Motivation for participation of the younger and older generations in political protests as viewed by Russians (based on interview material)

This article is based on the materials of a non-standardized interview conducted in Ivanovo, St. Petersburg and Makhachkala to reveal the public perception of the following: youth participation in protest rallies, low protest activity of youth in the North Caucasus, and the reasons for the non-participation of the older generation in protest rallies. It was found that the perception of the protest activity in which the younger and the older generations are involved depends on the age and political preferences of respondents as well as regional specifics. Respondents with liberal views tend to assume the awareness of the young people taking part in protests. Most of the respondents who support the present government, have communist views or are not interested in politics in general see the youth’s protest activity as unreasonable, conformist and following the fashion, but at the same time such respondents admit the youth are focused on fighting for their rights. The respondents from Ivanovo and St. Petersburg, regardless of their age and political preferences, explain the low protest activity of youth in the North Caucasus by the fact of special upbringing of the younger generation in that region, while the respondents from Makhachkala explain it by the pressure from families or communities of relatives. The motives behind the non-participation of elders in political protest rallies are viewed by the respondents as the fear of worsening living conditions and of changes in general. This opinion is mostly expressed by older people who are not interested in politics or support the authorities.