MOSCOW, July 12, 2007 Russian Public Opinion Research Center (VCIOM) presents information concerning whether the Russians would want to live in a society based on social equality and whether social equality is attainable at all.

Are people equal at birth? Opinions on this issue were divided into two major practically equal parts. 47% of the respondents assume that people are born equal, and it is their social environment and the society as a whole that actually make them unequal. 49% adhere to the directly opposite point of view: to their mind, people are born unequal, have totally different abilities, talents and starting opportunities. Additionally, Russians who fall into the age group of up to 35 years are rather inclined to support the "liberal" idea of the initial inequality of people (55%-56% against 42%), whereas respondents at the age of 60 years and older rather prefer the "socialist" idea about the initial equality of all people (53% against 40%).

Almost two thirds of Russians, 60%, are inclined to assume that social equality is essentially unattainable, as people possess different opportunities, abilities and talents. Less than one third of the respondents do believe that social equality is attainable (29%). Among those in favor of the latter point of view are the political supporters of "Fair Russia" (24% of the party's voters), "Unified Russia" and LDPR (32%-33% of these parties' electorate) and Communist Party, KPRF (39% of the party's voters).

At the same time two thirds of Russians (63%) would want to live in a society based on the principles of social equality. Considerably fewer respondents (28%) prefer a society of individual freedom to that of equality. Equality dominates over freedom in all age groups, but older the respondents are, the more does equality predominate in their values: if 50% among the young people favor the equality (42% prefer freedom), then in the "60+" group 79% favor equality, whereas no more than 13% prefer freedom.

What type of social equality exactly is being meant? The respondents were presented with four different models to choose from: the egalitarian-communist, the socialist, liberal and the libertarian models. Every fifth respondent dreams of a society where material and spiritual commodities are equally distributed among all the society members, and favors the communist ideas (19%). The socialist model presupposing that a person's prosperity is determined by his/her labor input seems to be more popular, supported by 39% of Russians. A little fewer Russian citizens would want to live in a society of equal opportunities (the liberal model). Lastly, the group dreaming of a society where every individual takes care of him/herself whereas, the state support is only granted to those in need (the libertarian model), is practically insignificant in number.

The older generation of Russians ("60+") is more inclined to support the "communist" approach to settling the issue of equality (33%). The respondents falling to the age group of 25-59 years are more in favor of the socialist principle (40-44%). The preferences of youth (18-24 years), however, were equally divided between the socialist and liberal models (on 37%). Libertarianism is equally unpopular in all age groups.

The All-Russia opinion poll was conducted by VCIOM on June 7-8, 2007. 1599 respondents were interviewed in 153 population areas of 46 regions of Russia. The statistical error does not exceed 3.4%