Going Public

Abstract

This chapter investigates the political orientations and career aspirations of students who intend to join the state sector in Russia, using original survey data from three elite Russian universities. The analysis focuses on whether and how Russia’s future public servants differ from others in their views of the importance of political freedom, order, national security, and strong economic performance. It finds that Russian youth aspire to work for an autocratic state not because they favor autocratic values nor because they hope to build more democratic institutions. Rather, their preference is based on access to recruitment channels: universities with strong alumni networks in the state apparatus or a parent working in the public sector. These findings suggest that public sector workers’ attitudes are similar to those of others at the start of their careers. Over time, however, public servants’ political attitudes diverge, suggesting that Russia’s large public sector also plays a vital role in securing regime support.