Experts explained the role of the family as the basis of Russian civilization

The Expert Institute for Social Research (EISRI), one of the key analytical centers of the presidential administration, held a round table on Thursday “Family values ​​and the value of the family.” Its participants explained that family is not just a key value for Russian society and government, but also the basis of our civilization. We are, of course, only talking about the family as “a union of a man and a woman,” the experts clarified, citing the results of sociological surveys to confirm their words. True, judging by the same surveys, love for Russians is now not at all the key factor for starting a family.

As Kommersant previously reported, the “ideological framework” of the 2024 presidential campaign may include the theme of traditional values ​​and family, along with the theme of Russia as a unique civilization, as one of the key elements. And the moderator of the EISI round table, Firdus Aliyev, connected these two concepts from the very beginning: “Attention to the state of the family in Russia is becoming one of the ideological lines of the state. We view our country as a unique civilization. And the traditional Russian family is the basis of our civilization. Using the example of the family today, we can see the differences between Western and traditional Russian ethical systems.” Now the institution of family is being tested for strength all over the world, Mr. Aliyev noted. “Serious external and internal challenges that have arisen before the country require a return to traditional values. It is almost impossible to do this without relying on the family,” the political scientist concluded.

Speaking next, Sergei Kolyada, Director of Communications of the ANO “Russia – the Land of Opportunities” (RSV), spoke about how his organization helps strengthen family values. RSV is responsible for holding various personnel competitions, and is currently working on the “It’s Our Family” competition. Representatives of at least three generations of the same family will complete various tasks together either remotely or in person, and in 2024 the final will be held, all participants of which will receive a joint trip around Russia as a reward, and 30 winners will receive 5 million rubles each. to improve living conditions.

“For children and young people, this is an opportunity to get to know their parents from a new perspective, find a lot in common with them and become closer to each other, and for parents – to immerse themselves in the world of modern teenagers,” explained Mr. Kolyada. He also cited the results of a survey that RSV conducted together with the sociological agency Weber (a project of the ANO Dialogue and the ANO Dialogue Regions). It revealed that among the main life values ​​of Russians, family is in third place (89%) after health (94%) and safety (93%), but before stability (88%), freedom and financial situation (86%). Family values ​​themselves, according to respondents, consist of the health of relatives (94%), mutual understanding and respect for each other (93%), happiness and harmony (91%), fidelity (89%), well-being and prosperity (89%) and love (87%).

VTsIOM representative Mikhail Mamonov also argued for the importance of family for Russian society. He was especially pleased that for the Russian authorities, family has become a key value in recent years, because this fully corresponds to the findings of VTsIOM, according to which creating a happy family and raising children are in second place in the list of values ​​(55%), right after health (58%). An ideal family, according to 66% of respondents, is based on mutual understanding, mutual respect and care for each other. But only 20% of respondents agree that an ideal family is a family “where there is love.”

The head of the Kirov region, Alexander Sokolov, who participated in the discussion via video conference, emphasized that the family is “the cornerstone in the understanding of our homeland.” Moreover, what is meant is “the union of a man and a woman,” as Mr. Sokolov added as a true statesman, and it is precisely in this formulation that it is an important feature of Russian civilization. “In the Kirov region, we have chosen the family as the main criterion for the success of the region’s development. We are developing infrastructure, building housing so that residents of the region can stay here, start families, and raise children. Everything is being built around this in our region,” the governor assured.

Director of the Institute for the Study of Childhood, Family and Education, member of the Public Chamber of the Russian Federation Natalya Agre also shared the results of a study that her organization conducted among 100 thousand children from 14 to 18 years old, 100 thousand parents and 50 thousand teachers. According to these data, only 50% of respondents are ready to get married, and 26% of “children” have not thought about having children at all. “This is very low relative to the tasks that we face,” Ms. Agre complained, but said that she was working to solve the problem, including with the help of a special guide “Educators on Education.” In her opinion, even first-graders should already know that they will be mothers and fathers.

“The new Western “normal” is not for the residents of Russia. That is why the topic of preserving traditions and protecting family values ​​has become especially important for Russians. People themselves realized this, and today this is already a clearly formed demand. A request that was heard and supported by the president,” added Natalya Lindigrin, director of the Institute of Regional Problems.

Finally, clinical psychologist Oksana Aleksandrova supported the theses with anthropological arguments. She remembered how the American anthropologist Margaret Mead called a fused femur the beginning of civilization, because this was only possible if someone helped the person. “Many anthropologists believe that at this moment the family was born. Our modern anthropologist Stanislav Drobyshevsky already believes that these mechanisms of family cohesion and family support have become a survival mechanism,” explained Mrs. Alexandrova.

Toward the end of the discussion, Firdus Aliyev added, in his own words, a “political aspect.” He recalled how President Vladimir Putin, in his address to parliament 2020, said that supporting the family is always an appeal to the future. “All those events, all those changes and the fact that we have entered the era of covid and confrontation… All this suggests that it is the family, precisely its values, precisely the fact that we are all adherents of precisely this approach… is for us with absolute truth, absolute value, and we are ready, if necessary, to fight and fight and prove for them,” the moderator solemnly concluded the discussion.

The only fly in the family ointment was the fact that, judging by the figures released at the round table, the concept of love in the minds of Russians is not so strongly connected with family. Thus, according to VTsIOM, only 57% of respondents believe that love is absolutely necessary to create a family. And according to Natalia Agre, the “question of love” as a factor in creating a family gained only 30% among young people and was in third place.

Andrey Vinokurov