Abstract: The relevance of the stated topic is due to the fact that the megatrend of the modern era is the modernization of traditional non-Western societies, which, unlike the modernization of Western countries, acquires an inorganic character. At the same time, democratization is declared the most important aspect of the modernization of society as the main prerequisite for dynamic social development. However, modernization processes in the non-Western world often acquire an imitative character, which leads to discrediting the very idea of modernization and weakening its social base. The purpose of this work is to identify the socio–cultural reasons for the emergence of imitation practices in modernizing societies. The theoretical basis of the work is the main provisions of the theory of modernization, as well as the concepts of social imitation presented in the works of A. A. Zinoviev, T. A. Shalyugina, D. E. Furman, etc. The interdisciplinary nature of the work requires a combination of socio-philosophical and cultural approaches to the problem of inorganic modernization of traditional non-Western cultures. Based on the analysis of modern concepts of modernization and imitation, the author proves that imitation is a necessary aspect of society's life, contributing to the development and use of socially useful knowledge, and during periods of modernization it becomes a consequence of asynchronous development of various spheres of the social system, when culture as the most conservative sphere of society does not have time to adapt to the processes occurring in other areas of social life. The desire of elites in the absence of socio-cultural prerequisites for democratic development to accelerate the process of modernization through democratization leads either to a dangerous destabilization of public life, or to imitation of Western European "models". Therefore, in non-Western countries, democratization cannot be the initial stage of modernization, and modernization itself should be gradual, since it should take into account the peculiarities of the culture of a modernizing society, the rhythms and pace of dynamics of various spheres of the socio-cultural system and adjust modernization strategies as the properties of this environment change.

Keywords: inertia of culture, traditional society, asynchrony of development, non-Western cultures, Western type of culture, imitation democracy, simulacrum, social imitation, inorganic modernization, foreign cultural innovations

Abstract: The subject of this research is the analysis of the level of relevant protest sentiments common to youth in the context of stabilization of sociopolitical situation that emerged in the Russian society in 2018. The outburst of rebellious activity of the youth, which took place in 2017, has become resonant, but a short-term trend. The author assumes that the overall stabilization of sociopolitical situation that took place in the Russian society in 2017-2018, could affect the social well-being of the youth and lead to decrease in the actual level of their protest sentiments. Therefore, this article is dedicated to the verification of this hypothesis. The empirical base contains the youth polling conducted in Yekaterinburg in 2018 (N = 13), as well as the secondary analysis of data of the nationwide public opinion surveys. The main conclusion testifies to the fact that a year after protest actions of 2017, the protest sentiments of Russian youth became more moderate, but the potential for its reappearance remains. The overwhelming majority of youth does not expect the new protest actions and excludes their personal involvement into such events. On the other hand, the key feature of those young people, who expects the protest actions in their city yet today and speak of the personal readiness to participate in such actions, is the feeling of moral imperfection, and “inappropriateness” of the society. It is determined that the perception of Russian realities based on similar normative orientations, does not prevail among youth. But the mass distribution of such sentiments will create favorable environment for the new wave of rebellious behavior of the Russian youth.

Keywords: protest activity, protest mobilization, protest potential, protest attitudes, protest sentiments, protest, Russian youth, youth, sociological survey, factor analysis

Abstract: The article is devoted to interpretation of ideas and values of liberal democracy in Russian science, political essays and political nation-building. By analyzing opinioins of Russian political leaders about the essence, problems and prospects of democracy in Russia, the authors of the present article define the reasons and consequences of inevitable distortion of liberal democracy concept in political mentality of Russians and offer ways to overcome such 'chimerization'. According to the authors, simplified evaluations of democratic ideas typical for Russian mentality before the Revolution, are now continued as the 'liberal idolization' in modern Russia. This phenomenon can be viewed asone of the archetypes of the Russian culture of government. Proving the fact of the tradition of democratic idolization in political culture of modern Russia, the authors of the article focus on the content and style of discussing a famous concept 'sovereign democracy' developed by V. Syurkov, in the Russian mass media. Based on the analysis of common indicators of democratic character of a modern state institution, it is concluded that modern Russia cannot be called a true democratic state. 

Keywords: democracy, politica liberalism, democratic process, political culture, political thought in Russia, radicalism, sovereigh democracy, indicators of democratic character of a state inst, civil society, theory of archetypes