Results of our studies

IN BRIEF

Loving your country is patriotic. What is non-patriotic is to avoid conscription, refuse to pay taxes and not to know national symbols.   

MOSCOW, June 10, 2010. Russian Public Opinion Research Center (VCIOM) presents the data what it means for Russians to be a patriot, and what the true patriotism is.  

For most of Russians being a patriot means loving your country; the number of such respondents has been increased over the recent two years (71%). Less Russians believe that patriotism refer to protection of your country against any attacks and accusation (27%), work for the country good and desire to improve the situation in the country (26% per each group). Nineteen percent of Russians think that to be a patriot means considering your country to be better than others, 18% - speaking the truth about your country. Those who think that commitment to country deals with ignoring its disadvantages are in the minority (5%).

Over the recent two years more Russians define patriotism as love to your home country (from 65 to 71%) and view that your country is better than others (from 16 to 19%). On the contrary, less Russians believe that being patriotic means trying to improve the situation in your country (from 36 to 26%) and work for country`s good (from 34 to 26%).

Most popular view about patriotism among 18-24-year-old respondents  is that it refers to loving your home country (75%) and thinking that your country is better than other countries (23%); 35-44-year-old respondents tend to say that patriotism imply the desire to improve the situation in the country  (32%) and work for your country (32%).

Over the recent year Russians have got more tolerant to actions and situations that can be qualified as non-patriotic. Increasingly, Russians are tolerant to working for a foreign company (from 59% in 2008 to 66% now), and foreign marriages (form 47 to 54% respectively), immigration (from 50 to 56%), and refusal to vote (from 36 to 41%). Some actions are viewed as unacceptable in any circumstances, but to a lesser extent than before, such as refusal to pay taxes (from 65 to 57%). More Russians think that those who do not know national symbols (from 48% in 2006 to 60% now) and avoid conscription (from 39 to 50%) cannot be excused.

The initiative Russian opinion polls were conducted on June 2-3, 2010. 1600 respondents were interviewed at 140 sampling points in 42 regions of Russia. The margin of error doesnot exceed 3.4 %.

What does it mean for you to be a patriot? (close-ended question, not more than  two answers)

 

2000

2005

2006

2008

2010

To love your home country

59

67

69

65

71

To protect your country against  any attacks and accusation

25

27

27

26

27

Work and act for country's good

35

32

29

34

26

Trying to improve the situation in the country to provide a better future for the children

24

30

29

36

26

To think that your country is better than any other

17

16

13

16

19

To tell the truth about your country no matter what the truth is

12

18

17

17

18

To think that your country has no disadvantages to live in

4

4

5

3

5

Other

3

1

1

1

1

Hard to tell

9

3

4

1

2

What is your attitude to the following actions/situations? 
(close-ended question, one answer per each position)

 

2005

2006

2008

2010

CHANGE OF PERMANENT RESIDENCE

 

 

 

 

This is normal

24

33

26

30

 Sometimes it is acceptable

26

29

24

26

 It is not acceptable anyway

14

16

15

22

 I do not care

34

21

31

18

Hard to tell

2

1

5

3

 REFUSAL TO PAY TAXES

 

 

 

 

This is normal

6

6

5

7

 Sometimes it is acceptable

23

23

15

18

 It is not acceptable anyway

51

52

65

57

 I do not care

16

14

10

12

Hard to tell

5

4

6

6

REFUSAL TO VOTE

 

 

 

 

This is normal

14

12

12

14

 Sometimes it is acceptable

29

30

24

27

 It is not acceptable anyway

21

27

34

32

 I do not care

34

29

26

23

Hard to tell

2

2

5

4

NOT KNOWING NATIONAL SYMBOLS (COAT OF ARMS, NATIONAL ANTHEM AND FLAG)

 

 

 

 

This is normal

6

6

4

5

 Sometimes it is acceptable

23

26

18

19

 It is not acceptable anyway

50

48

59

60

 I do not care

18

16

11

11

Hard to tell

3

4

8

5

AVOIDING CONSCRIPTION

 

 

 

 

This is normal

8

9

6

8

 Sometimes it is acceptable

31

31

26

25

 It is not acceptable anyway

41

39

50

50

 I do not care

17

18

12

12

Hard to tell

4

3

6

5

FOREIGN MARRIAGES

 

 

 

 

This is normal

22

31

28

32

 Sometimes it is acceptable

19

21

19

22

 It is not acceptable anyway

10

9

11

16

 I do not care

47

36

36

25

Hard to tell

3

2

6

4

WORK FOR A FOREIGN COMPANY

 

 

 

 

This is normal

-

47

41

45

 Sometimes it is acceptable

-

16

18

21

 It is not acceptable anyway

-

6

6

9

 I do not care

-

29

31

20

Hard to tell

-

3

5

5

 

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