Over half of Russians uncertain of tomorrow – poll

July 30, 2013 JRL Russia List Economy, Business, Investment, Trade, Health, Epidemics, Substance Abuse, Life in Russia, Culture, Arts

(Interfax – MOSCOW, July 29, 2013) One in two Russians gives three (out of five) to the existing economic situation in the city, town or village where the respondent lives, the majority do not feel confidence in tomorrow and their social activity is decreasing, Levada Center sociologists told Interfax.

According to the results of the poll held on July 18-22 among 1,600 Russians, 50% respondents assessed the current economic state in the country as average, 34% as bad and only 11% as good.

Over a half of Russians (58%) say they are not certain of tomorrow and 37% say they believe in better tomorrow, Levada Center said.

When asked by sociologists to evaluate the financial state of their families, almost two thirds (61%) of respondents said it was average, 25% said it was bad and 14% said it was good.

At the same time, the number of Russians happy with their lives decreased from 45% in 2012 to 32% in July 2013. The share of those not happy with their lives grew from 19% to 23%, while the number of Russians who “are partially happy and partially not” increased from 36% to 45%.

Forty nine per cent respondents said the current live was difficult but bearable, while 31% said “everything is not that bad and one can live.” Sixteen percent said it was impossible to live the life they had. According to sociologists, the figures deteriorated with 51%, 31% and 14% in 2012, respectively.

The attitude of Russians to difficulties in life changed in the past year, the poll showed. The number of respondents who have to take any possibility to make money to provide bearable life to themselves and their families grew from 24% to 31%. The share of those whose life remained the same decreased from 31% to 27% and of those who managed to use new opportunities to achieve more in life from 12% to 10%. More respondents (9%) said they could not adjust to the current life, while only 7% shared this stance in 2012.

At the same time, the share of respondents, who had to give up their usual lifestyle and limit themselves in many things, went down from 22% to 20%, Levada Center told Interfax.