Results of our studies

IN BRIEF

47% of Russians are proud of national history. And only 6% of them point out willingness to work and ability to manage.

MOSCOWAugust 19, 2010. Russian Public Opinion Research Center (VCIOM) presents the information concerning what Russians are proud of.

The main thing that makes Russians be proud of their country is mainly historical past (47%). Besides that, Russians are proud of the place they were born and growing (32%), area they are living (30%). Less mentioned answers were as follows: great people (22%), Russian nature (21%), state (19%), literature and art (17%), military capacity (16%), nation`s spiritual capacity (15%). Thirteen percent of Russians mention Russian language, 12% - songs, holidays and traditions, 11% - sports achievements, 10% - ancestors` memory, 9% (for each) - religion and national symbols. Those who reported willingness to work and ability to manage are in the minority (6%).  

Compared to the previous year, fewer Russians are proud of Russia`s territory (from 37 to 30%), great people (from 27 to 22%), nation`s spiritual capacity (from 21 to 15%), songs, holidays and traditions (form 17 to 12%), sports achievements (from 16 to 11%), memory of ancestors (from 14 to 10%), religion (from 12 to 9%), nation`s willingness to work (from 11 to 6%).

The higher the level of education is, the more often Russians are proud of Russia` historical past (42% of those with low level of education versus 50% of those with high level), great people of Russia (17% versus 30% respectively), literature and art (4 versus 20%), and nation`s spiritual capacity (12 versus 19%).   Respondents with low level of education tend to be proud of songs, holidays and traditions (16 versus 11%).

The initiative Russian opinion polls were conducted on June 5-6, 2010. 1600 respondents were interviewed at 140 sampling points in 42 regions of Russia. The margin of error does not exceed 3.4%.

What makes you be proud of your country? (close-ended question, not more than four answers)

 

2006

2007

2008

2009

2010

Past and history

57

48

48

48

47

Place of birth and growth

33

35

30

34

32

Our land and territory we are living

35

35

35

37

30

Great people of Russia

23

24

26

27

22

Nature

28

29

22

22

21

State

18

23

22

21

19

Literature and art

18

14

16

19

17

Military capacity

10

12

16

17

16

Nation`s spiritual capacity

17

14

18

21

15

Russian language

16

17

16

21

13

Songs, holidays and traditions

12

12

14

17

12

Sports achievements

14

9

16

16

11

Memory of ancestors

8

7

9

14

10

Beliefs and religion

9

10

9

12

9

Flag, coat of arms, national anthem

7

7

9

8

9

Willingness to work, ability to work and manage

7

7

7

11

6

Other

1

1

1

1

1

Hard to tell

1

3

1

1

2

What makes you be proud of your country? (close-ended question, not more than four answers)

 

Total respondents

Education

Elementary, or lower, incomplete secondary education

 

Secondary  (school, technical college)

Secondary special (college)

Incomplete higher

 (not less than 3 years), higher

Past and history

47

42

45

49

50

Place of birth and growth

32

39

33

31

27

Our land and territory we are living

30

31

30

31

30

Great people of Russia

22

17

20

22

30

Nature

21

22

22

20

23

State

19

17

19

22

17

Literature and art

17

4

15

20

20

Military capacity

16

14

15

16

16

Nation`s spiritual capacity

15

12

15

15

19

Russian language

13

14

12

12

17

Songs, holidays and traditions

12

16

12

11

11

Sports achievements

11

5

12

10

12

Memory of ancestors

10

14

8

9

12

Beliefs and religion

9

12

8

9

10

Flag, coat of arms, national anthem

9

4

10

9

9

Willingness to work, ability to work and manage

6

9

7

6

5

Other

1

1

1

0

1

Hard to tell

2

4

2

2

1

 

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!

Read the article in Russian