More information about Russian people in Russia.

When talking about Russia or Russians you can often hear about the “mysterious Russian soul.” If you want to understand it better or plan to come to Russia, then you’ll probably be interested in the following article.

Levada Analytical Center, non-governmental research organization in Russia, published some interesting results – statistics on how moral constraints of Russian people were changing over the past two decades (since the collapse of the Soviet Union).

The surveys were about Russians’ attitude to:

criticism of the government,

adultery,

white lie,

crossing the street in the wrong place,

theft at work,

sex without love,

evasion of taxes.

The latest survey was conducted on June 6-10, 2013, on a representative sample of the All-Russian urban and rural population of 1601 people aged 18 years and older in 130 localities from 45 regions of the country.

The distribution of answers is given as a percentage of the total number of respondents, together with data from previous surveys. The statistical error doesn’t exceed 3.4%.

Do you think it is permissible to punish children physically?

Mar.92 Jul.98 Mar.07 Jul.09 Jun.13 This is normal, permissible 16 27 28 22 29% This isn’t normal, not permissible 58 63 65 73 63% Hard to say 26 10 7 6 8%

Do you think it is permissible to cross the street in the wrong place?

Mar.92 Jul.98 Jul.09 Jun.13 This is normal, permissible 22 29 25 24% This isn’t normal, not permissible 61 67 70 72% Hard to say 17 4 5 5%

Do you think it is permissible to criticize the government?

Mar.92 Jul.98 Jul.09 Jun.13 This is normal, permissible 76 85 81 80% This isn’t normal, not permissible 8 9 12 12% Hard to say 16 6 5 8%

Do you think it is permissible to evade taxes?

Mar.92 Jul.98 Jun.13 This is normal, permissible 19 27 26% This isn’t normal, not permissible 46 59 60% Hard to say 35 13 14%

Do you think it is permissible to live beyond one’s means?

Apr.92 Jul.98 Jul.09 Jun.13 This is normal, permissible 24 27 22 32% This isn’t normal, not permissible 58 65 69 59% Hard to say 19 8 9 9%

Do you think it is permissible to have sex before marriage?

Mar.92 Jul.98 Jul.09 Jun.13 This is normal, permissible 42 52 53 58% This isn’t normal, not permissible 36 39 37 31% Hard to say 23 9 10 11%

Do you think it is permissible to have lover/mistress in addition to husband/wife

Mar.92 Jul.98 Jul.09 Jun.13 This is normal, permissible 26 34 36 34% This isn’t normal, not permissible 47 51 52 50% Hard to say 28 15 12 16%

Do you think it is permissible to steal anything from job?

Jul.09 Jun.13 This is normal, permissible 16 24% This isn’t normal, not permissible 77 64% Hard to say 7 12%

Do you think it is permissible to have sex without love?

Mar.92 Jul.98 Jul.09 Jun.13 This is normal, permissible 16 26 32 40% This isn’t normal, not permissible 57 59 51 43% Hard to say 27 15 18 18%

Do you think white lie is permissible?

Mar.92 Jul.98 Jul.09 Jun.13 This is normal, permissible 33 57 55 61% This isn’t normal, not permissible 36 32 34 26% Hard to say 31 11 11 14%

Statistics by Levada Center

This Soviet poster says: “He drank, swore, broke the tree - he is ashamed now” “Shame on you!”

Does it reflect your reaction to these surveys, or maybe people around the world are somewhat similar, and this applies not only to Russians?