This survey took place between 5-8 August 2016 and was conducted throughout all of Russia in both urban and rural settings. The survey was carried out among 1600 people over the age of 18 in 137 localities of 48 of the country’s regions. The survey was conducted as a personal interview in respondents’ homes. The answer distribution is presented as percentages of the number of participants along with data from previous surveys.
The statistical error of these studies for a selection of 1600 people (with a probability of 0.95) does not exceed:
3.4% for indicators around 50%
2.9% for indicators around 25%
2.0% for indicators around 10%
1.5% for indicators around 5%
HOW WOULD YOU DEFINE YOUR RELATIONSHIP WITH AUTHORITIES?
| Feb.06 | Feb.10 | Jan.12 | Feb.12 | Mar.13 | Mar.14 | Mar.15 | Aug.16 | |
| Coming into contact with authorities, you get what you need from them | 6 | 3 | 5 | 6 | 8 | 5 | 10 | 7 |
| Your life fully depends on authorities | 24 | 27 | 25 | 21 | 22 | 28 | 25 | 20 |
| You live, relying only on yourself and avoiding coming into contact with authorities | 62 | 62 | 60 | 65 | 64 | 59 | 55 | 66 |
| It is difficult to say | 8 | 8 | 10 | 8 | 6 | 8 | 10 | 7 |
ON WHAT DO YOU RELY MOST NOW?
| Own abilities and strengths | On social protection and support from society, the government | It is difficult to say | |
| Aug.16 | 78 | 18 | 5 |
| Sept.15 | 75 | 22 | 3 |
| Nov.14 | 71 | 25 | 4 |
| Jul.12 | 72 | 24 | 3 |
| Oct.11 | 74 | 24 | 3 |
| Jul.11 | 79 | 20 | 1 |
| Oct.10 | 69 | 28 | 3 |
| Sept.09 | 74 | 24 | 2 |
| Apr.08 | 79 | 18 | 3 |
| Dec.03 | 78 | 19 | 3 |
| May.99 | 81 | 10 | 10 |
| Feb.99 | 80 | 13 | 7 |
| Dec.98 | 77 | 17 | 7 |
| Jul.98 | 79 | 17 | 4 |
| Mar.96 | 75 | 20 | 5 |
| Mar.93 | 70 | 19 | 11 |
| Jul.91 | 66 | 19 | 15 |
CAN PEOPLE LIKE YOU INFLUENCE GOVERNMENT DECISIONS IN THE COUNTRY?
| Feb.06 | Oct.07 | Feb.10 | Jan.12 | Feb.12 | Mar.13 | Mar.14 | Mar.15 | Aug.16 | |
| Definitely yes | 2 | 3 | 2 | 4 | 1 | 3 | 1 | 3 | 1 |
| To some degree yes | 13 | 21 | 12 | 15 | 14 | 10 | 11 | 15 | 11 |
| Probably not | 39 | 31 | 34 | 28 | 39 | 35 | 38 | 38 | 38 |
| Definitely not | 45 | 41 | 51 | 51 | 42 | 49 | 47 | 40 | 49 |
| It is difficult to say | 2 | 5 | 2 | 2 | 4 | 4 | 3 | 4 | 1 |
CAN PEOPLE LIKE YOU INFLUENCE DECISIONS IN YOUR REGION, CITY, NEIGHBORHOOD?
| Feb.06 | Feb.10 | Jan.12 | Feb.12 | Mar.13 | Mar.14 | Mar.15 | Aug.16 | |
| Definitely yes | 3 | 2 | 3 | 1 | 2 | 1 | 4 | 1 |
| To some degree yes | 21 | 16 | 21 | 21 | 14 | 18 | 18 | 16 |
| Probably not | 36 | 34 | 27 | 38 | 34 | 38 | 35 | 38 |
| Definitely not | 39 | 46 | 47 | 37 | 46 | 41 | 39 | 43 |
| It is difficult to say | 2 | 2 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 2 | 4 | 2 |
ARE YOU PERSONALLY READY TO PLAY A MORE ACTIVE ROLE IN POLITICS?
| Feb.06 | Feb.10 | Jan.12 | Feb.12 | Mar.13 | Mar.14 | Mar.15 | Aug.16 | |
| Definitely yes | 5 | 5 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 2 | 5 | 3 |
| To some degree yes | 14 | 14 | 14 | 14 | 13 | 17 | 18 | 15 |
| Probably not | 30 | 31 | 31 | 38 | 35 | 39 | 33 | 34 |
| Definitely not | 47 | 46 | 47 | 39 | 45 | 36 | 38 | 46 |
| It is difficult to say | 4 | 4 | 6 | 6 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 2 |
WHY DON’T YOU WANT TO ACTIVELY PARTICIPATE IN POLITICS? (as a percentage of those respondents who don’t want to participate in politics; multiple answers)
| Feb.06 | Feb.10 | Jan.12 | Feb.12 | Mar.13 | Mar.14 | Mar.15 | Aug.16 | |
| You can’t change anything anyway, “you can’t fight city hall” | 32 | 34 | 24 | 22 | 32 | 23 | 21 | 29 |
| Politics isn’t for regular citizens, it’s for authorities | 29 | 24 | 29 | 30 | 27 | 32 | 36 | 28 |
| I’m busy with my daily things and don’t have time for it | 25 | 23 | 27 | 25 | 24 | 20 | 21 | 28 |
| I don’t understand politics, don’t know how official organs work | 22 | 17 | 20 | 18 | 21 | 18 | 26 | 21 |
| Politics is dirty business, I don’t want to get my hands dirty | 15 | 10 | 12 | 11 | 15 | 16 | 17 | 13 |
| Don’t want to stand out: most people aren’t interested in politics | 4 | 5 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 7 | 7 |
| Afraid of persecution by authorities, better to stay away from politics | 3 | 5 | 5 | 4 | 5 | 3 | 3 | 5 |
| Other | 5 | 3 | 4 | 3 | 2 | 3 | 2 | 3 |
| It is difficult to say | 3 | 3 | 2 | 2 | <1 | 1 | 2 | 2 |
Translated by Middlebury Institute of International Studies at Monterey (formerly Monterey Institute of International Studies).