & Obstacles
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Russias Youth Politicsby Oleg Kozlovsky, 2008oleg@kozlovsky.ruhttp://www.kozlovsky.ruhttp://olegkozlovsky.wordpress.com
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