MOSCOW, April 12, 2010. Russian Public Opinion Research Center (VCIOM) presents the data concerning the significance for Russians of such notions as "order" and "democracy". What is more important for Russia and should we tend to closer relations with Western countries or not?
Russians as before define order as political and economic stability of the country (41%). In a number of the most popular views there are social protection of low-income people (29%), end of power struggle (27%), opportunity for everyone to carry out its rights (25%) and strict observance of laws (24%). Rarer Russians identify order as strict discipline (18%) and involvement of defense and law enforcement agencies in combating crime (7%). In rare instances our fellow-citizens connect this notion with limitation of rights and freedoms and slogan under which a way to dictatorship is opened (by 1%).
Over the last years opinion of Russians about order changed. There is a decrease of respondents who understand order as political and economic stability (from 46% in 2000 to 41% in 2010), end of power struggle (from 32 to 27%) and plunder of the country (from 34 to 25%), strict observance of laws (from 35 to 24%) and involvement of defense and law enforcement agencies in combating crime (from 13 to 7%). On the contrary since 1994 the amount of respondents who see order as social protection of low-income people (from 11 to 29%) and opportunity for everyone to carry out its rights (from 13 to 25%) increased considerably.
In the first place democracy is defined by Russians as freedom of speech, press and religion (44%). Second popular opinion is economic prosperity of the country (28%). Less popular are such versions as strict legality (21%), order and stability (19%), election of authorities (18%), "empty words" (11%) and discretion for everyone (10%). Anarchy, guarantee of minorities' rights (by 6%), subordination of minority to majority (4%) are infrequent interpretations.
In comparison with 2007 the number of those who interpret democracy as freedom of speech, press and religion (from 55 to 44%) and economic prosperity (from 44 to 28%) decreased. On the contrary respondents more often consider democracy to be "empty words" (from 5 to 11%). Over the last 10 years there is a decline in amount of those who see democracy as strict legality (from 31 to 21%) as well as those who understand under democracy order and stability (from 33 to 19%) over the last 4 years.
The majority of Russians arte sure that in Russia order is more important than democracy (72% vs. 16%). Nevertheless in comparison with 2000 this point this opinion became less prevailing (75% for order in 2000). On the contrary there are more respondents who support democracy (from 11 to 16%). Among advocates of order there are supporters of Communist Party and Just Russia (88 and 85%). The percentage of such respondents is higher among elder people (78%), poor educated people (77%) and low-income fellow-citizens (77%). Democratic values are supported young people of by 18-24-years old (23%), well educated and well provided people (21 and 24%).
The initiative Russian opinion poll was conducted on January 9-11, 2010. 1600 respondents were interviewed at 140 sampling points in 42 regions of Russia. The margin of error does not exceed 3.4 %.
In your opinion what is "order"? (close-ended question, up to 2 answers) | |||
| 1994 | 2000 | 2010 |
Political and economic stability of the state | 38 | 46 | 41 |
Social protection of low-income people | 11 | 25 | 29 |
End of power struggle, disintegration of the country | 22 | 32 | 27 |
Opportunity for everyone to carry out its rights | 13 | 16 | 25 |
End of country's plunder | 21 | 34 | 25 |
Strict observance of laws | 32 | 35 | 24 |
Strict discipline | 14 | 21 | 18 |
Involvement of the army, security service in combating crime | 11 | 13 | 7 |
Limitation of democratic rights and freedoms | 1 | 2 | 1 |
Slogan under which a way to dictatorship is opened | 0 | 1 | 1 |
Other | 0 | 1 | 1 |
Hard to tell | 2 | 2 | 4 |
In your opinion what is "democracy"? (close-ended question, up to 2 answers) | ||||
| 2000 | 2006 | 2007 | 2010 |
Freedom of speech, press, religion | 37 | 45 | 55 | 44 |
Economic prosperity of the country | 34 | 28 | 44 | 28 |
Strict legality | 31 | 24 | 23 | 21 |
Order and stability | 31 | 33 | 25 | 19 |
Election of all highest governmental officials | 15 | 30 | 18 | 18 |
Empty words | 10 | 14 | 5 | 11 |
Opportunity to do everything you want | 8 | 9 | 7 | 10 |
Guarantee of minorities' rights | 4 | 7 | 5 | 6 |
Anarchy | 5 | 5 | 3 | 6 |
When minority is subordinate to majority | 5 | 3 | 3 | 4 |
Other | 1 | 0 | 1 | 1 |
Hard to tell | 8 | 5 | 5 | 8 |
What is more important now for Russia? (close-ended question, one answer) | ||||
| 1998 | 1999 | 2000 | 2010 |
Order even if for its achievement it has to break some democratic principles and limit personal freedoms | 69 | 74 | 75 | 72 |
Democracy even if consecutive observance of democratic principles gives some freedom to destructive and criminal groups | 15 | 11 | 13 | 16 |
Hard to tell | 15 | 14 | 13 | 12 |
Note: Using materials from the site www.wciom.ru or www.wciom.com, as well as distributed by VCIOM, the reference to the source (or hyperlink for the electronic media) is obligatory!