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Multiplication of Muslims among the population doesn't raise fears at most of the respondents of all three groups.
In conclusion authors of the article come to a conclusion that though Islam is an over ethnic religion, but there is a tendency to creation of ethnic and regional communities seeking to cultivate on the Far East territory traditions, inherent in places of their origin. It is obvious, for example, on Zeya community where most of parishioners are from Ingushetia. Judging by the evolution of Blagoveshchensk community authors also note occurred for the last more than hundred years (as a result of migration and demographic processes) change of its ethnic core - from Tatar to Central Asian and North Caucasian.
Author of the abstract - Elena Dmitrieva
2018.04.003. SAIDA SIRAZHUDINOVA, SURKHAI GALBATSEV. ETHNO-POLITICAL COMPETITION AND CIVIL SOCIETY IN THE SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT OF THE REPUBLIC OF DAGHESTAN // "Vlast," Moscow, 2016, № 2, P. 149-154.
Keywords: ethno-political competition, elite, civil society organizations, sustainable development, the republic of Daghestan.
Saida Sirazhudinova,
PhD(Politics), Doctoral Candidate,
South Russian Institute, Russian Presidential Academy
of National Economy and Public Administration
Surkhai Galbatsev,
Graduate Student,
Department of Political Science and Ethnic Policy, South Russian Institute,
Russian Presidential Academy of National Economy and Public Administration
The authors analyze the problem of the ethnopolitical contest and the structures of civil society of the Republic of Daghestan
which influence it. RD differs by unique variety of ethnic groups living on common territory. High importance of ethnic identity in modern Daghestan society requires inquiry of their interaction in the conditions of cosmopolitan society.
Multiple Daghestan society is imbued by crosslining. Ethnic rivalry is most clearly shown in political, public sphere and in business. Business area is guided by its own "rules of the game" which work privately, forming division according to clannish lines where ethnic factor also plays the role. Rather strong competition in the republic happens in religious sphere - between religious organizations and movements; it is most rigid, complex and politized.
Ethnic and religious elite and organizations are the main public competing actors considerably influencing stability of RD and the North Caucasus in general. They are capable to consolidate or destabilize the Daghestan society.
Two widespread approaches to ethnicity - primordialist and constructivist are specific for the Republic of Daghestan simultaneously. From the point of view of primordializm ethnicity is natural and congenital and is defined by fixed deep initial accession into group and culture and belonging to them. For constructivism ethnicity isn't objective, isn't set as a reality, it is streaming and determined ad hoc. The designed all-Daghestan identity depends on the choice of a person: he or she feels as a representative of ethnos (the first approach), or considers himself "Daghestani" or "Russian." According to the research "Expectations of Daghestan" 51% of respondents identified themselves as "Russian," 43% - as "Daghestan" (having emphasized at the same time - "living in the Russian Federation") and only 5% - as representative of the specific nation.
In the course of competition elites often resort to use of political mobilization of ethnicity (politicization) on the basis of ethnic (and religious) identity. Elite and representatives of civil society structures use the existing dissatisfaction, using discontent of the population. An important role is played by rivalry in the
sphere of identity, competition for resources (territory, influence, the power). Political elites use ethnicity as a pretext to realize own interests and purposes.
In 2015 Research center of global current issues and regional problems "Caucasus. World. Development" in RD carried out a social research "Ethnopolitical Contest in Modern Daghestan." Existence of ethnic competition in the republic is recognized by 81% of respondents, 16% declared about its absence. At the same time 75,6% of respondents consider that the ethnic competition exerts impact on the system of sustainable development of RD, and the lack of this influence was noted by 18,9%. 59,4% of people answered a question of importance of "presence of representatives of their nationality at supreme authorities" that it isn't obligatory, "everything depends on personal qualities;" by 35% of respondents consider presence at supreme authorities of representatives of their nationality important. 10,8% consider such presence desirable. To a question of what nations play the role in political life of the republic, answers were the following: Avars -39,5%, Dargins - 31,4%, all - 21,4%, Kumyks - 3,1%, Laks - 2,2%, etc. This answer shows inequality of nations' representation in power and complexities for advance of talented representatives of small-numbered peoples into political elite. The dominating numerous people compete with each other. Sometimes the following dominating outman peoples - Kumyks, Laks and Lezgians (in Southern Daghestan) join the fight against unequal forces and smaller opportunities. National quoting (representation of all nations in power) is considered necessary by 75,6% of respondents. National quoting is considered not important by 16,2% of respondents, noting that the main thing is internal skills.
In the republic there is a division not only on ethnic grounds, but also within ethnoses; in some areas and villages status class division on the basis of origin still exists: "clear" (high, precious) -descendants of khans and noblemen, "mixed" and "slavish" -descending from Georgian slaves. Such division remained still in private sphere - attention is paid to questions of friendship and
communication, but especially it is factored into marriages. To a question: "Whether you consider correct the division of people by origin?" - answers were divided as follows: "I consider that is important to keep the noble birth" - 10,8%; "these are vestiges of the past which it is necessary and to leave in the past" - 32,4%; "all Muslims and all people are equal" - 27%; "no" - 5,4%; "I don't understand the question" - 9% (more often representatives of those areas where there wasn't similar division).
The ethnopolitical contest is the strongest between Avars and Dargins (the first two nations outman) — consider 72,9%, between Kumyks and Avars (mountaineers) - 22,5%; participation in the ethnopolitical competition of Lezgians, "those who have more levers of power" was also noted, and only the few answered that there is no competition along ethnic lines. Answers to this question showed unequal participation of various Daghestan ethnoses in the power. The most competing there were, according to the answers, Avars (most numerous), then Kumyks and in part -Lezgians. And it is with the presence of several dozens of ethnoses which aren't rather strong to participate in such competition. The current situation in Daghestan is illustrated by the following opinions of respondents: "all of us are Daghestanis, and division into nationalities isn't so important (but I consider it a utopia)" -62,1 %; "there is interethnic consent" - 29,7%; "there is an interethnic competition" - 21,6%.
The problem of the Kumyk people is urgent for the Republic of Daghestan, with its deficit of flat lands. Resettlement of mountaineers to a plain gains momentum so that traditional places of residence of Kumyks are narrowed that generates discontent of the Kumyk intellectuals. Attitude toward "the Kumyk question" was a miscellaneous, and differed depending on competition. Most of the respondents answered that "there is no such problem," also the negative attitude is noted 27% (was expressed by mountaineers and mainly Avars). Also, there were such answers: "the lands of Kumyks can't be taken away," "it is necessary to be sympathetic," "it is a problem which should be solved."
For sustainable development of the Republic of Daghestan this is considered to be important: decrease, eradication and fight against corruption - 19,5%, competition (the ethnic competition) -8,6%, job creation - 7%, tourism development - 5% of respondents. Are also important: peace, lack of terror, comeback to the legal framework, attraction of investments, fair management, competence, confidence in the future, education, work, growth prospects, development of the village, open recruitment, development of agribusiness and industry, transparency of the existing power, presence of professionals in power. In answers ethnic differences were also shown. The number of the respondents who noted influence of the problems connected with ethnic question on sustainable development made 17% ("equal access for all nations of the republic to senior positions according to employment training," "refusal of national division"). Importance of eradication of clannishness and abolishment of clan system was noted by 11%.
Daghestan society differs in highness of solidarity and along with it in ethnic and religious competition to a larger extent. If there is competition prevailing at big groups only, there are no serious ethnic conflicts here. All the conflicts are connected with the conflict of interests - territorial, status, imperious. At the same time because of ethnic solidarity it is noted here an ability of the conflict to outgrow swiftly from domestic in ethnic ones that can influence ethnic stability. Ethnic interests turn into competition of political elite. For prevention of ethnic conflicts there are informal rules legitimized by tradition defining ethnic representation of dominating ethnoses in power in each concrete area. There is "a quote division" between ethnic groups in Khasavyurt and Kizilyurt to avoid fight for repartition of spheres of influence between clans.
Structures of civil society are capable to play an important role in maintaining interethnic stability or, on the contrary, in ethnic destabilization. Institutes of civil society (as traditional structures of public self-organization) have a long history.
The tradition of mutual aid, self-organization for solving local problems developed and was implemented effectively throughout centuries. They solved social problems and were an important mechanism of strife resolution. The institute of senior colleagues and influence of religious leaders continue to be used for solution of interethnic tensions.
The structures of civil society directed to formation of general civil identity and at the same time to maintaining traditions of the people and articulating of their interests are necessary for sustainable development. Conservation of traditions and values is a basic core for preservation of stable development of society. It is necessary a strict observance of ethics by ethnic media and organizations influencing moods of the audience which are capable both to harmonize a situation, and to promote stirring of problems.
Current ethnic competition generates a situation when often a person isn't put in perspective, and through ethnicity prism that is antithetical to the idea of equality and equal time. There is rather strong group (ethnic, clan) solidarity that complicates social elevators, generates tension. At the same time strong point seeks for monopolization of own power, securing of the achievements, uses administrative resources that creates barriers to competition and realization of the principle of equal time. In the republic, authors of article conclude, there is a high ethnic competition which penetrating with the public sphere often has political accent. Therefore it is very important to pay attention to structures of civil society, preservation of effective traditional mechanisms of settlement and prevention of the ethnic conflicts.
Author of the abstract - Valentina Schensnovich
