Russians differ in their opinions about Stalin - poll
MOSCOW. Feb 27 (Interfax) - Some 36% of Russians think Joseph Stalin did more good than bad for the country. 29% think the opposite, and 34% found it hard to express their opinion about the deeds of "the leader of the peoples."
The Public Opinion Foundation released this data on Thursday, with reference to a poll of 1,500 respondents on February 22.
The 50th anniversary of Stalin's death will be marked on March 5.
61% of respondents accused Stalin of large-scale repression and "genocide of his own people."
8% said "there was no lawfulness, everyone was afraid of one another, and there was no freedom of speech" in Stalin's times.
3% accused him for the country's lack of preparedness for the war [1941-1945] and unnecessarily large casualties during it. The same percentage accused Stalin for the death of millions of peasants during forced collectivization.
At the same time, 35% of respondents who feel positive about Stalin laud him for victory in the Great Patriotic War, and 18% credit him with order in the country ("he ruled the country with a rod of iron").
16% said average people lived a prosperous and stable life under Stalin, and the social system was just. They said "this wise leader cared about people." 10% said Stalin "reconstructed the country after the war," and 8% noted "he turned the country into an industrial nation." The same percentage said the country was strong under Stalin, and "other countries feared us." 3% said "all peoples were friends" under Stalin, and "he raised the people in a patriotic spirit."