According to the majority of Russians, the CPSU should not have been banned, and its leaders should not have been removed from office. And the CPSU should not have been brought to court.
MOSCOW, August 24, 2011. Russian Public Opinion Research Center (VCIOM) presents the data describing how Russians assess the decision of Boris Eltsin to ban the Communist Party of the Soviet Union, as well as other possible actions towards members and agents of the KGB.
Today Russians tend to think that the decision of Boris Eltsin to ban the CPSU was rather wrong –47% of respondents think so. Only every forth (26%) approve of this idea. Twenty years ago Russians were divided almost equally – 38% regarded this decision right and the same part of respondents regarded this decision wrong.
The shares of those approving of the CPSU ban are almost equal across all age groups– 26-28% (excepting elderly persons – 21%). The older the respondents are, the more often they condemn this ban; the younger they are, the more often they are hard to evaluate the decision.
The idea to bring the members of the CPSU to court (that could have taken place in the past) are not approved by the majority of Russians. Fifty-two percent of Russians think that was not necessary; only 20% think that such a trial should have taken place. Over the recent twenty years the number of those who approve of the idea has decreased twice – from 36 to 20%. Most of those who support the idea of the trial over the members of the CPSU are aged 45-59 – 25%; they are opposed by mainly elderly respondents (67%).
The idea of a milder punishment, i.e. removal of the CPSU members from office, is more approved by Russians, rather than other measures against the CPSU. Today it is supported by 36% of respondents against the same proportion of those opposed. Twenty years ago this measure seemed to be more reasonable: it was supported by 54% and opposed by 21%. Most of those who was against milder punishment were respondents aged above 60 (47%).
Russians do not believe that life in Russia would have been improved if all the CPSU members and KGB agents were banned to occupy high positions in the 90s. Only 28% of respondents think that in this case the “better life” would have come soon. Thirty-eight percent of Russians believe that this measure would not have changed the situation in the country.
The initiative Russian opinion polls were conducted on August 13-14, 2011. 1600 respondents were interviewed at 138 sampling points in 46 regions of Russia. The margin of error does not exceed 3.4%.
Twenty years ago Boris Eltsin banned the activities of the Communist Party of the Soviet Union. In your opinion, was his decision right or wrong? (close-ended question, one answer) | ||
1992 | 2011 | |
Right | 38 | 26 |
Wrong | 38 | 47 |
Hard to tell | 24 | 28 |
Twenty years ago Boris Eltsin banned the activities of the Communist Party of the Soviet Union. In your opinion, was his decision right or wrong? (close-ended question, one answer) | ||||||
Age | ||||||
Total respondents | Aged 18–24 | Aged 25–34 | Aged 35–44 | Aged 45–59 | Aged 60 and above | |
Right | 26 | 28 | 26 | 27 | 27 | 21 |
Wrong | 47 | 25 | 34 | 45 | 55 | 65 |
Hard to tell | 28 | 47 | 40 | 28 | 18 | 14 |
Do you think that Russia should have brought the leaders of the CPSU to the court or not? | ||
1992 | 2011 | |
Yes | 36 | 20 |
No | 34 | 52 |
Hard to tell | 31 | 29 |
Do you think that Russia should have brought the leaders of the CPSU to the court or not? (close-ended question, one answer) | ||||||
Age | ||||||
Total respondents | Aged 18–24 | Aged 25–34 | Aged 35–44 | Aged 45–59 | Aged 60 and above | |
Yes | 20 | 19 | 16 | 22 | 25 | 14 |
No | 52 | 33 | 44 | 51 | 56 | 67 |
Hard to tell | 29 | 48 | 41 | 27 | 19 | 19 |
Do you agree that all former members of the CPSU should have been removed from office in 1991 or not? (close-ended question, one answer) | ||
1992 | 2011 | |
Yes | 54 | 36 |
No | 21 | 36 |
Hard to tell | 25 | 29 |
There is an opinion that life in Russia would have improved if in early 90s the members of the CPSU and agents of the KGB were banned to occupy high positions in public, economics and mass media sectors. Do you agree with this point of view? (close-ended question, one answer) | ||
2007 | 2011 | |
Rather agree | 31 | 28 |
Rather not agree | 37 | 38 |
Hard to tell | 31 | 35 |
Note: Using materials from the site www.wciom.ru or wciom.com, as well as distributed by VCIOM, the reference to the source (or hyperlink for the electronic media) is obligatory!