The sense of national unity has strengthened over the recent year.
MOSCOW, November 3, 2017. The Russian Public Opinion Research Center (VCIOM) presents the data of a survey devoted to National Unity Day.
Twelve percent of respondents could remember the exact name of the “Unity Day” holiday (when asked without prompting); 30% say that the holiday generally refers to the unity topic. The awareness level is higher among the youngest respondents (22% of the 18-24-year-olds), persons who have high level of education (21%) and live in metropolitan areas (17%).
Unity Day has won recognition from Russians since it was established in 2005: 36% of Russians say they have some special feeling on this day and think about the past and future of Russia (43% of respondents aged 60 and over; 45% among rural area residents). At the same time, almost half of Russians (48%) perceive this holiday as an ordinary day (60% of Muscovites and St Petersburgians, 59% of the 35-44-year-olds). More than three-quarters of Russians (79%) consider that Unity Day and Russia Day are important holidays.
As the findings of the recent survey suggest, more than half of Russians feel national unity (54% in 2017, compared to 44% in 2016); young respondents aged 18-24 say so more often (63%). Forty percent of Russians oppose that. Those who feel unity cite peaceful coexistence of different nationalities and ethnic groups (18%), specifics of the Russian mentality and culture (10%), people’s unity in hardships (10%), and mutual help (9%). Those who do not feel unity say that people are concerned with their personal interests (23%), have low living standards and social differentiation (19%). Interestingly, some respondents think that multinationality helps to bring peoples together; whereas 12% oppose them saying that it splits them up.
The VCIOM-Sputnik Russian nationwide survey was conducted on October 19-21, 2017. The survey involved 1,800 Russians aged 18 and over, and was carried out using stratified dual-frame random sample based on a complete list of landline and mobile phone numbers operating in Russia. The data were weighted according to selection probability and social and demographic characteristics. The margin of error at a 95% confidence level does not exceed 3.5%. In addition to sampling error, minor changes in question wording and different circumstances arising during the fieldwork can introduce bias into the survey.
The 2008-201 results are based on household surveys.
What is the name of the holiday celebrated in Russia on November 4th? (open-ended question, one answer, %) | ||||||
2008 | 2009 | 2010 | 2011 | 2013 | 2017 | |
Solidarity Day (unity) | 3 | 10 | 9 | 11 | 13 | 13 |
Unity Day | 13 | 16 | 10 | 8 | 15 | 12 |
Russia’s Independence Day | 7 | 4 | 8 | 8 | 5 | 8 |
Day of Russia | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 2 | 5 |
Reconciliation Day/consensus | 5 | 5 | 11 | 8 | 9 | 4 |
Day of Russia’s unity | 7 | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 4 |
Day of Constitution | 1 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 4 |
Day of October Revolution, a substitute for November 7th | 2 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 2 |
Day of the Kazan Icon of the Mother of God | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 1 |
Day of solidarity | 1 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 |
Day of liberation from Polish troops led by Kuzma Minin and Dmitry Pozharsky | 1 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 1 |
Day of unity and consent | 4 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 0 |
Day of unification of peoples (peoples’ solidarity) | 1 | 1 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 0 |
Day of Unity and Reconciliation | 3 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 |
Day of People’s Unity | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 0 |
Other | 2 | 2 | 1 | 6 | 1 | 2 |
I don’t remember/don’t know/hard to tell | 48 | 52 | 50 | 44 | 39 | 43 |
What means Unity Day for you personally…? (closed-ended question, one answer, %) | ||||||||||||
| Total respondents, 2017 | Aged 18-24 | Aged 25-34 | Aged 35-44 | Aged 45-59 | Aged 60 and over | Moscow and St.Petersburg | Million cities | More than 500 ths | 100–500 ths | Less than 100 ths | Rural area |
A holiday when I have some emotional uplift, I think about Russia’s past and future | 36 | 39 | 33 | 29 | 34 | 43 | 25 | 30 | 33 | 36 | 36 | 43 |
Just another day off | 48 | 53 | 55 | 59 | 48 | 33 | 60 | 51 | 50 | 49 | 50 | 40 |
Don’t know | 16 | 8 | 12 | 12 | 18 | 24 | 15 | 19 | 17 | 15 | 14 | 17 |
In your opinion, is it important to mark Unity Day and Russia Day? (closed-ended question, one answer, %) | ||||||||||||
| Total responders, 2017 | Aged 18-24 | Aged 25-34 | Aged 35-44 | Aged 45-59 | Aged 60 and over | Moscow and St.Petersburg | Million cities | More than 500 ths | 100–500 ths | Less than 100 ths | Rural area |
Very important | 38 | 28 | 38 | 37 | 36 | 45 | 31 | 33 | 33 | 37 | 39 | 45 |
Rather important | 41 | 57 | 42 | 42 | 40 | 36 | 45 | 39 | 44 | 42 | 42 | 39 |
Rather not important | 7 | 9 | 10 | 7 | 8 | 4 | 9 | 9 | 13 | 6 | 7 | 5 |
Not at all important | 9 | 6 | 9 | 10 | 12 | 8 | 11 | 11 | 7 | 10 | 10 | 8 |
Don’t know | 5 | 0 | 1 | 4 | 4 | 7 | 4 | 8 | 3 | 5 | 2 | 3 |
In your opinion, is there national unity in Russia today? (closed-ended question, one answer, %) | |||||
| 2012 | 2014 | 2015 | 2016 | 2017 |
Rather yes | 23 | 44 | 54 | 44 | 54 |
Rather not | 56 | 35 | 35 | 44 | 40 |
Don’t know | 21 | 21 | 11 | 12 | 6 |
If you think that there is national unity in Russia, why do you think so? (open-ended question, not more than three answers, % of those who think that there is national unity in Russia) | |
| Total respondents, 2017 |
All ethnicities get along with each other | 18 |
This is part of our mentality, culture | 10 |
Russia is united in hardships | 10 |
People try to help each other | 9 |
People love their country | 4 |
The majority supports one leader and his policies | 3 |
This is due to policies of the president and the government | 3 |
All the people are striving for common goals | 3 |
Holidays | 2 |
People got united due to Crimea’s incorporation | 2 |
There are no wars in the country | 2 |
People participate in mass sports and cultural events all together | 1 |
One can judge that based on recent events | 1 |
Other | 2 |
Don’t know | 41 |
If you think that there is NO national unity in Russia, why do you think so? (open-ended question, not more than three answers, % of those who think that there is no national unity in Russia) | |
| Total respondents, 2017 |
Everyone defends his/her own interests, people think only about themselves | 23 |
People are poor; a big gap between the rich and the poor | 19 |
Multi-ethnic community | 12 |
People got more exasperated | 7 |
No common goal, idea, patriotism | 3 |
Poor education | 2 |
Different religions and cultures | 2 |
Government did its best to split up people | 1 |
Democracy development/ Western influence | 1 |
Too many migrants from the Central Asia | 1 |
No confidence in the present government | 1 |
No leader who could unite people | 1 |
Other | 1 |
Don’t know | 33 |
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!