Results of our studies

MOSCOWMay, 11, 2007. Russian Public Opinion Research Center (VCIOM) submits information about how Russians estimated their lives and personal future, as well as economic and political circumstances of the state and general trend of state development in April, 2007.

Level of satisfaction with own life in April remains basically the same as one year ago. The comparative majority (42 %) shows ‘average' estimations: the life partly satisfies them, partly it does not. 23 % of respondents perceive their life most somewhat positively (it generally satisfies them). And just as much respondents perceive their lives somewhat negatively. In April of the last year ‘somewhat negative' responses were given a little bit more often than ‘somewhat positive' ones (20 %,-25 %). Meanwhile, one year ago ‘very satisfied'/'very dissatisfied' responses were divided equally (6 %,-6 %). But now ‘very negative' responses are given a little bit more often than ‘very positive' ones (4 %,-8 %).

The expectations of what is life going to be like in a year, are ‘somewhat optimistic' in the same amount as in April, 2006. The part of the respondents who are not predicting any essential change of their lives is equal 43 %. The part of optimists (believing, that they will live better) makes 29 % (in April, 2006 there were 30 %). The part of the pessimists expecting deterioration of a life is 3 % (one year ago there were 12 %). 15 % of the interviewed are in difficulty to answer.

Estimations of an economic situation in the country for a year have noticeably improved, though the percent of positive responses has almost remained the same as the previous (there were 12 %, there now 14 %). Meanwhile the part of neutral responses has increased from 52 % up to 59 %, and the part of negative ones declined from 31 % up to 22 %.

Estimations of a political situation in the country have improved as well. One year ago positive responses were less popular than negative (14 %,-23 %), but in April the amounts of positive and negative responses were equal (17 %,-16 %). The most typical responses are neutral ones (55-57 %).

Estimations of the state development's general trend confirm general positive tendency. Parts of positive and negative responses were equal last year (+25%, -25%), but in April, 2007 positive estimations are presented more often than negative ones (+28%, -21%). The most popular opinion is that the country is going partly in a right way and partly in a wrong one (43-45%).

Respondents' estimations of their own lives have remained almost the same as those of a year ago. The future is being seen more optimistically than the present time. Political circumstances are estimated more positive than economic ones (just as it was a year ago). Perceiving of economic and political circumstances has improved significantly. The general trend of country's development has been estimated somewhat more optimistically as well.

All-Russia opinion polls were conducted by VCIOM in April, 15-16, 2006 and in April, 28-29, 2007. 1600 respondents were interviewed in 153 population centers of 46 regions of Russia. The statistical error does not exceed 3.4%

stimating in general, how much are you satisfied with your present life?

 

April 2006

April 2007

Very satisfied

6

4

Somewhat satisfied

20

23

Partly satisfied, partly dissatisfied

43

42

Somewhat dissatisfied

25

23

Very dissatisfied

6

8

Difficult to answer

0

1

Index (positive estimations+average estimations-negative estimations)

38

38

Do you think you (your family) will be living better in a year?

 

April 2006

April 2007

Much better

5

3

Somewhat better

25

26

The same

43

43

Somewhat worse

10

11

Much worse

2

2

Difficult to answer

15

15

Index

61

59

How would you generally describe present economic situation in Russia?

 

April 2006

April 2007

Very good

1

1

Fairly good

11

13

Average

52

59

Fairly bad

27

20

Very bad

4

2

Difficult to answer

5

5

Index

33

51

How would you generally describe present political situation in Russia?

 

April 2006

April 2007

Very good

2

1

Fairly good

12

16

Average

55

57

Fairly bad

20

14

Very bad

3

2

Difficult to answer

8

10

Index

46

58

Do you agree that the country is developing in the right way?

 

April 2006

April 2007

Strongly agree

4

3

Somewhat agree

21

25

Partly agree, partly disagree

45

43

Somewhat disagree

19

15

Strongly disagree

6

6

Difficult to answer

5

7

Index

45

50

 

Public mood indexes (difference of non-negative and negative estimations)

 

April 2006

April 2007

Estimating in general, how much are you satisfied with your present life?

38

38

Do you think you (your family) will be living better in a year?

61

59

How would you generally describe present economic situation in Russia?

33

51

How would you generally describe present political situation in Russia?

46

58

Do you agree that the country is developing in the right way?

45

50

 

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