Ronald Inglhart's Concept of Post-Materialism in Critical Perspective

The article deals with the problem of interpreting empirical data on the dynamics of values. Ronald Inglehart’s concept of post-materialism is criticized. It is argued that the true flourishing of post-materialistic values is impossible in the capitalist society. It is shown that many post-materialism’s achievements turns out to be not as significant as it is originally intended. Most likely, the observed manifestations of post-materialism in the post-war decades are connected with the achievements of a social state that does not allow strong social inequality, ensures the guarantees of education, employment, stable growth of the material well-being of citizens, and so on. It is shown that post-materialistic tendencies are quickly reversed with the transition towards neoliberal model of economy; it is confirmed by longitudinal studies of the youth values. According to the results of these studies, today there is a significant shift towards “external” priorities (money, fame, image, etc.). The values of selfrealization declared by representatives of young generations are often results from the overestimated self-esteem and narcissistic obsession with one's own person. In words, the representatives of young generations are more concerned with public problems, although in reality they show less empathy and altruism. Self-realization through social activity, labor and self-development is often replaced by “wanting to be liked” in social media, or the desire to achieve success in virtual world. It is suggested that the dynamics of values testifies the formation of a rental society. In such a society, the acceleration of the rates of digitalization and automation of production is combined with the crisis of the educational institutions responsible for personal development, and the training of personnel for a high-tech economy. Therefore, representatives of the growing social stratum of “superfluous people” increasingly express their “materialistic” interest in a stable income independent of their work merits, as well as access to various kinds of entertainment.