NEET-youth: protest potential and reality

Abstract

In the article an attempt is made to identify the protest potential of modern NEET-youth and its real practice in concrete actions. Increase of the number of NEET in European countries not only worsens macroeconomic situation, but also rises serious social and political issues. Some of them are the increase in proportion of young people among the unemployed, and therefore its economic inactivity, the deterioration of the human capital of both the young people and the whole nation, the criminalization of the youth environment, the increase in drug and alcohol consumption, and increasing the threat of riots. Prolonged stay of young people in the NEET group dramatically reduces their chances for a high standard of living and income security, they are often haunted by poverty and health problems. Instability (precarity) and volatile social and economic situation of young people in the NEET group increases risk of their participation in various criminal groups and unlawful protest activities. The authors have identified features of the Russian NEETyouth, demonstrating their group participation in protest actions conducted by youth public organizations. In conclusion they mark high protest potential of the NEET and a need to develop specific measures preventing possible destructive activities of that youth.