Socio-political protest in Russia or «why don't people rebel?»

This article reviews the protests that happened in Russia in 2018-2019. The researcher follows possible reasons for people’s non-participation in the mass public events even when social frustration and un-satisfaction with the level of life in society is present. The author investigates a possibility of a persistent dialogue between the government and society. The analysis is based on reviews of the results of various questionnaires of public opinion, that deal with the eagerness of Russian people to participate in protest actions (so-called protest potential). Mass public protests actions show that the protest potential in Russia is formed and remains high. Factually, we are witnessing the result of a ten-year-long accumulation of the protest spirit under the circumstances of deterioration of the socio-political position of Russian citizens, connected to dysfunctional economical politics and democratic procedures made by the Russian government. The government attempts to increase control after the protest actions of Russian citizens. Two tendencies have formed: a large part of society has started to lean towards political absenteeism and has followed the principle of non-participation, and a smaller part that has taken part in protests has radicalized.