Active political behavior. Basic forms of political behavior. See what "Political Behavior" is in other dictionaries

The political order of modern societies is a complex structure of norms and rules, causing the emergence of diverse forms of political activity. A person can participate in elections and referendums, create parties and public organizations, express his opinion about the actions of the authorities, participate in protests, etc. The more complex political systems and the richer in content political cultures, the more diverse the forms of political behavior become. The variety of political actions inevitably raises the question of their classification, of identifying the most significant types. In science, there are various typologies of political actions, each of which solves a very specific research problem.

One of the most common is a typology that divides all political actions depending on their relationship to the current political system, political order. Thus, the American scientist L. Milbright considers it necessary to talk about conventional and unconventional types of political behavior. In the first case, we are talking about legal, legally regulated political actions - participation in the work of political parties, voting in elections, legal ways of expressing one's opinion. In the second - about actions that are contrary to the norms of morality and law accepted in society, i.e. about unauthorized demonstrations and protests, spontaneous riots, refusal to obey the actions of the authorities. Milbright subdivides unconventional political actions into nonviolent (demonstrations, rallies, pickets) and violent (terrorism, rebellion).

The English scientist A. Marsh proposes to consider political behavior in terms of three types:

• 1) orthodox political behavior, which includes the methods of interaction accepted in a given society in the system of political power relations (participation in elections, activity of interest groups, holding political actions permitted by the authorities, etc.);
• 2) unorthodox political behavior that goes beyond the normative order and represents actions of direct action and disobedience to the authorities (unauthorized political rallies, pickets, marches, strikes, etc.);
• 3) political crimes associated with the use of violence and aimed at destroying the political system and the political normative order (spontaneous riots, illegal demonstrations accompanied by acts of vandalism and violence, armed clashes with the authorities, revolutions, etc.).

The typologies described above allowed researchers to identify the proportion of conventional and non-conventional political behavior in society, draw conclusions on this basis about the level of stability of the political system, and analyze the characteristics of the social affiliation of participants in opposite types of political action, thereby revealing potential centers of social and political tension.

Another common basis in political science for the typology of political actions is the level of activity of people in the political sphere. In accordance with this basis, there are:

• professional politicians, for whom politics is a job they do most of their time;
• actively participating in political activity. These are people who are professionally employed in a different field, but give a significant part of their free time to work in party and other political organizations, participation in various political actions and events;
• passively participating in political activity. These include, as a rule, the majority of the population, which from time to time participates in voting in elections, occasionally takes part in mass political events;
• not participating in political activity (absenteeists), i.e. those who abstain from participation in elections evade any political actions.

Absenteeism does not mean the complete exclusion of a person from politics. Remaining a citizen, he inevitably enters into certain relations with the state, for example, he can be a law-abiding citizen, a good taxpayer. The position of non-participation taken by him applies only to those types of political activity where he can somehow prove himself as an active person: express his opinion, express involvement in some group or organization, determine his attitude towards this or that candidate for deputy parliament, etc.

Absenteeism as a mass phenomenon is absent in totalitarian societies. Here the population is almost completely involved in goy or other form of political activity. In the USSR, for example, almost 100% of the population came to the polls, young people without exception became involved in pioneer or Komsomol organizations, adults - in trade unions, and all these public organizations encouraged people to participate in political life. Non-participation was impossible due to strict control by party, state and public organizations.

Absenteeism arises when external coercion to political activity disappears, a person has the right and a real opportunity to refrain from political actions. In this case, he may be guided by motives that are of great importance to him, for example, to devote his free time to communicating with family members and friends, rather than participating in political actions. It is possible that in some cases the individual consciously does not take any political action due to prevailing beliefs that he still cannot change anything by his act, or out of a sense of protest, or out of fear of possible persecution by the authorities if he will express his opinion, etc.

The analysis of political behavior through the prism of the political activity of citizens allows researchers to focus on identifying groups that differ in the degree of their participation in the political life of society, to study their socio-demographic characteristics, to identify their party preferences, to clarify the motives that prompt them to take action, etc. .

A third approach to the typology of political action is the distinction between autonomous and mobilized participation. Autonomous participation implies a free citizen who enters political activity voluntarily, guided by his own interests or the interests of the group to which he belongs. Mobilized participation is different in that the inclusion of an individual in political actions is carried out under the influence of external pressure, for example, administrative coercion, fear of trouble, sanctions from the ruling political force, fear of the possible use of violence in case of refusal to participate in a political event.

This typology allows you to pay attention to the differences in the motivation of the political activity demonstrated. The reasons pushing people to participate in political events can be based on both internal motives (autonomous participation) and external incentives, most often perceived by the individual as pressure (mobilized participation). The presence, for example, of strong external incentives in totalitarian societies largely explains the phenomenon of mass political events organized by the authorities and the almost universal turnout of people to the polls on election day. In democratic societies, where external pressure is weakening, the involvement of people in political parties, socio-political organizations, including trade unions, is falling.

The fourth typology involves the division of political actions into individual and collective. This typology is presented in political science in two forms. In the first case, division is based on the principle of "in whose interests”: if in the interests of one individual, then this is an individual action, if in the interests of all or a group, it is a collective action. It is this approach that M. Olson describes in the book “The Logic of Collective Actions”, where almost all types of participation aimed at achieving the goals of a certain group of people are classified as collective actions. The conflict between individual and collective values, which inevitably manifests itself in political actions, is the main theoretical and methodological problem of this typology.

Another basis for dividing political actions into collective and individual are way of making a decision and the nature of the action itself. A typical example of an individual action is participation in the secret voting procedure, when a person implements the decision made on the choice in the voting booth, and no one at this moment can put pressure on him. Collective action is an action performed jointly with other people, such as open voting, participation in a strike or rally, collective decision-making. This typology allows you to highlight the special facets of collective behavior in politics, for example, in a crowd, a political organization.

The above typologies do not exhaust their list in political science. In each new study, the author again and again thinks over the advantages and limitations of each of the previously created typologies and, depending on his methodological position, completes any one of them or creates a new one.

• Milbrath L.A.V. political participation. Chicago: Rand McNally, 1965.
• Marsh A. Protest and Political Consciousness. Beverley Hills; London: Sage Publications, 1977.
• Olson M. Logic of collective actions. Public goods and group theory. M.: FEI Publishing House, 1995.

Social science test Political behavior for grade 11 with answers. The test includes two parts. Choice questions (10 tasks) and short answer tasks (3 tasks).

Choice questions

1. The manifestation of a negative attitude towards the political system as a whole or towards its individual elements, values, political decisions in an openly demonstrative form is

1) extremism
2) political protest
3) electoral behavior
4) group political behavior

2. Behavior that complies with the laws, the requirements of political morality, is called

1) regulatory
2) pathological
3) deviant
4) extreme

3. Open forms of political behavior include(s)

1) rally
2) demonstrations
3) referendum
4) all of the above

4. Definition: "The actions and actions of the subject of politics, characterizing its interaction with the social environment, with various socio-political and forces" refers to the concept

1) affective political behavior
2) extreme political behavior
3) political behavior
4) deviant political behavior

5. Are the following statements about political behavior correct?

A. Of decisive importance in political behavior is the presence of conscious political interests of the individual.
B. Of decisive importance in political behavior is the presence of personal values.

1) only A is true
2) only B is true
3) both statements are correct
4) both judgments are wrong

6. Are the following statements about individual political behavior correct?

A. The political behavior of an individual person makes sense only because many other people at the same time are ready to do and do the same thing.
B. The political behavior of an individual can influence the state of affairs in society in the absence of organizational and even ideological cooperation.

1) only A is true
2) only B is true
3) both statements are correct
4) both judgments are wrong

7. Are the following statements about the motives of people's political actions correct?

A. The motives of people's political action are determined by social factors.
B. The motives of people's political action are determined by the individual psychological make-up of the individual.

1) only A is true
2) only B is true
3) both statements are correct
4) both judgments are wrong

8. Speaking at a spontaneous rally, the opposition leader called on his supporters to seize the vital centers of state power and control. That's an example

1) traditional forms of political behavior
2) destructive political behavior
3) constructive political behavior
4) electoral behavior

9. Citizen D. stated: “I do not know all the circumstances that led our government to the decision to conclude this international treaty, but I am worried that the observance of all its points may lead to the infringement of our national interests.” This example illustrates such a component of political behavior as

1) opinions
2) values
3) beliefs
4) relationship

10. Citizen L. does not share the political values ​​of the majority of his compatriots. He has a high degree of distrust of political leaders and institutions and believes that he cannot influence politics. Therefore, citizen L. does not participate in political life. This example illustrates the position

1) activist
2) a competent observer
3) absenteeist
4) a competent critic

Short answer questions

1. Write down the missing word in the diagram.

2. Below is a list of terms. All of them, with the exception of one, are associated with the concept of “extremist political behavior”.

Legal nihilism, legal norm, riots, hostage-taking, intolerance.

Find and indicate a term that refers to another concept.

3. Find the forms of regulation of political behavior in the list below and write down the numbers under which they are indicated.

1) dissemination of truthful political information
2) the refusal of the party leader to interact with other political and parties that are close in ideological orientation
3) the desire for organization on the part of political subjects
4) stimulation of spontaneous destructive manifestations in political life
5) political education
6) ignoring public opinion

Answers to the test in social studies Political behavior for grade 11
Choice questions
1-2
2-1
3-4
4-3
5-3
6-3
7-3
8-2
9-1
10-3
Short answer questions
1. Deviant
2. Legal regulation
3. 135

As a result of mastering this topic, the student must:

know

• – the phenomenon and specifics of political behavior and participation;
• – main types of political participation;
• – the theory of political participation;
• – main features and trends of electoral participation in modern Russia;
• – features of electoral behavior in Russia;

be able to

• – analyze the motives of political behavior and participation;
• - uphold and defend their morals;
• – to identify the party preferences of Russian voters;

own

• – a basic methodology for assessing political behavior and participation;
• – a problematic field of electoral behavior.

Types of political behavior and participation

Political behavior is a set of reactions of social subjects (social communities, groups, individuals, etc.) to the activities of the political system.

Political behavior is a motivated process; various types of political activity are embodied in it. Features of political behavior are associated with the specifics of the political sphere, which suggests that all "political concepts, ideas and words have a polemical meaning; they suggest a specific opposite, are tied to a specific situation, the last consequence of which is the division into friend-enemy groups, and they become an empty and ghostly abstraction if this situation disappears.

Modern political thought uses several approaches to explain the phenomenon of political behavior. The main areas include: economic, sociological, psychological. In a number of cases, their integration, complex use is possible in order to obtain an objective idea of ​​the "whole person" - the voter.

Political behavior can be subdivided into political participation and absenteeism.

Political participation - it is the influence of citizens on the functioning of the political system, the formation of political institutions and the process of making political decisions. American political scientists S. Verba and N. Ni emphasize that political participation is an instrumental activity through which citizens try to influence the government in such a way that it takes the actions they want.

Political participation includes:

• – electoral behavior (actions on delegation of authority);
• – activism aimed at supporting candidates and parties in election campaigns;
• - attending rallies;
• - participation in demonstrations;
• – participation in the activities of parties and interest groups.

The most detailed classification of types of political participation was proposed by the English scientist A. Marsh (Table 12.1).

Table 12.1

Classification of types of political participation according to A. Marsh

As can be seen from Table. 12.1, A. Marsh distinguishes three main types of political participation: orthodox, unorthodox and political crimes.

A. Marsh refers to political participation of the orthodox type actions that ensure the stable functioning of the political system, as well as the requirements imposed on it in legal forms. Actions that are not authorized by law or directed against the political system (protest behavior) are qualified as political participation of an unorthodox type. A. Marsh considers political activity with the use of illegitimate violence as political crimes.

A similar position is taken by W. Millbright (USA), who divides political participation into conventional (legal and regulated by law) and non-conventional (illegal, rejected by the majority of society for moral, religious and other reasons).

The first type he refers to voting, participation in the work of parties and election campaigns, participation in the political life of society, contacts with officials. To the second - participation in demonstrations, riots, strong protests against the immoral actions of the authorities, participation in protest rallies, refusal to obey unjust laws and political decisions. Non-conventional participation is carried out in non-violent active forms (demonstrations, pickets, rallies, etc.) and violent forms (terrorism, riot, etc.).

Political participation can be classified according to the degree or level of activity (active - passive). Based on the form of participation (acceptable and unacceptable) and the degree of activity (active - passive), four types of political participation can be distinguished (Tables 12.1 and 12.2).

Table 12.2

Forms of political participation

Political participation is often divided into the following types: autonomous and mobilization. Autonomous participation is a free voluntary activity of individuals pursuing personal and group interests. Mobilization participation is compulsory. Fear, administrative coercion, traditions, etc., become incentives for political activity. As a rule, mobilization participation is aimed solely at supporting the political system and its purpose is to demonstrate loyalty to the ruling elite, popular unity and approval of the current policy. Such participation is by no means a means of realizing group interests. In a certain sense, it can be called quasi-participation.

Of course, both types are ideal in the sense that in any society, in any political system, there are elements of both. In totalitarian and authoritarian regimes, the mobilization type of participation dominates. In democratic ones, it is autonomous, although there are elements of the mobilization behavior of individuals, for example, in election campaigns, the method of manipulating consciousness is actively used in order to influence the political position of an individual. One of the largest Austrian political scientists, who also taught at Columbia University and Harvard, Joseph Schumpeter argues that "the existence of parties and politicians indicates that the masses of voters are not capable of any other action than panic. They regulate political competition in the same way as the professional associations do. The psychotechnics of party management, its advertising campaign, slogans and marches are not decorations. This is the essence of politics." Let us consider in more detail some types of political participation.

The most common type is electoral behaviour. Its orientation is influenced, first of all, by the identification of a particular voter with a particular social group and (or) party. Psychological closeness to the group limits the range of political orientations and alternatives, making political choices easier.

Protest forms occupy a certain place among the forms of political behavior and participation. Political protest is an open demonstration of a negative attitude towards the political system as a whole, its individual elements, norms, values, and decisions.

Protest forms of behavior include rallies, demonstrations, processions, strikes, pickets, mass and group violent actions. The most common, explaining the causes and mechanisms of protest behavior, is the concept of deprivation. Deprivation - this is the state of dissatisfaction of the subject, arising as a result of a discrepancy between the real (or estimated) and the expected by him (the subject) state. When this discrepancy becomes significant, and discontent becomes widespread, there is a motivation to participate in protest actions. Factors of deprivation can be an economic recession, a sharp increase in taxes and prices, the destruction of standard norms and beliefs, the loss of habitual social status, inflated expectations, negative results of comparing one's own successes with the successes of others or with some "normative" state. An "explosion" of protest behaviors is more likely to occur during the transition from an economic boom to a deep depression, when people begin to compare their new situation with the previous one.

As political practice shows, discontent gives rise to protest primarily among those who have not yet lost hope of "breaking out into the people", who have repeated and reinforced attempts to improve their situation. Thus, protest behavior is more common among people whose situation has relatively improved than among those whose condition remains consistently bad. The activation of various forms of political protest is also possible during periods of economic recovery, when the growth of expectations can significantly outstrip the economic possibilities of satisfying needs.

However, dissatisfaction is an important, but not the only reason for people's protest behavior. Radical ideologies, slogans and symbolic actions, distrust of the political regime, loss of faith in traditional ways of expressing demands contribute to the growth of deprivation and the intensification of protest actions.

Common forms of political protest are rallies, demonstrations, processions, strikes. With a low degree of institutionalization, such actions can lead to riots, violence, and direct clashes with the authorities. That is why in many democratic countries the holding of mass political events is regulated by special laws that provide for a number of necessary measures (the procedure for notifying the authorities about ongoing events or for the organizers to obtain prior permission from the authorities to hold rallies, demonstrations, processions, etc.).

Violent non-conventional types of political behavior and participation include terrorism. The concept of "terrorism" should not be confused with the concept of "terrorist activity", which includes both terror carried out by the state against the people or politicians of other states, assassinations of political competitors, and terrorism itself. Terrorism is understood as the oppositional activities of extremist organizations or individuals, the purpose of which is the systematic or single use of violence. (or his threats) to intimidate the government and the population. A characteristic feature that distinguishes terrorism from criminal offenses is the conduct of such violent actions that can plunge society into a state of shock, get a wide response, and influence the course of political events and decision-making.

There are different types of political terrorism.

• - According to ideological orientations, right-wing (neo-fascist, right-wing authoritarian) and left-wing (revolutionary, anarchist, Trotskyist, etc.) terrorism are distinguished.
• - According to the goals pursued by terrorists, cultural and creative (exciting public consciousness with the help of bloody actions), rational (which is a means of political participation) and ideological (affecting the entire political system as a whole and its norms) terrorism are distinguished.
• - According to the historical orientation, terrorism can be divided into "anarcho-ideological", seeking to disrupt the traditional political system, the world of fathers, interrupt historical continuity, and "national-separatist", seeking, on the contrary, to restore the world of ancestors, the former greatness and unity of the nation, independence and sovereignty, to win back lost territories, to avenge injuries and insults.
• – Religious terrorism is singled out as a separate type.

The methods of terrorism include: assassinations of politicians, kidnappings, threats and blackmail, explosions in public places, seizure of buildings and organizations, hostage-taking, provoking armed clashes, etc. Members of terrorist organizations are characterized by the desire to justify their actions with higher goals, the impossibility of otherwise influencing the situation. However, the motives for the involvement of terrorist organizations are most often completely different.

It would be wrong to explain political terrorism solely by the psychopathological traits of its agents. Surveys of detained terrorists show that there are few persons with psychopathological deviations among them. Terrorists are characterized by such personality traits as overstated claims, failures in mastering social roles, blaming others for their own failures, emotional underdevelopment, an increased degree of aggressiveness, a tendency to stress, fanaticism, and a lack of adaptation to reality.

Adaptation is a peculiar form of acquiring a habit by a person. The acquisition of a habit, I. P. Pavlov emphasized, from a physiological point of view, is nothing more than "the formation in the brain structures of stable neural connections, characterized by increased readiness for functioning and serving as the basis for the formation of behavioral acts", including, apparently, human social activity .

Many terrorists lack the ability to control themselves. The formation of the ability to self-control requires the constant presence of the volitional principle in the behavioral acts of a person. "Self-control, - T. Shibutani believes, - is a complex form of behavior that is associated with the ability to look at oneself "from the side", form, from the point of view of others, a self-image and adapt to their anticipated actions ". It is in a person's ability to self-control that the level of his social development is revealed. The exercise of self-control is designed to keep a person within the framework of social requirements and is associated with the constant overcoming of contradictions between personal desires, preferences and social obligations, moral norms generally accepted in a given society. Thus, self-control is a certain limitation of the personal in favor of the public and is the main condition for improvement, the process of which is correlated with the growth of a sense of responsibility, a sense of duty, etc. An important aspect of self-regulation of behavior is the desire to understand the position of others. Understanding the thoughts and actions of people does not mean reconciliation with their negative manifestations, on the contrary, it creates the conditions for a successful fight against them. We experience many misunderstandings in life only because we do not know how or do not give ourselves the trouble to consciously put ourselves in the place of others. The motivational "iole" of one person, to varying degrees, enters the motivational systems of other people, interacts with them. Therefore, the regulation of the motivation of a person is often mediated by the peculiarities of the motivation of another person. Developing the ability to understand the motivation of others, to take a different, even opposite, point of view not only facilitates communication, but also helps to anticipate people's behavior in a given situation.

In situations of insoluble problems, the struggle of motives, there is a need to rise above them, which helps individuals to increase their life stability in situations of uncertainty and crisis situations.

Participation in terrorist organizations is a kind of way to compensate for low personal self-esteem (due to a sense of dominance over others), a way to overcome feelings of loneliness, the formation of a sense of belonging, collective unity. In essence, a member of a terrorist organization is a radicalized marginal who has rejected the generally accepted norms of culture, creating and mastering the norms of a counterculture, a counterculture of violence.

The growth of terrorism is not directly related to the socio-economic situation in society. Of course, the crisis and the decline in production affect the spread of terrorist behavior, but the "splash" of terrorist acts can be observed in economically prosperous countries. The spread of terrorism is facilitated by the emotional and intellectual mood of society. Thus, the romantic perception of terrorism as a struggle for truth, justice, as a kind of "political Robinhood" serves as moral support for terrorists and contributes to the spread of monstrous crimes. A sharp rejection of terrorism as an exclusively asocial phenomenon is one of the components of success in the fight against it.

The shot at the St. Petersburg mayor F. Trepov, fired on a January morning in 1878 by V. Zasulich, marked the birth of political terrorism in the Russian state.

However, whatever goals may be used to justify political terrorism, it has been and remains one of the heaviest political crimes. Therefore, the problem of combating terrorism is recognized by the international community as one of the priorities.

Political participation is opposed to such a type of political behavior as absenteeism. Absenteeism refers to avoidance of participation in political life.(in voting, election campaigns, protests, activities of parties, interest groups, etc.), loss of interest in politics and political norms, i.e. political apathy. The absentee type of behavior exists in any society, but its growth, as well as the growth in the proportion of apathetic people, indicates a serious crisis in the legitimacy of the political system, its norms and values.

The reasons for absenteeism include the dominance of the norms of the subculture in the personality with the almost complete displacement of the generally accepted norms of culture. As a result, a person perceives the world, which is outside the framework of "his" subculture, as alien and (or) illusory. A high degree of self-interest can also lead to a loss of interest in politics. From the point of view of some political scientists, the ability of an individual to cope with their problems on their own, to defend their interests in private can give rise to a feeling of the uselessness of politics and, conversely, a threat to their own interests from more powerful groups gives rise to a desire to turn to politics as a means of defending and protecting their interests.

At present, the process of socialization is acquiring problematic features, due to the fact that "free" education leads to the fact that a person really becomes uncontrollable and therefore intolerant of society because of his constant desire to disregard others. It is no coincidence that such a person is in continuous conflict with others.

Political apathy can stem from a sense of helplessness in the face of complex problems, distrust of political institutions, a feeling of inability to somehow influence the process of developing and making decisions. Absenteeism may be due to the collapse of group norms, the loss of a person's sense of belonging to any social group, and, consequently, the goals and values ​​of social life, the lack of ideas about the relationship between politics and private life. Absenteeism is more observed among young people, representatives of various subcultures, people with a low level of education.

In modern Russia, the proportion of politically apathetic people in the population is quite large. This is due to the crisis of mass consciousness, the conflict of values, the alienation of the majority of the population from power and distrust of it, political and legal nihilism and the preservation of a stable belief in the "miraculous" coming of a great charismatic leader. The absenteeism of a certain part of Russian society is largely the result of the collapse of the myth about the speedy entry into the circle of highly developed countries and the expectation of an "economic miracle".

The role of absenteeism in modern Russian society is ambiguous. On the one hand, it is absenteeism that is almost the only stabilizing factor in a society in which there are no effective mechanisms for the peaceful resolution of social and political conflicts. On the other hand, there is a danger that, under certain conditions, a sharp transition from absenteeism to radical forms of political behavior is possible.

That is why the problem of involving the majority of the population in politics through institutionalized forms of participation remains relevant in Russia.

• Schmitt K. The concept of the political // Anthology of world political thought. T. 2. M., 1997. S. 296.
• Schumpeter J. Capitalism, socialism and democracy // Anthology of world political thought. M., 1997. S. 232.
• Pavlov I.P. Poly. coll. op. M.; L., 1951. T. 4. S. 428-429.
• Shibutani T. Social Psychology. M., 1969. S. 168.

Political behavior- these are the features of political activity and political participation, the way a person behaves in a particular political event, this is a way of manifesting political participation and political activity.

Factors affecting political behavior:

• individual emotional and psychological qualities a participant in the political process (for example, emotionality, unpredictability, balance, prudence, etc.);
• personal (group) interestь subject or participant in political actions;
• moral principles and values;
• to competence about the assessment of a particular political event, which is manifested in how well the subject or participant controls the situation, understands the essence of what is happening;
• motivation and degree of involvement of the subject in political life. For some, participation in political events is a random episode; for others, politics is a profession; for others, it is a vocation and the meaning of life; for others, it is a way to earn a living.
• Bulk behavior can be driven socio-psychological properties of the crowd, when individual motivation is suppressed and dissolved in the not quite conscious (sometimes spontaneous) actions of the crowd

Types of political behavior:

• "open”, i.e. political action; under political action a part of social action in general is understood; objects of action are distinguished in it, and individuals, large and small social groups, organizations are the subject
• "closed" characterized by a desire to withdraw from participation in political life.
• adaptive behavior- behavior associated with the need to adapt to the objective conditions of political life;
• situational behavior- this is behavior due to a specific situation, when the subject or participant in political action has practically no choice;
• behavior due to political manipulation(by lies, deceit, populist promises, people are “forced” to behave in one way or another);
• forced behavior, caused by coercion to a certain type of behavior. Such methods of influencing behavior are characteristic of totalitarian and authoritarian regimes of power.

FORMS OF POLITICAL BEHAVIOR.

Forms of political behavior in terms of compliance with existing norms:

• lawful conduct- associated with actions and deeds that do not contradict the norms and principles of a given socio-political system, its constitution and other legal acts that regulate relations between an individual and the state, an individual and society;
• deviant behavior- a set of such actions and deeds of a person that do not correspond to the norms (models) of behavior established in a given society. Among them: various offenses of an antisocial, anti-state nature (for example, hooligan behavior at a rally, demonstration, during picketing; desecration of state symbols; unauthorized actions of a political nature, etc.); opposition to the authorities, the implementation of political actions that violate public order, etc. political protest- this is a manifestation of a negative attitude towards the political system as a whole or towards its individual elements, norms, values, political decisions in an openly demonstrated form
• extremist behavior- unauthorized or violent actions against the existing constitutional order, calls for its violent overthrow; aggressive nationalism; political terrorism, etc.

Terrorism belongs to extremist types of political behavior. Political terrorism- systematic or single use of violence with the use of weapons (explosions, arson, organization of disasters, etc.) or the threat of violence that harms people and property in order to create an atmosphere of fear, panic, a sense of anxiety, danger, distrust of power. The main thing is to intimidate the government and the population. Unlike ordinary criminal offenses, political terrorism manifests itself in such political actions that receive a wide public response, capable of shocking the whole society, influencing the course of political events and decision-making.

Forms of political behavior in terms of succession:

• traditional, corresponding to established political ideas, mentality, typical for a given political culture;
• innovative, creating new patterns of political behavior, generating new features of political relations.

Forms of political behavior according to the target orientation:

• toconstructive contributing to the normal functioning of the political system;
• destructive undermining the political order.

Forms of political behavior by the number of participants:

• individual- these are the actions of an individual that have socio-political significance;
• group- associated with the activities of political organizations or a spontaneously formed politically active group of individuals;
• massive- Elections, referendums, rallies, demonstrations.

Forms of participation in the political life of the country:

• belonging to parties and political organizations,
• activities in elected bodies of state power,
• reading periodicals and familiarization with political broadcasts of radio and television,
• appeal to the authorities, as well as to the editorial offices of newspapers, magazines, on radio and television with proposals to improve the existing situation;
• protest forms . political protest- this is a manifestation of a negative attitude towards the political system as a whole or towards its individual elements, norms, values, political decisions in an openly demonstrated form.

Methods for regulating political behavior.

• Legal regulation. The laws contain norms that, in the interests of the security of society and the state, establish restrictions on the use of civil rights and freedoms. For example, the right to gather for rallies, demonstrations, and picketing is limited by an indication that these meetings must be held peacefully, without weapons.
• Approval in society democratic values defining civilized rules of conduct.
• Organization of policy subjects. The presence of organizations whose activities comply with the requirements of the law reduces the role of spontaneous manifestations in political life, makes political behavior more responsible
• political education and dissemination of truthful political information.
• Important the role of political leaders, their norms, the ability to lead followers along the path of compliance with legal, political and moral standards.

The material was prepared by: Melnikova Vera Alexandrovna.

Exist! And how few people know about them. And this is not surprising - after all, this topic is studied exclusively by sociologists and political scientists. But knowledge in this case will not interfere with those who wish to directly participate in the life of the country. So, beginner political scientist, let's study the main forms of political behavior.

general information

Political behavior can take the form of participation, protest and absenteeism. This division exists due to a number of features. As a rule, the use of a certain form of political behavior entails the establishment of a certain status. Participation is by far the most common. But because of dissatisfaction with the current system, a form of protest is gradually gaining popularity.

Alternative forms

It should be noted that different classification systems are used. One has already been given, let's take a look at another one, which implies a division into non-conventional forms. This is necessary in order to have a complete understanding of the subject of the article. First, let's talk about conventional forms of behavior:

1. Absenteeism.
2. Introduction to politics through the media.
3. Discussing political events with acquaintances and friends.
4. Voting in elections and referendums.
5. Campaign work to familiarize the broad masses with a political party or candidate.
6. Persuasion of the population of the need for them to vote (and in some particular way).
7. Participation in meetings and rallies.
8. Appeal and interaction with power structures, as well as their individual representatives.
9. The political activity of the figure (nomination of his own candidacy, work as a member of the leadership of a public organization or party, deputy, minister, and so on).

In addition, there are still non-conventional forms of behavior that are aimed at protesting the current state of affairs. These include:

1. Signing petitions.
2. Physical presence at demonstrations that were not authorized.
3. Participation in the boycott.
4. Refusal to pay taxes to the state treasury.
5. Capture of buildings of state bodies, enterprises, sit-ins.
6. Traffic blocking.
7. Active participation in spontaneous movements.

Now let's talk more specifically about how forms of political behavior differ. Various aspects and features will be considered.

Political participation

So, this is understood as the activity of citizens, which is aimed at shaping and supporting the activities of state and public institutions. It can take the following forms:

1. Support for parties and individual candidates during
2. Voting for people and organizations in elections.
3. Creation and active work in public associations, parties, movements, interest groups.
4. It also includes participation in political actions.

In addition, it can take an open and indirect form. In the first case, it is expressed in participation in referendums, the work of various meetings, committees, and so on, where a person can participate in any stage where decisions need to be made. The second form provides for a specific person to act as a representative of a group of citizens in some body (for example, the State Duma). What can be said about them? It is believed that open forms of political behavior are the manifestation of real democracy in the state. Opponents of this thesis often point to the apathy of citizens, as well as the relatively low level of education. So, the negative side of open forms is considered to be that the opinion of the majority can be quite easily manipulated, creating the necessary situation in the country.

Citizen activity

The most common in the modern world is the so-called electoral behavior. This is understood as the activity of citizens, which is associated with the representation of individual citizens. The nature and activity of electoral behavior can be affected by such factors as a person's social status, education, religiosity, income level, place of residence, and other similar factors. Also, in some countries, the voter registration system, features, and, in addition, the population of the country, leave their mark. If we talk about the mass character, then the trend is such that the most active are the inhabitants of Europe, and the least - the United States. This is due to the fact that in the first, voters have more influence. In addition to the above, you should be aware that participation can be divided into autonomous and mobilized. In the first case, it is implied that citizens act on their own initiative. Mobilized political participation is based on manipulation and coercion.

Protest

In this case, they understand the active expression of their negative attitude towards the established political system. Criticism may be subject to either the whole of it or its individual structures. In real life, protest is expressed as a rally, procession, demonstration, strike, civil disobedience and picketing. With the aggravation of the confrontation, group and even mass violent actions can occur.

Absenteeism

This is the name of the situation when voters evade participation in political life. As a result, the ties between and power are destroyed. This leads to a weakening of the legitimacy of the current political system. The causes of absenteeism are called apathy, indifference to the processes taking place in the country, disappointment in power structures, distrust of institutions. It can also be a form of passive support for protest movements.

Activity

When someone says that democracy is a traditional form of political behavior, the example is not well chosen. This is largely due to the fact that it is used relatively recently and has not yet been able to take root. But if a separate individual can build a strategy of rational actions out of his needs, interests and motives, then he will be able to implement it. In modern society, a person can show his participation by voting in elections, going to rallies and demonstrations. At the same time, if there is a desire, then it is also possible for him to manifest political passivity, when the main body of information simply does not reach him. And the data that a person could get acquainted with is perceived by him with a certain degree of phlegmatism.

What is political behavior like?

From the point of view of continuity, the following forms are distinguished:

1. Traditional. Corresponds to established political ideas or is typical for the given territory.
2. Innovative. It is implied in those cases when new models of political behavior are being created or new features of already existing relations are being created.

From the point of view of the target orientation, the following forms are distinguished:

1. Constructive. This means that the displayed behavior contributes to the maintenance of the normal functioning of the political system that operates in the given territory.
2. Destructive. This means that the political behavior of a person undermines the order established in the given territory.

In addition, you can also focus on the number:

1. individual political behavior. This includes the actions that one person can perform. They must necessarily have a certain social and political significance. An example is a public statement or a practical action.
2. group political behavior. This includes the activities of spontaneously formed groups of people or organizations.
3. Mass political behavior. most numerical forms. These include elections, referendums, demonstrations and rallies.

The last two are characterized by emotional "infection".

Elections

As you can see, there are various forms and types of political behavior. But the most massive are the elections. During their conduct, the electoral behavior of citizens is of the greatest interest to researchers of this process. They are looking for answers to such questions: who is for whom; why; what are the reasons for not participating? In other words, they are engaged in identifying the factors that allowed the existing situation to develop. It should be noted that electoral behavior largely depends on a number of features. Thus, in countries where there is already a long-standing party system, the connections of voters with their representative groups and individuals are quite stable. Every election they vote for "their own". As a rule, they are guided by real results and what the parties want to realize. Moreover, they are selected in such a way that their interests best correspond to the needs of the individual. Although group and individual commitment is also quite wide. In such cases, they give their vote not so much for the idea and program, but for the personality. The above can interact, contradict and sometimes overlap. This leads to the fact that in countries even with the same regimes, different forms of political behavior have developed. Examples in this case are well-known powers like the US and the UK. So, recently 72% of the inhabitants of the United Kingdom came to Brexit. Whereas in the United States, about a third of the population goes to the polls.

Peculiarities

Quite popular among the masses is absenteeism. In order to prevent connivance on the part of citizens, many states take various measures. So, in Greece, voting is mandatory, and if someone ignores this “right”, then he will be hit in the pocket. Others introduce a certain norm (for example, 50% or 30% of the total number of voters) of people who must come to the will in order for it to be considered valid. The mechanism of mass media is also widely used for these purposes. Thanks to the media, you can get information about a particular policy (or party). In addition, they are engaged in agitating citizens to overcome indifference and apathy and go to the polls.

Conclusion

So we have considered the forms of political behavior and their characteristics. The information provided is not enough to fully understand political life, but at the same time, it allows you to create the foundation for the formation of a future successful state. It will be very good if everyone can understand the importance of the voice in achieving the happy prosperity of the country. Considering that we have elections approaching, it is necessary to use at least this opportunity to influence the elected government. At the same time, it is necessary to carefully approach your choice and pay attention to district candidates. After all, in fact, they will represent a certain territory and protect its interests.