RUSSIAN MARKET OF POLITICAL TECHNOLOGIES: STAGES OF FORMATION AND PROSPECTS OF DEVELOPMENT

The article is devoted to the history and development of Russian market of political technologies and profession of political consultant, which are treated as a special phenomenon that has influenced and continues to influence the historical destiny of the country. The author identifies seven stages in the history of the development of the domestic political technology market that coincide with the stages of development of statehood and democratic institutions in modern Russia: 1) The emergence of the market. "The political enthusiasm" (1985-1993); 2) Legitimization and mythologizing of political consulting and political technologies in Russia (1993-1996); 3) The "Golden Age" of political technologies in Russia (1996-2000); 4) The stagnation of the market and administration (2000-2004); 5) "Clinical death" of the market for political technologies (2004-2008); 6) The degradation of traditional technologies and the transfer of creative activity in the Internet space (2008-2011); 7) The revival of the market for political technologies (2011-2015). Electoral technologies are directly related to the parameters of the political system in the country as well. The author analyzes the landmark election campaigns since the early 1990s to 2014, sets the pattern of development of political technologies in the Russian reality and gives his own interpretation of the key trends in the organization of modern political process. The author points out that the profession of political consultant / in the field of political technologies in Russia has a broader application than in the so-called developed democracies, and that Russian professionals in this sphere are, as a rule, better qualified. According to the author, the demand for high qualified political technologists will continue to grow, despite the "folding of democratic project", according to some experts.