Традиционные ценности гагаузов вчера и сегодня
Traditional Values of Gagauz People in the Past and Present

Summary/Abstract: One of the long-term priorities of ethno-sociological studies has always been the analysis of the state and development of basic values for different nationalities under the influence of different transformational processes. The political, socioeconomic and spiritual crisis that has spread over the territory of the former Soviet Union, and the high level of impoverishment among local people have led to a situation when the adaptation processes have influenced the system of beliefs and the morale of individuals. The structure of social life milestones has also changed. The Gagauz people, known for sticking to their traditional culture, the traditional way of life and moral principles, are of special interest from the point of view of analyzing the influence of radical outside environmental transformations on the spiritual world of the people. Multiple ethno-sociological studies carried out in Gagauzia in different periods among members of different age groups have shown that there have been serious changes in the system of Gagauz life values since the end of 1990s. The studies have uncovered the following: the dynamics in the system of life values and ideals of people; people’s perceptions of the main moral features: a decrease in significance of certain components of value structure and an increase in others; growth in the pragmatism of mass consciousness, of young people in particular, for whom a rational approach and the profit criterion have become more typical while choosing their moral compass. Nevertheless, such basic traditional life values of Gagauz people and key features of their spiritual make-up as family, respect for the parents and diligence are still of great importance and are handed down from generation to generation.

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