The de-Stalinization course is supported by only 26% of Russians. Others think this program is nothing but verbiage and mythmaking.
MOSCOW, April 27, 2010. Russian Public Opinion Research Center (VCIOM) presents the data concerning how Russians assess the role of Joseph Stalin, and what they think about the de-Stalinization project.
A quarter of Russians (24%) report their families suffered from Stalin`s repressions (27% five years ago). Ten percent of them know about the fate of the repressed relatives; other 14% know only about their prosecution. Almost half of respondents report there were no repressed persons in their families (46%). Other one-quarter (26%) recognize that they know nothing about the impact the repressions have on their relatives` fate. At the same time, the number of those who are not aware has increased over the recent five years (from 23 to 26%); on the contrary, the number of those who know about the repressed relatives has decreased (from 27 to 24%).
More and more Russians consider that the role of Stalin in the national history is rather positive (from 15% to 26%); the number of those who oppose them is decreasing (from 33% to 24% respectively). A relative majority of respondents still believe his role is ambiguous (39%). Elderly respondents (40%) and CPRF supporters (41%) think that Stalin did more good than bad. United Russia party supporters assess his role negatively (28%). Russians aged 35-44 (42%) and Fair Russia party advocates (44%) have equal positive and negative attitudes towards Stalin. Those who positively perceive Stalin are those respondents who do not have repressed relatives (30%); however, those who have repressed relatives also support this stance (28%). At the same time, the latter more often report that Stalin did more bad (32%).
The majority of Russians think de-Stalinization is a myth that has nothing to do with the current problems the country faces and that the de-Stalinization plan will alter historical consciousness (45%). Those who think so are mainly supporters of CPRF (59%) and LDPR (51%) parties, as well as 35-44-year-old (53%) and elderly Russians (50%). On the contrary, more than one-quarter of respondents (26%) tend to think that de-Stalinization is a timely measure and will help Russia to move forward. Those who share this point of view are Fair Russia and United Russia supporters (31 and 34% respectively). Remarkably, that negative attitudes toward de-Stalinization is expressed both by those who do not have repressed relatives (50%) and those who have relatives being prosecuted in the Stalin's times (46%).
The initiative Russian opinion polls were conducted on 16-17 April, 2011. 1600 respondents were interviewed at 138 sampling points in 46 regions of Russia. The margin of errordoes not exceed 3.4%.
Did you have relatives repressed in 1930-40s? (close-ended question, one answer) | ||
| 2006 | 2011 |
Yes, I know a lot about their fate from the stories of my relatives and family archives (letters, photos) | 10 | 10 |
I know that my relatives were repressed but I do not know about the details | 17 | 14 |
None of my relatives were repressed | 47 | 46 |
I do not know if someone from my relatives was repressed or not | 23 | 26 |
Hard to tell | 4 | 4 |
Which one of the following statements is closer to your point of view? (close-ended question, one answer) | |||||||
| Total respondents | Supporters of parties | |||||
CPRF | LDPR | Fair Russia | United Russia | Other parties | I would not take part in elections | ||
De-Stalinization is a myth, empty words, that have nothing to do with the actual problems the country faces; it will lead to the restriction of the freedom of speech, alter historical consciousness and make it one-sided | 45 | 59 | 51 | 39 | 39 | 48 | 50 |
De-Stalinization is a timely measure; Russia will not be able to move forward, develop successfully without recognizing officially the mistakes of the past; and the government should tackle it | 26 | 23 | 19 | 31 | 34 | 38 | 18 |
Hard to tell | 28 | 18 | 30 | 30 | 27 | 14 | 32 |
Which one of the following statements is closer to your point of view? (close-ended question, one answer) | ||||
| Total respondents | Did you have relatives repressed in 1930-40s? | ||
Yes | No | I do not know if there is someone among my relatives who was repressed | ||
De-Stalinization is a myth, empty words, that have nothing to do with the actual problems the country faces; it will lead to the restriction of the freedom of speech, alter historical consciousness and make it one-sided | 45 | 46 | 50 | 39 |
De-Stalinization is a timely measure; Russia will not be able to move forward, develop successfully without recognizing officially the mistakes of the past; and the government should tackle it | 26 | 30 | 24 | 28 |
Hard to tell | 28 | 24 | 26 | 32 |
Assessing the role of Stalin during his reign, did he do more good or bad for the country? (close-ended question, one answer) | |||
| 2007 | January 2011 | April 2011 |
More good | 15 | 23 | 26 |
More bad | 33 | 27 | 24 |
Both good and bad equally | 37 | 38 | 39 |
Hard to tell | 14 | 13 | 12 |
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!