A survey conducted by the Public Opinion Fund (Russian abbreviation FOM) has shown that Vladimir Putin and Vladimir Zhirinovsky are the Russian politicians most closely associated with the concept of democracy in Russia. They were named by 11 percent of those polled.
It is curious to note that liberals, such as Irina Khakimada and Grigory Yavlinsky, received only half as much acknowledgment as Putin and Zhirinovsky. Communist leader Gennady Zyuganov ranked even lower, with 2 percent of the poll.
Party rankings were analogical. United Russia was seen as the most democratic among those polled, with 32 percent of those questioned naming it. Zhirinovsky's Liberal Democratic Party of Russia was named by 14 percent, Yabloko also received 14 percent acknowledgment, the Union of Rightist Forces 11 percent and the Communist and Agrarian Parties 4 percent each.
There are no democrats among Russian politicians, according to 17 percent of those polled, and 12 percent did not know what the word “democrat” meant. Every tenth person said that democrats were thieves, greedy, deceptive, bureaucratic and idle. Only 4 percent said that democrats were just, decent and responsible politicians.
In an interview with Izvestia newspaper, FOM sociologist Petr Bavin said that Russians in general have positive associations with the word “democrat,” and that was why they associate it with Putin.
===== Nu, zayats, pogodi!
__________________________________ Do you Yahoo!? The all-new My Yahoo! - Get yours free! http://my.yahoo.com