MOSCOW, December 18, 2009. Russian Public Opinion Research Center (VCIOM) presents the data describing how Russians assess Joseph Stalin, his personal and leadership qualities, and whether they think modern Russia is lacking Stalin-type leader.
The positive attitude outweighs negative emotions toward Stalin. Most of Russians are indifferent towards Stalin (28%, in 2001 - 13%). Positive feelings are experienced by 37%: 26% - respect, 8% - likes, 3% - admiration. Negative feelings are experienced by 24%: 13% - dislikes (2001 - 18%), 6% - fear, 5% - disgust (2001 - 16 and 10% respectively). Stalin causes different emotions among representatives of different age groups: elderly citizens often feel respect (35% versus 22% among young Russians) and likes (11% versus 4% respectively). The young generation tends to express indifference toward Stalin (38%).
A majority of Russians (54%) highly appreciates the leadership skills of Joseph Stalin: 30% - above average, 24% - very high (in 2000 - 33%). A quarter of respondents think Stalin had average ability to lead the country (25%, in 2000- 19%). Those with low assessment of Stalin's leadership potential are in the minority: 4% - below average, other 4% - very low. Those who highly appreciate Stalin's leadership qualities are CPRF adherents (37%) and Russians with high level of education (30%). Those who assess him "above average" are mainly LDPR supporters (39%). Adherents of such parties as "Yabloko", "Pravoe Delo", "Patriots of Russia" (35%) and Russians with low level of education (28%) give average assessment.
As to personal qualities of Stalin, assessments of Russians are average - 31% (in 2000- 27%). Nevertheless, 27% assess his personal qualities as positive: 19% - above average, 9% - very high. Twenty-three percent gave low assessment: 14% - below average, 9% - very low (in 2000 - 18 and 12% respectively). Those who highly appreciate Stalin's personal qualities are basically CPRF supporters (40%) and elderly Russians (34%). They are opposed by "Fair Russia" adherents (29%) and 35-59-year-old Russians (26%).
Most of Russians agree with the opinion that Stalin was tyrant guilty of destruction of millions of people (35%), at the same time attributing to him the crucial role in the victory in the World War II (35%). Russians also support the following statements: only such a cruel ruler could have ruled the country in terms of class struggle (15%), we do not know all the truth about Stalin (26%). Russians are not unanimous as to whether Stalin continued Lenin's ideas or, vice versa, misrepresented his ideas (6 and 8% respectively). The proportion of Russians who considers Stalin to be a vise ruler has been increasing over the recent years (from 16% in 1998 to 21%) and simultaneously the proportion of those calling him a cruel tyrant (from 28 to 35%). The percentage of those who agree that Stalin's contribution to the victory over fascist Germany is substantial is also growing (from 31 to 35%).
As before, the majority of Russians do not see any need for modern Russia to have Stalin's type of leader (58%, in 2005 - 52%). The percentage of those who think Russia currently needs such kind of leader has been decreased (from 42 to 29%). Those who are absolutely against such an opinion are "United Russia" party adherents (62%), 18-24-year-old Russians (65%) and Russians with good level of income (64%). Their opponents are CPRF party supporters (58%), elderly residents (39%) and Russians with low level of income (37%).
The initiative Russian opinion polls were conducted on December 5-6, 2009. 1600 respondents were interviewed at 140 sampling points in 42 regions of Russia. The margin of errordoes not exceed 3.4 %.
What is your general attitude toward Joseph Stalin? (close-ended question, one answer) | ||
| 2001 | 2009 |
Indifferent | 13 | 28 |
Respect | 27 | 26 |
Dislikes, irritation | 18 | 13 |
Likes | 7 | 8 |
Fear | 16 | 6 |
Disgust, hatred | 10 | 5 |
Admiration | 4 | 3 |
Hard to tell | 5 | 11 |
How would you assess the leadership qualities of Joseph Stalin to have ruled the country? (close-ended question, one answer) | ||
| 2000 | 2009 |
Very low | 5 | 4 |
Below average | 7 | 4 |
Average | 19 | 25 |
Above average | 28 | 30 |
Very high | 33 | 24 |
Hard to tell | 10 | 12 |
How would you assess the personal qualities of Joseph Stalin (close-ended question, one answer) | ||
| 2000 | 2009 |
Very low | 12 | 9 |
Below average | 18 | 14 |
Average | 27 | 31 |
Above average | 18 | 19 |
Very high | 10 | 8 |
Hard to tell | 16 | 19 |
December 2009 marks 130th anniversary of Joseph Stalin's birth. There has been an ongoing debate over the question how to assess this person and his role in Russian history. Which of the following statements do you most agree? (close-ended question, up to three answers) | |||
| 1998 | 1999 | 2009 |
Stalin was a cruel tyrant guilty of destruction of millions of innocent people | 28 | 29 | 35 |
No matter what vices Stalin had or mistakes he made, the most important thing is that he made our people winner in WWII | 31 | 34 | 35 |
We still do not know all the truth about Stalin and what he did | 28 | 32 | 26 |
Stalin was a wise ruler, who led the USSR to power and prosperity | 16 | 20 | 21 |
Stalin's policy (distraction of military staff, collusion with Hitler) led to the situation when the country was unprepared to the war in 1945. | 16 | 18 | 17 |
Only tough leader could have maintained order in the country in terms of class struggle and external threat | 15 | 22 | 15 |
Our people could never do without leader of Stalin's type; sooner or later we are going to have such type of ruler who will maintain order in the country | 13 | 18 | 11 |
Stalin misrepresented Lenin's ideas; he established a regime far from being a true socialism | 11 | 9 | 8 |
Stalin continued what Lenin did with other revolutionists and Bolsheviks | 6 | 7 | 6 |
Stalin is strongly disapproved by those who do not serve the interests of Russian people and our country | 3 | 5 | 4 |
Hard to tell | 9 | 7 | 6 |
Some people think that modern Russia needs a leader like Stalin. Do you agree with that or not? (close-ended question, one answer) | ||
| 2005 | 2009 |
Definitely agree | 19 | 9 |
Rather agree | 23 | 20 |
Rather not agree | 27 | 26 |
Definitely disagree | 25 | 32 |
Hard to tell | 7 | 13 |
Note: Using materials from the site www.wciom.ru or www.wciom.com, as well as distributed by VCIOM, the reference to the source (or hyperlink for the electronic media) is obligatory!