Press-releases

Ideas about the problems of Russian society: August 2023

Respondents still consider inflation to be the main problem. However, the severity of this problem has slightly weakened. Problems related to corruption and bribery, as well as a complex of problems related to foreign policy conflicts in which the country participates, ranked second and third by a large margin. There is a high concern about the increase in the retirement age and the general poverty of the majority of the population. Last year, against the background of the outbreak of hostilities in Ukraine, the significance of most problems weakened, then as people get used to the conflict, severity of the problems begins to increase again. Amidst fires and drone strikes, concern about the threat of explosions and terrorist acts continues to grow.

Respondents are most concerned about the following problems of Russian society: “price growth” (53%), “special military operation, sanctions, conflict with the West” and “corruption, bribery” by 29%, “retirement age increase, pension reform” (27%), “poverty, impoverishment of the majority of the population” (25%).

Price growth (53%) remains the main socio-economic problem, according to respondents. This topic still concerns a large percentage of respondents despite a slight decrease in August (58% in March it was). Poverty comes second (36%), the growing unemployment rate – third (33%).

Severity of socio-economic problems (table)

Price growthRising unemploymentDelays of wages, pensions, benefits, etc.Economic crisis, poor state of industry and agriculturePoverty, impoverishment of the majority of the population
Jan.94824448
Mar.94844951
Jun.94815651
Jan.95834850
May.95775048
Jul.95774847
Jan.96745150
May.96685555
Sep.96636354
Jan.9755616655
Jul.9747546347
Jan.9852606545
Jul.9840656757
Jan.9987605658
Jul.9986644056
Jan.0082492844
Jul.0083511939
Jan.0179431740
Jul.01663493059
Oct.016433113359
Jan.027431103159
Jul.027034103161
Jan.03484492256
Jul.03714093261
Jan.047335103057
Jul.04524062456
Jan.05753573758
Jul.05713943353
Jan.06713653155
Jul.06703452751
Jan.07703333152
Jul.07643032852
Jan.08812832949
Jun.08822542945
Aug.09765163856
Feb.10714773651
Aug.10723853651
Feb.11734163259
Aug.11814043052
Feb.12723643353
Aug.12673343248
Feb.13683542952
Aug.13693632955
Feb.14693342951
Aug.14712642840
Feb.15823833643
Aug.15783653242
Feb.167793849
Aug.167263147
Feb.176953450
Aug.176162845
Feb.18634093547
Aug.18724873052
Feb.196236102844
Aug.195936102442
Feb.205531112036
Aug.206144102639
Feb.215836112240
Feb.226229102037
Mar.23582051324
Aug.23531971525

Corruption is noted as a problem by 29% of respondents (26% in March), abuse of power – 8% (7% in March), 3% of respondents spoke about the restriction of civil rights (4% in March). The growth of nationalism was noted by 8%.

The severity of government/state problems (table)

Growth of nationalism, deterioration of interethnic relationsCorruption, briberyAbuse of power by officialsRestriction of civil rights, democratic freedoms (freedom of speech, press)
Jan.941422
Mar.941222
Jun.941424
Jan.953223
May.952125
Jul.952523
Jan.963324
May.962724
Sep.962026
Jan.972028
Jul.971538
Jan.98835
Jul.981332
Jan.99925
Jul.991729
Jan.001631
Jul.001330
Jan.011135
Jan.01823
Oct.017241
Jan.028213
Jul.029232
Jan.039371
Jul.035232
Jan.04423102
Jul.047382
Jan.05832103
Jul.0542492
Jan.06823102
Jul.061025102
Jan.07825101
Jul.0772791
Jan.0852392
Jun.08527102
Aug.09528133
Feb.10728143
Apr.10633184
Feb.11931163
Aug.11927144
Feb.12937155
Aug.12735134
Feb.13839164
Aug.131039143
Feb.141032124
Aug.141126123
Feb.1582182
Aug.15629103
Feb.1682493
Aug.16831113
Feb.17628103
Aug.17733124
Feb.18738115
Aug.18733146
Feb.19541156
Aug.19541167
Feb.20639185
Aug.20738177
Feb.21639146
Feb.22838126
Mar.2382674
Aug.2382983

In the social sphere, Russians call the unavailability of many types of medical care the most acute problem (22%), as well as the somewhat increased problem of the influx of visitors (21%, 16% in March), the problems of unfair distribution of income in society were noted by 16% of respondents, another 14% spoke about the unavailability of education.

The severity of social problems (table)

 Sharp stratification into rich and poor, unfair distribution of incomeThe growth of fees, unavailability of educationUnavailability of many types of medical careInflux of immigrants
Jun.9437
Jan.9529
May.9532
Jul.9533
Jan.9635
May.9637
Sep.9637
Jan.9743
Jul.9745
Jan.9824
Jul.9841
Jan.9936
Jul.9934
Jan.0036
Jul.0038
Jan.0139
Jul.012626
Oct.01302524
Jan.02302532
Jul.02282530
Jan.03282629
Jul.03312730
Jan.04293036
Jul.04282433
Jan.05292831
Jul.052727297
Jan.0632283011
Jul.0630283110
Jan.0732293211
Jul.073226329
Jan.083526318
Jun.0835263112
Aug.0930162711
Feb.1029162710
Aug.1029202611
Feb.1131182510
Aug.1127182412
Feb.1236182715
Aug.1229202416
Feb.1335242817
Aug.1333202327
Feb.1427172523
Aug.1430162324
Feb.152413199
Aug.1527142011
Feb.1626141512
Aug.1626162211
Feb.172716209
Aug.1725132610
Feb.1833202618
Aug.1830213110
Feb.1934202814
Aug.1929223018
Feb.2027222817
Aug.2028202916
Feb.2126202315
Aug.2123172312
Feb.2225192821
Mar.2316132216
Aug.2316142221

Among other problems, respondents especially highlight the threat of explosions and terrorist attacks in their place of residence (17%), with the beginning of the special military operation, this problem has again become more urgent since the end of the Chechen wars, this is happening against the background of recent terrorist attacks aimed at famous people (Prilepin, Tatarsky, Dugina), as well as the increased frequency of drone attacks on Russian cities, the list of which is growing. Another 17% of respondents noted the problem of environmental degradation, another 16% speak of a moral crisis.

Other problems (table)

 Crisis of morals and cultureEnvironmental degradationThreat of explosions and other terrorist acts where you live
Jan.942728
Mar.942626
Jun.942929
Sep.941329
Jan.952422
May.952726
Jul.952731
Jan.962424
May.962926
Sep.962827
Jan.972722
Jul.972626
Jan.982726
Jul.982624
Jan.992013
Jul.992620
Jan.00232014
Jul.00262216
Jan.01272520
Jul.01241911
Oct.01241622
Jan.02251714
Jul.02261715
Jan.03161918
Jul.03242015
Jan.04221913
Jul.04161816
Jan.05261917
Jul.05221715
Jan.06262012
Jul.06242410
Jan.0721256
Jul.0728226
Jan.0827236
Jun.0827234
Aug.0926185
Feb.1028216
Apr.102831
Feb.11291816
Aug.11262512
Feb.1231209
Aug.1231216
Feb.1330168
Aug.1330195
Feb.14261612
Aug.1418146
Feb.151894
Aug.1517135
Feb.16161611
Aug.1616168
Feb.1719138
Aug.17151412
Feb.18181510
Aug.1821257
Feb.19181910
Aug.1918245
Feb.2019235
Aug.2016225
Feb.2119213
Aug.2115195
Feb.2219216
Mar.23151815
Aug.23161717

METHODOLOGY

The survey by the Levada Center was conducted August 24 – 30 2023, among a representative sample of all Russian urban and rural residents. The sample was comprised of 1606 people aged 18 or older in 137 municipalities of 50 regions of the Russian Federation. The survey was conducted as a personal interview in respondents’ homes.

The statistical error of these studies for a sample of 1600 people (with a probability of 0.95) does not exceed:

3.4% for indicators around 50%

2.9% for indicators around 25%/75%

2.0% for indicators around 10%/90%

1.5% for indicators around 5%/95%

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