The public opinion on the Russian army has sharply improved since the Perestroika period.
MOSCOW, October 28, 2015. Russian Public Opinion Research Centre (VCIOM) presents the data of the survey describing how the attitudes of Russians concerning the role of the army in the youth education have changed over the recent twenty-five years.
Russians think that since the Perestroika period the living conditions of the low rank army personnel have considerably improved: 65% think the living conditions are “good” or “very good” compared to 19% in 1990. The share of negative answers has decreased to 17% (from 60%, respectively). Those who support this point of view are mainly adherents of non-parliamentary parties (40%) and people who disapprove of the work of the president (36%).
Russian opinion regarding the impact of the army on the young generation also differs from that of the 1990s: the percentage of those who think that army gives moral and physical strength to young people has doubled (from 33% to 64%); 71% of them are men and 59% are women. Simultaneously, there has been a decrease in the number of those who perceive the military service negatively; they think that army has bad moral and physical effects (from 42% to 25%). This position is shared by 25-34-year-olds and women (29% per each group) rather than people aged 60 and over and men (20% per each group).
According to Russians, the modern army gives physical force and endurance to young people, 52% (57% in 1990), help to develop their courage and responsibility (42%; 22% in 1990) and form useful skills and life experience (41%; 33% in 1990). The shares of those who think that the young people may get physical injuries in the army or be victims of abuse, or may learn to contrive and adapt and to solve any questions using force have declined (from 27% to 11%; from 26% to 10%; from 21% to 14%; from 18% to 10%, respectively). At the same time, the number of those who are confident that the army service helps to plant a love for the home country has doubled (from 13% to 27%).
The VCIOM opinion poll was conducted on October 10-11, 2015; 1600 respondents were interviewed in 132 settlements in 46 regions of Russia. The margin of error does not exceed 3.5%.
In your opinion, what are the living conditions of the low rank army personnel today?* (closed-ended question, one answer, %) | ||
| 1990 ** | 2015 |
Very good | 1 | 5 |
Good | 18 | 60 |
Bad | 45 | 14 |
Very bad | 15 | 3 |
Don’t know | 21 | 18 |
*In1990, the question referred to the Soviet army.
**In 1990, the survey was based on a representative nationwide sample; rural and urban populations aged 16 and over; sample size: 10147.
Which of the following statements describing the impact of the army on the young people do you agree with?* (closed-ended question, one answer, %) | ||
| 1990 ** | 2015 |
It is the army that educates morally and physically | 33 | 64 |
Army service has bad moral and physical impact and even may cause physical injuries | 42 | 25 |
Don’t know | 25 | 11 |
*In1990, the question referred to the Soviet army.
**In 1990, the survey was based on a representative nationwide sample; rural and urban populations aged 16 and over; sample size: 1520.
In your opinion, what does the youth learn/gain in the army first?* (closed-ended question, not more than three answers, %) | ||
| 1990 ** | 2015 |
Physical force and endurance | 57 | 52 |
Moral strength, courage and responsibility | 22 | 42 |
Good skills and life experience | 33 | 41 |
Love for home country | 13 | 27 |
Skills to contrive and to adapt to situations | 21 | 14 |
Injuries, diseases, poor health | 27 | 11 |
A habit to solve any questions using force | 18 | 10 |
Abuse and humiliation | 26 | 10 |
Other | 2 | 3 |
Don’t know | 8 | 4 |
*In1990, the question referred to the Soviet army.
**In 1990, the survey was based on a representative nationwide sample; rural and urban populations aged 16 and over; sample size: 1047.
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