CRACKDOWNS: SOCIOLOGISTS: SOCIETY WILL NO LONGER ACCEPT AUTHORITARIANISM IN THE NAME OF ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT

In an April 17, 2012, article, Vedomosti reported on a Levada-Center opinion poll showing that 48% of respondents across multiple groups "support one simple demand to the president and the government ... people ought to be permitted to mind their own business with the authorities only making sure that no laws are broken." Vedemosti says that this view stands in contrast to the notion that authoritarianism should be tolerated for the sake of economic development.

Authoritarianism

According to the survey: "General public remains convinced that Russia needs a strong ruler on the one hand and that putting too much power in one individual is wrong on the other."

The following percentages supported what Vedemosti called authoritarian views:

- 30% of men
- 39% of women
- 29% of the "well-to-do"
- 42% of the poor
- 24% of the young
- 41% of elderly Russians
- < 30% of college-graduates
- nearly 40% of people who are uneducated
 
53%  of respondents were satisfied with having Putin as Russia's senior government official.

Some other measures include that:

- 62% respondents are "satisfied"
 - two-thirds expect Putin to promote policies he has discussed, with more than 50% expecting him to be  backed up by the same circle of advisors

Expectations for Putin 

According to the article, the survey shows the following percentages of respondents expecting Putin to focus on the issues listed (for each issue, the percentages listed are those expecting Putin to focus on that issue.):


- 59% economic revival
- 46% corruption
- 44% restoration of social fairness and betterment of living standards for average people
- 42% restoration of order
- 13% moral and spiritual revival
- 12% promotion of democracy, human rights and civil freedoms


Protests

In the survey, 26% expected protests to wind down.

23% expect a gradual improvement of Russia's situation due to those in power.