Results of our studies

IN BRIEF

Civil identity of Russians is strengthening on the tide of the patriotism.

MOSCOW, March 19, 2014. Russian Public Opinion Research Center (VCIOM) presents the data about whether Russians consider themselves patriots.

Two-thirds of Russians (63%) give the answer “I am a citizen of Russia”; remarkably, ten years ago the share of respondents who gave such answers was the same (60%). Similar answer was expressed in 2008 (70%), when this stance was less popular among respondents (48% в 2009 г.).

One-quarter of respondents (24%) identify themselves with residents of their region, city or rural area. One in five (21%) respondents call themselves simply human beings. National self-identification is important for 20% of respondents. Fourteen percent of respondents still regard themselves as Soviet people. Other 12% opt for family roles; less people (6%) identify themselves with their professional status.

Most of Russians (81%) call themselves patriots. They are mainly Muscovites and St.Petersburgians (84%), having higher education diplomas (84%), rather than residents of middle cities (76%) with low level of education (67%).  Only 15% of Russians have no patriotic feelings.

The VCIOM opinion poll was conducted on March 8-9, 2014. 1600 respondents were interviewed in 130 communities in 42 regions of Russia. Data are weighted by gender, age, education, working status and type of settlement. The margin of error does not exceed 3.4%.

 

How would you answer to the question “Who am I?”

(close-ended question, not more than three answers)

 

2005

2006

2007

2008

2009

2010

2011

2014

Russian citizen

60

59

58

70

48

58

55

63

Resident of myregion, city, rural rea (resident of Siberia, Moscow or Nizhny Novgorod et cet.)

19

16

16

22

12

19

18

24

Simply human

29

24

27

26

32

30

30

21

Nationality (Russian, Ukrainian et cet.)

16

16

20

18

18

18

19

20

Soviet man

14

13

9

12

8

15

14

14

Family role (father, mother, grandmother et et) 

7

8

8

13

10

17

11

12

Profession, employment (teacher, entrepreneur et cet.)

6

4

6

7

7

7

7

6

Religious beliefs (Orthodox Christian, Muslim et cet.)

4

3

2

4

4

5

4

5

Citizen of the world

4

3

2

4

3

6

5

3

European

2

2

1

1

1

2

1

2

Other

<1

1

2

1

3

1

2

<1

Don`t know

<1

1

1

1

2

1

2

<1

Do you see yourself as a patriot? (close-ended question, one answer)

 

2013

2014

Definitely yes

37

40

Rather yes

44

41

Rather no

12

13

Definitely no

2

2

Don`t know

5

4

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!

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