MOSCOW, November 6, 2007 Facing another anniversary of October revolution Russian Public Opinion Research Center (VCIOM) presents information concerning how Russians evaluate this event and whether they expect any new revolutionary disturbances.

October revolution continues to be perceived by a significant part of the population of our country (48%) rather as a positive historic event, though during the last five years this estimation has faded away a little. Now only 22% of respondents estimate October revolution of 1917 as an event which "has started a new era in the history of the Russian people and of the whole world" whereas only two years ago 32% of respondents adhered to this opinion. Another 26% of Russians (28% did two years ago) consider, that revolution "has given an impulse to the social and economic development of Russia".

The number of people negatively estimating the events of October 1917 remained practically unchanged during the last years (28% in 2007 and 29% in 2002). 17% of respondents assume that, "October has put the brakes on the social and economic development of the peoples of Russia", and 11% call it "a catastrophe".

Thus, the number of respondents who positively perceive October 1917 practically twice exceeds the share of respondents estimating it negatively (48% and 28% respectively). The share of supporters of the revolution is decreasing, but the share of its opponents does not grow. The attitude to October is becoming more indifferent, estranged. Thus, twice for five years the share of those who cannot provide an adequate answer as to their attitude to this event has grown from 12 up to 25%.

It would, however, be incorrect to state that the ideals of October are only supported by older people. Almost half of those who estimate its value positively are Russians in the age of 18 to 59 years. In many respects a positive estimation like that can be explained by disappointment caused by the pseudo-democratic nineties, and a turn to the left in values, i.e. to ideals of social justice connected with this disappointment. It is not by chance that 45% of respondents identify that the revolution became a natural consequence of the difficult situation the people were in. The authorities' inconsistency occupies the second place in a rating of what caused the revolution (23% of Russians). Only the few see in the events of October "extremism of political adventurists" (7%), those who believe in the "plot against the Russian people" are still less numerous (5%). 4% of Russians write off the events that took place ninety years ago on to a spontaneous aggression of the uncontrollable crowd.

Concerning the conflicting parties of the revolution and the Civil war the sympathy of Russians still remains mainly with the "red" side even though the number of their supporters has reduced twofold during the last 5 years: from 42% down to 22%. 22% of Russians express their willingness to more or less support the Bolsheviks, and only 6% would fight on the side of the "white". Active supporters of Bolsheviks most of all numerous among the senior generation.

The time of revolutions in our country has passed a long time ago, and in spite of the fact that part of Russians still today are willing to support the slogans and ideas of struggle for social justice, October for the people is rather a tragic period in the Russian history. Peace and stability are more attractive than shocks and disturbances, and dearer, than any wars and revolutions. The majority of respondents, therefore, assume that due to this circumstance a recurrence of events of the "Great October era in this or that form does not seem to be too probable. Therefore, at the current moment the majority of Russians (57%) considers a new revolution in Russia little probable or absolutely improbable and only 25% of Russians believe, that a new revolution in our country is to some extent possible. Thus, a tendency can be observed for last two years in our country that the share of those who excludes an opportunity of a new revolution is growing (from 49% up to 57%), whereas the quantity of those not excluding the possibility that there might occur a revolutionary situation in the modern Russia has decreased nearly twofold (from 42% to 25%). The share of those who considers a new revolution quite probable is at its highest among the supporters of the Communist Party of the Russian Federation (47%) and LDPR (28%), and also among Russians of 45 years are more (27%).

The All-Russia opinion poll was conducted by VCIOM in October 27-28, 2007. 1600 respondents were interviewed in 153 population areas of 46 regions of Russia. The statistical error does not exceed 3.4%.