Consolidation of rural municipal communities as a problem of mass consciousness of the population

Federal State Autonomous Educational Institution of Higher Education “Belgorod State National Research University”, st. Victory, 85, Belgorod Russia, 308015

^* Corresponding author: Pshenichnaya@bsu.edu.ru

Abstract

The article discusses the issues of consolidation of rural communities, which is one of the most important conditions for the successful development of the village. Based on the study of various theories of solidarity, the article analyzes the value, projective, cognitive, practical aspects of the perception by the mass consciousness of villagers of the idea of consolidating society in the countryside. The empirical basis of the article was the results of a sociological study “Features of the processes of consolidation of rural municipal communities”, which was conducted by the Department of Social Technologies and Public Service of the National Research University “BelSU” in 2020 among the rural population of the municipal districts of the Belgorod region. The data obtained in the course of the study allow us to assert that, although subjectively, rural residents have a predisposition to perceive the idea of consolidation, and it has undoubted attractiveness, the research participants realistically and pragmatically assess the possibilities of the practical implementation of this process, which will undoubtedly act as a significant demotivator in the event of initiating a consolidation strategy in a particular region. Thus, the complexity of the consolidation process and its uncertainty are emphasized.