Philistine versus rebel in the ideology of radical protest subcultures (on the example of Eduard Limonov's NBP)

The article examines the features of the ideology of modern protest subcultures on the example of the National Bolshevik Party (NBP), founded by E. Limonov in the first half of the 1990s of the 20th century. The research focuses on the collective image of the NBP's creator leader, who has evolved from an outrageous street romantic rebel to an opposition politician, and the characteristic elements of the NBP's ideology. It is noted that the Russian protest subcultures of 1990-2000 deliberately avoided betting on mass character, declaring their elitism. The average person in their perception appeared as a “philistine” - passive, busy with the arrangement of personal life and not capable of effective protest struggle. He was opposed by a “rebel” who managed to rise above the interests of personal life, despising comfort and ready to risk his life for the sake of his ideals. This ideological dichotomy inevitably led the protest movement into isolation. The military-political confrontation between Russia and the West, which has escalated since the beginning of 2022, will inevitably lead to an economic crisis, which will again generate a political demand for protest movements with the rhetoric of defending social justice. This factor actualizes further research on the issue under consideration.