Freedom of conscience as political tool in 1980th debates

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

ID of the Article:


For citation:

Shirokalova G.S. Freedom of conscience as political tool in 1980th debates. Sotsiologicheskie issledovaniya [Sociological Studies]. 2015. No 3. P. 89-96




Abstract

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.


Keywords
religiosity; religious diversity; plurality; secularization; religion’s vitality; new “paradigm”
Content No 3, 2015