Fewer Russians count on becoming rich fast – poll

(Interfax – November 11, 2012) Russians think that the greatest chance of getting rich fast today is to get an inheritance (23%).

The share of people holding this opinion has grown over the years (from 17% in 2005), judging by a poll taken by Romir think-tank.

In the years since the time of a similar study the number of pessimists who don’t see chances of becoming rich soon has almost doubled from 8% to 15%.

Today 10% expect to become affluent through a successful career in a big company which is 7 percentage points less than seven years ago. The popularity of public service as a source of becoming rich has also declined from 18% to 15%.

Meanwhile, the share of Russians believing that one’s own business can make a person wealthy increased from 14% to 16%.

Every sixth polled (17%) named marriage as a way of getting rich. Sociologists note that the gap between men and women in choosing this option noticeably narrowed in seven years: from 15% of men and 25% of women in 2005 to 15% and 19% respectively in 2012.