MOSCOW, July 10, 2007 Russian Public Opinion Research Center (VCIOM) presents information concerning how Russians understand the notion of social justice and in what spheres it should primarily be developed.
38% of the respondents find it difficult to define how they understand the notion of "social justice". A large group of the respondents supports the liberal view on the social justice ("social equality, equality of rights, equal protection of the law for everybody") - 19%. The communist view on social justice finds a little fewer supporters: 14% of the respondents think that social justice is when "everybody has equal portions of everything, and there are neither poor, nor reach". Social justice denotes the welfare of people, fair wages and pensions and reasonable costs on dwelling, as 13% of the respondents identify. Still a little more seldom social justice is defined as state support of those in need (6%). 3% of the respondents recall the "socialist principle": "from each according to his ability - to each according to his needs". Another 2% mention that justice for them means free qualitative medicine and education accessible for all. Only 4% of the respondents assume that there can be no social justice as such.
The older the respondents are, the more often social justice is identified as "the welfare of people, fair wages and pensions" (from 9% in the group of the youth of 18-24 years to 17% in the group of 60 years and older). In all other respects the answers of different generations are similar to each other. For the supporters of "United Russia" and LDPR social justice is first of all equality of rights and equal protection of law (21%-22%). For the supporters of KPRF nearly an equal percentage assumes that it means welfare of people, equal protection of law and "everybody has equal portions of everything; there should be neither poor nor rich; just as it used to be during the communist era"(16%-18%). For those supporting "Fair Russia" justice is first of all the welfare of people and "as it is in the era of communism" (21-24%). Respondents, who approve of the political activity of President V. Putin, lay less emphasis on the welfare of people (as the essences of the notion "social justice" - 13%) than those who do not approve of his activity (18%), but those supportin President Putin mention that everybody has equal portions of everything, just as in the case with communism, more frequent, then those who do not approve of his political activity (14% and 9% respectively).
The principles of social justice must be established and developed first of all in the sphere of medical service and education, as 15% and 13% of the respondents respectively assume. 12% of Russians indicate the importance of development of these principles in the sphere of social policy as a whole. Such spheres as pension coverage (8%) remuneration of labor, relations between the employee and the employer (7%); economics (6%); or agriculture; housing; the work of law-enforcement agencies and judicial system; legislation and taxation; policy (1%-3%) were mentioned more rarely. Almost half of respondents (44%) assume that social justice must be developed in all spheres of life in the society.
The supporters of "United Russia" consider the issue of social justice to be especially urgent in the sphere of medical service, in education and social policy (12-15%). The priorities of those voting for LDPR are nearly identical (11-16%). According to the supporters of KPRF, it is mostly important, first of all, in the sphere of medical service (20%), and also in education, pension coverage, and remuneration of labor (12%-15%). The supporters of "Fair Russia" emphasize the value of social justice in the sphere of medical service (31%); education (24%) and pension coverage (19%).
An interesting peculiarity was revealed regarding the different priorities in terms of social justice that the residents the different populated areas, towns and cities of Russia possess. Justice in all spheres of life of the society is what only 29% of capital residents long for; compared to 39-49% of residents of others cities and 51% of those living in villages. For the Muscovites and Petersburgers justice in the sphere of medical service (36% of the respondents living in the capitals; cf.: 15% in average in the country) and education (26%; cf.: 13% in average in the country) is more important.
The All-Russia opinion poll was conducted by VCIOM on June 23-24, 2007. 1599 respondents were interviewed in 153 population areas of 46 regions of Russia. The statistical error does not exceed 3.4%.
There is much talk about social justice these days. What do you think social justice is? (A free-answer question, no more than one response) | |||||
| Total respondents | Political party supporters | |||
"UnifiedRussia" | KPRF | LDPR | "Fair Russia" | ||
social equality, equality of rights, equal protection of law for everybody, protection of rights of the citizens, honesty of social order | 19 | 21 | 17 | 22 | 16 |
everybody has equal portions of everything, everybody is equal, and there are neither poor, nor reach | 14 | 14 | 18 | 11 | 21 |
the welfare of people, fair wages and pensions for common people and reasonable costs on dwelling | 13 | 12 | 16 | 12 | 24 |
State support of the needy social layers (pensioners, physically challenged people, youth and children) | 6 | 5 | 7 | 8 | 9 |
Social commodities according to a person's merits, judging people by their personal qualities, "from each according to his ability - to each according to his needs" | 3 | 4 | 1 | 4 | - |
Free and qualitative medicine service, education accessible for all | 2 | 2 | 5 | 4 | 3 |
Social justice does not exist as such | 4 | 3 | 8 | 5 | 6 |
Other | 1 | 0 |
| 1 | - |
Hard to say | 38 | 39 | 28 | 33 | 21 |
In what social spheres do you think the principles of social justice should primarily be established and developed? (A free-answer question, up to three responses) | ||||||
| Total respondents | Type of Settlement | ||||
Moscow andSt. Petersburg | More than 500 thousand inhabitants | 100-500 thousand inhabitants | Less than 100 thousand inhabitants | Villages | ||
In the sphere of medical service | 15 | 36 | 14 | 18 | 10 | 10 |
In the sphere of education | 13 | 26 | 14 | 16 | 8 | 9 |
In the social sphere, social politics | 12 | 18 | 9 | 15 | 10 | 10 |
In the issues of pension coverage | 8 | 14 | 6 | 10 | 9 | 5 |
In the remuneration of labor, in the relations between the employee and the employer, in creating positions of employment | 7 | 4 | 9 | 6 | 9 | 6 |
In the sphere of economics | 6 | 6 | 8 | 7 | 8 | 4 |
In the sphere of housing | 3 | 4 | 7 | 3 | 1 | 2 |
In the work of law-enforcement agencies and judicial system | 3 | 7 | 3 | 2 | 3 | 1 |
In the sphere of agriculture | 2 | - | 2 | 1 | 1 | 4 |
In the political issues | 2 | 4 | 2 | 2 | 4 | 2 |
In the legislation and taxation | 1 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 0 |
In all social spheres | 44 | 29 | 44 | 46 | 39 | 51 |
Hard to say | 17 | 7 | 13 | 14 | 24 | 19 |
In what social spheres do you think the principles of social justice should primarily be established and developed? (A free-answer question, up to three responses) | |||||
| Total respondents | Political party supporters | |||
"UnifiedRussia" | KPRF | LDPR | "Fair Russia" | ||
In the sphere of medical service | 15 | 14 | 20 | 16 | 31 |
In the sphere of education | 13 | 13 | 15 | 14 | 24 |
In the social sphere, social politics | 12 | 12 | 6 | 11 | 12 |
In the issues of pension coverage | 8 | 6 | 14 | 6 | 19 |
In the remuneration of labor, in the relations between the employee and the employer, in creating positions of employment | 7 | 6 | 12 | 6 | 4 |
In the sphere of economics | 6 | 5 | 9 | 5 | 7 |
In the sphere of housing | 3 | 3 | 3 | 5 | 3 |
In the work of law-enforcement agencies and judicial system | 3 | 3 | 2 | 2 | 3 |
In the sphere of agriculture | 2 | 2 | 1 | 2 | - |
In the political issues | 2 | 2 | - | 3 | 4 |
In the legislation and taxation | 1 | 0 | - | - | 1 |
In all social spheres | 44 | 47 | 38 | 43 | 33 |
Hard to say | 17 | 16 | 17 | 15 | 12 |