Freedom of conscience as political tool in 1980th debates
Shirokalova G.S.
Dr. Sci. (Sociol.), Prof., Senior Researcher, Volga Branch of FCTAS RAS, Head of Department, Novgorod State Agricultural Academy, Nizhny Novgorod, Russia shirokalova@list.ru
Shirokalova G.S. Freedom of conscience as political tool in 1980th debates. Sotsiologicheskie issledovaniya [Sociological Studies]. 2015. No 3. P. 89-96
Millennium of Russia’s baptizing amounted to a turning point in changing relations between state, church and society. Religious needs of population turned to political slogans covering other issues. Centrifugal forces needed religion to distract attention from true intents under slogans of democracy, solution of international problems while centripetal forces saw in religion a force for true democratization of society and national unity. Religious hierarchs tried to solve issues of their own. Upperhand took those, who saw in religion an adaptive mechanism under condition of destroyed economy, curbed social guaranties and ideological collapse and a means to manipulate great human masses.