45% of Russians support the initiative to return the statue of Dzerzhinsky to Lubyanka.
MOSCOW, December 5, 2013. Russian Public Opinion Research Center (VCIOM) presents the data describing how well Russians know Felix Dzerzhinsky; how they assess his activity; what their attitudes towards the restoration of the statue of Dzerzhinskly are.
Most of Russians know who Felix Dzerzhinsky was (79%). The share of those who know well who he was famous for is 45%; the same share of respondents assesses his activity in a positive way (46%). Young Russians know him worse; those who know well who he was are elderly respondents (11% of young Russians aged 18-24 and 71% of Russians aged 60 and over know well who he was). The share of elderly respondents assessing his activity positively is 61%, whereas the share of such respondents among 18-24-year-old Russians is 24%. The share of those who express negative attitudes is 17%.
One-third of Russians respect Felix Dzerzhinsky (35%). Every fourth Russian is indifferent (26%). Ten percent have a liking toward him; 5% feel admiration; 7% - trust; 7% - condemnation.
Almost half of respondents (45%) assess the idea to restore the statue of Dzerzhinsky positively. They are mainly supporters of the CPRF (60%), A Just Russia party (49%), and elderly respondents (54%). One-quarter of respondents oppose them (25%). The share of such respondents is bigger among supporters of the LDPR (29%) and 35-44-year-old Russians (29%).
Those who support the idea to restore the monument say that we should remember our history (46%). They also say that Dzerzhinsky was an important public figure (23%), that we should preserve the memory of this person (13%, and that statues should not be dismantled (10%).
Those who oppose them believe that Dzerzhinsky does not deserve it (29%). Some say that the restoration will take lots of money (15%); others say that the restoration is pointless (16%).
The VCIOM opinion poll was conducted on November 24-25, 2013. 1600 respondents were interviewed in 130 communities in 42 regions of Russia. The margin of error does not exceed 3.4%.
Do you know/have you heard about Felix Edmundovich Dzerzhinsky? (closed-ended question, one answer) | ||||||
| Total respondents | Aged 18-24 | 25-34 | 35-44 | 45-59 | 60 and over |
Yes. I know well who he was and what he did | 45 | 11 | 21 | 43 | 59 | 71 |
I heard his name but I can hardly say what he did | 34 | 39 | 50 | 43 | 26 | 19 |
This is the first time I hear about him | 20 | 48 | 27 | 12 | 13 | 9 |
Hard to tell | 1 | 2 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 0 |
How do you assess the activity of Dzerzhinsky? (closed-ended question, one answer) | ||||||
| Total respondents | Aged 18-24 | 25-34 | 35-44 | 45-59 | 60 and over |
Positively | 19 | 9 | 10 | 12 | 21 | 32 |
Rather positively | 27 | 15 | 19 | 29 | 34 | 29 |
Rather negatively | 11 | 9 | 11 | 15 | 12 | 8 |
Negatively | 6 | 3 | 6 | 4 | 8 | 8 |
Hard to tell | 36 | 65 | 54 | 40 | 26 | 23 |
What feelings do you have about him? (closed-ended question, not more than two answers) | |||||||
| Total respondents | A Just Russia party supporters | LDPR supporters | CPRF supporters | United Russia party supporters | Supporters of non-parliament parties | Those who refuse to participate in elections |
Admiration | 5 | 4 | 2 | 8 | 4 | 4 | 6 |
Disappointment | 2 | 2 | 5 | 1 | 2 | 4 | 1 |
Hope | 4 | 6 | 5 | 6 | 4 |
| 2 |
Distrust | 4 | 2 | 2 | 1 | 5 | 16 | 4 |
Likes | 10 | 8 | 13 | 21 | 13 | 4 | 4 |
Respect | 35 | 48 | 36 | 47 | 37 | 20 | 27 |
Antipathy | 4 | 4 | 6 | 3 | 3 | 8 | 5 |
Condemnation | 7 | 10 | 10 | 5 | 6 | 8 | 9 |
Trust | 7 | 6 | 7 | 14 | 6 |
| 5 |
Skepsis | 2 | 4 | 3 | 3 | 2 |
| 3 |
Indifference | 26 | 17 | 23 | 14 | 25 | 32 | 33 |
Hatred | 2 | 4 | 1 | 2 | 1 | 4 | 2 |
Hard to tell | 12 | 8 | 13 | 10 | 12 | 12 | 12 |
There was a monument dedicated to Felix Dzerzhinsky on the Lubyanskaya square in soviet times. In 1991 the monument was dismantled. Today the restoration of this statue is widely discussed. Do you support the initiative to bring the statue back, or not? (closed-ended question, one answer) | |||||||
| Total respondents | A Just Russia party supporters | LDPR supporters | CPRF supporters | United Russia party supporters | Supporters of non-parliament parties | Those who refuse to participate in elections |
Support | 25 | 34 | 25 | 39 | 23 | 17 | 20 |
Rather support | 20 | 15 | 20 | 21 | 23 | 7 | 15 |
Rather not support | 11 | 12 | 13 | 11 | 11 | 13 | 13 |
Do not support | 14 | 1 | 16 | 14 | 12 | 33 | 16 |
Hard to tell | 31 | 37 | 26 | 15 | 31 | 30 | 36 |
If you support the restoration of the monument, can you tell us why? (open-ended question, any number of answers, % of those who support) | |
This is our history; we cannot change our history | 46 |
Prominent figure; important public person | 23 |
The memory about him should be preserved | 13 |
Statues should not be dismantled; this statue would not disturb anyone | 10 |
Other | 1 |
Hard to tell | 12 |
If you do not support the restoration of the monument, can you tell us why? (open-ended question, any number of answers, % of those who do not support) | |
He does not deserve it | 29 |
Restoration will take lots of money | 15 |
No one remember about him | 8 |
There are people who are more important | 4 |
It is senseless | 16 |
Other | 1 |
Hard to tell | 29 |
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!