The days when Russians were ready to face any difficulties for the sake of new perspectives are over. Despite certain improvements in living standards, they are disappointed by post-Soviet reforms. More than half of the population wants to find a better life abroad, or at least to go there to make some money.
Deepening social stratification is fueling nationalistic attitudes, which can lead to serious consequences. These are the conclusions of scientists from the Russian Academy of Sciences (RAS) Institute of Sociology. Together with the Friedrich Ebert Fund they conducted a study, “What Russians think about 20 years of reforms,” on the eve of the 20th anniversary of the beginning of post-Soviet reforms.
Democracy is not as important in consumer society
Russians are gradually changing their attitude to the reforms of the early 1990s. Over the last decade, the proportion of those who are dissatisfied with reforms has decreased from 59% to 43%. The proportion of those who feel positively about them has grown from 28% to 43%. At the same time, the majority is skeptical about the goals of reformers.
In 2010, Russians spent most of their money on repairs, mobile phones and education.
According to a report based on the results of the study, 69% of respondents believe that the main goal of reforms was the seizure of power and redistribution of property. However, of those who believe that the reformers were acting only in their own interests, there are those who believe that the reforms were still useful for the country as a whole.
Today, people have doubts that democracy should have been the primary goal of the reforms. A quarter of respondents are confident that the reforms should have been carried out without destroying the socialist system. The share of those who think that it was necessary to develop market relations and not to hurry with democracy has increased from 17% to 29% since 2005.
“The formation of consumer society has become clearly pronounced in the last 10 years. Democratic achievements are less meaningful to people,” said Mikhail Gorshkov, director of the RAS Institute of Sociology during the report’s presentation on June 22.
Responding to questions about the main achievements during the years of reform, people primarily mentioned the saturation of the market with goods, free travel abroad and an opportunity to earn money without restrictions. Of the accomplishments of the 1990s, freedom of speech, for example, has moved from second to sixth place on the list of the past decade's gains.
A painful morning after
The report’s authors note that Russians are starting to forget what a shortage of goods means, and no longer have any fears on this score. But more than half of rspondents consider lower living standards one of the biggest losses for society as a result of reforms. Public attitudes are becoming more and more pessimistic. “This is most likely due to the crisis,” Gorshkov suggests.
The share of those who are worried about corruption and bureaucratic red tape has almost doubled since 2008 (from 24% to 44%).
People have become less appreciative of their own achievements and the results of the reforms. Before the crisis, salaries were growing at a fast pace and people started forgetting the negative moments of the past, but now they are going through a period of painful disillusionment.
The report’s authors observe that the gap in the minds of Russians is deepening between the view of what Russia should be like and the reality. Only a quarter of respondents are content with their social status, while 10% are displeased with it.
Drop everything and leave?
Although prosperous foreign countries are also experiencing post-crisis difficulties, more and more Russians have started thinking about emigration.
They are not scared off by the high unemployment rates in the United States or a potential collapse of the European economy.
Are Russians interested in permanent residence abroad?
Gorshkov notes that in the 1990s, foreign countries mostly attracted those who had never traveled abroad before, whereas now emigration is tempting for people who know all about the difficulties of life in a foreign country.
Experts are convinced that this points to a period of disappointment for Russians. A large proportion of people believe that the reforms have paved the way for success, but only for a lucky few.
“People are no longer prepared to face any difficulties just because they feel they are in a transitional period,” said Natalya Tikhonova, the institute’s deputy director.
Now 13% of people would like to live abroad, 9% are dreaming about internships or studying abroad and 29% would like to work there. Young people have become less mobile within Russia. Tikhonova believes that such movements are not economically justifiable for the majority of people.
Demand for morality and order
Experts observe that despite contradictions in their viewpoints, Russians agree about several global ideas.
This applies primarily to moral values. The report’s authors believe that in Russian society, there is emerging a so-called multi-morality. “A person may have certain values for himself but still agree that others may have their own moral convictions,” Gorshkov said. They are ready to accept the modest incomes of their partners, but they do not forgive a breach of faith.
During the anything-goes period, Russians renounced morals on the basis of economic and social gain. At the same time, Russian society tends to adhere to traditional values and is beginning to worry about a shaky moral foundation. Some 70% of respondents noted deterioration in the moral status of society.
There is a universal demand for greater state control of the economy. The report’s authors state that the population does not accept the model of a free market economy.
Some 41% support an economy based on public property, and 28% favor a planned centralized economy with control over prices. “This means that people want the government to put things in order and expect all government mechanisms to function properly,” said Vladimir Petukhov, director of the RAS Center for Comprehensive Social Studies.
Alarming prospects
Meanwhile, a universal striving for order and morals is not enough for social consensus. The report’s authors state that there is a growing rift in Russian society.
There are serious disagreements as to which road Russia should follow and what prospects it has. Thus, 60% of respondents believe that the chosen road is on the whole the right one, and it will produce positive results sooner or later, whereas 39% believe that Russia is heading for a deadend.
The main problem is the widening division of society into the rich and the poor. Experts note that it is fueling aggressive and nationalist attitudes. Thus, in 1995, 65% of people believed that all ethnic groups in Russia should have equal rights, whereas today their share has decreased to 49%.
The report’s authors do not rule out serious national strife.
However, there are still grounds for optimism. Petukhov is convinced that the country is again on the threshold of change and this opens up the possibility to hope that in a few years, Russians will be more confident about their future.
The views expressed in this article are the author’s and may not necessarily represent those of RIA Novosti.
