Публичные массовые акции протеста: формирование инклюзивного политического института

Abstract

This article analyzes the formation process of a new inclusive political institution, which is represented by public mass protests of a non-violent nature. Such actions, the number of which is constantly increasing, take place in states with both authoritarian and democratic governments, and they have become an institutionalized repertoire of political action under all types of government regimes. The socio-information environment, where social and info-communication processes are closely intertwined as a result of mass use of social networks, blogs and other Internet resources, as well as wide spread of mobile telephony and the mobile Internet, has become not only a favorable setting for preparing, organizing and holding mass protest actions without clear leaders and organizational structures, but also a catalyst for such actions. Ever improving information and communication technologies as well as the nature of social media and other Internet resources increase the inclusiveness of mass protests, expand the circle of their participants, simplify the organization process and improve its efficiency. Under authoritarian regimes, when all traditional institutions and mechanisms to influence the authorities and to publicly express attitude to their decisions and actions are blocked, mass protests provide certain opportunities to put pressure on the government, and also serve as an institutional factor in the transformation of such regimes. Under democratic regimes, when in the face of post-industrial civilizational transit, traditional institutions and mechanisms of political involvement and influence on the current government appear to be insufficiently effective, and there is a dysfunction of democratic political systems due to their delayed adaptation to new conditions, public mass protests act as a new inclusive political institution designed to compensate for the dysfunction.