The nation’s Attitude towards the Main Social Contradictions in Russian Society: Current State, Dynamics, Factors

Abstract

The special military operation on the territory of Ukraine has become the main catalyst for certain significant changes now occurring in the public mind. Tensions between Russia and Western powers have reached their highest point in the country’s modern history. Given the circumstances, what contradictions do the Russian people consider to be the most pressing and fundamental? Have their overall views changed compared to previous years? What factors primarily influence how the contradictions within Russian society are perceived? In order to answer these questions, the article presents an analysis of changes in the attitude of Russian people towards contradictions of various nature, based on data from nationwide surveys conducted by IS FCTAS RAS in 2005, 2015 and 2023. Groups of contradictions were analyzed that differ in terms of the dynamics of popular attitudes towards them for the time period in question. It is shown that in 2005–2015 Russian people were most upset on account of economic contradictions. However by 2023 ideological contradictions came to the forefront, which in no small part contributed to the emergence of a new contradiction that can be considered the most crucial one of that particular year, referring to the divide between supporters and opponents of Russia’s policy towards Ukraine. Residents of Moscow and St. Petersburg more often than not would take a very particular stance in regards to contradictions within Russian society from 2005 to 2015, as well as young people under the age of 25 and citizens who considered their financial situation to be subpar. In the summer of 2023, financial status of citizens in their subjective understanding still had a serious impact on how the severity of the key contradictions in Russian society was perceived. However, we can now add worldview factors to the list of important determinants influencing attitudes towards them, such as: specific political views, attitudes towards the main power structures, primarily towards the President and the State Duma.