Over the recent quarter century the tolerance of Russians has dramatically increased.

MOSCOW, November 28, 2014. Russian Public Opinion Research Center (VCIOM) presents the information describing the changes in the attitudes of Russians toward different deviant groups over the recent 25 years.  

Over the recent twenty-five years the public tolerance index* that shows the public attitudes toward deviant groups has doubled (from 11 to 21 points).

The index** describing the attitudes toward persons born disabled shows the most positive dynamics (22 points in 1989; 79 points in 2014). Earlier the share of Russians who thought it was necessary to support them was 50% (today – 84). The public tolerance index showing the attitudes toward the Aids sufferers was high in 2014 (49 points; 25 points in 1989).

Russians are more tolerant toward vagrants (the index has doubled from 31 to 65 points); toward alcohol addicts (the index is up 23 points; from 41 to 64); and toward prostitutes (the index increased from -24 in 1989 to 1 in 2014). 

Today killers are condemned by most of Russians, though the attitudes are milder than they were during the soviet times (-81 and -69 percentage points, respectively). Earlier 71% of Russians gave the answer “eliminating”; now this share makes up 52%.

The poor are perceived in the same way as it was twenty-five years ago (70 points now; 78 points in 1989). Most of respondents (81%) believe that the poor people need help. The index reflecting the attitudes towards drug addicts has not changed (2 points in 1989; 4 points in 2014). The homosexuality tolerance index is still negative (from -34 in 1989 to -28 points now). Thirty-seven percent of Russians would isolate them from the rest of society (44% of elderly respondents; 33% of young Russians).  

There are two indices that show negative trends. Over the recent twenty-five years the index showing the tolerance toward the mentally ill persons has substantially decreased (from 39 points to 21 points); the attitudes towards dissidents has dramatically deteriorated (decreased from 24 points in 1989  to -30 points in 2014): 40% of Russians would like to isolate them (earlier – 7%).  

*Public tolerance consolidated index shows the attitudes of Russians towards different deviant groups. The index is the arithmetic mean of subscripts; it is measured in percentage points and can vary between -100 and 100. The higher the value of index is, the higher the tolerance toward the deviant group is.

**Public tolerance index shows the attitudes of Russians towards certain social groups. The index is based on the question “In your opinion, what should be done with …?; it is measured in percentage points and can vary between -100 and  100. The higher the value of index is, the higher the tolerance toward the group is.  If the answer is “eliminating”, the coefficient is -1; “isolating from society”- 0.5; “leaving alone” 0.5; “helping them” 1.

The VCIOM opinion poll was conducted on November 15-1629, 2014. 1600 respondents were interviewed in 132 communities in 46 regions of Russia. Data are weighted by gender, age, education, working status and type of settlement.  The margin of error does not exceed 3.5%. 

*** All-Union representative sample,1989; 2753 respondents aged 16 and over

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!