Youth Political Leadership in Russia: History and Modernity

The article is devoted to the formation of youth political leadership in modern Russia. To identify existing problems in this process, the author analyzes the historical events of the early XIX — late XX centuries, and then considers the current state of this problem. In the course of historical analysis, it was found that in cases where there was no targeted work with the youth on the part of the state, various circles and associations arose among them, the nature of which often had an anti—government character. Intensive work with the younger generation in the Soviet period of Russian history showed qualitative changes, both in the nature of the activities of youth associations, and in the state of mass consciousness of young people. The second part of the article provides the author's definition of political leadership. Based on its main aspects, an analysis of the modern features of the formation of youth political leaders is carried out. Among the problems in this process, the author highlights the little experience of political activity of young politicians, the lack of “platforms” for their communication with young people, as well as the state of the mass consciousness of young people, in which there are practically no clearly formed images of political leaders from among them.