Russians Very Worried About Immigration More than 7 out of 10 say immigration into Russia should be decreased
by Frank Newport and Neli Esipova GALLUP NEWS SERVICE
PRINCETON, NJ -- Results from a recent Gallup World Poll of Russian attitudes show that Russians are more concerned about immigration than are Americans. Most would like to see tougher immigration laws or immigration restricted just to those of Russian descent or who have previously lived in Russia. Russians are significantly more likely to want to see immigration decreased than are Americans. Representing a startling change from the official dogma of the Soviet Union days, the majority of Russians now say that having a single nation with one culture and one language is better than having the type of diversity and differences represented by the 15 republics that constituted the old USSR.
A random sample of 2,011 Russians were interviewed in February 2006 as part of the Gallup World Poll. The survey included several basic questions about immigration. The results show Russians perceive that immigration has increased over the last five years, believe that immigration has been bad for their country, would like to see levels of immigration decreased, and want immigrants restricted to those with Russian origins.
The basic question about immigration used the same wording as a basic trend question in the United States:
In your view, should immigration in this country be kept at its present level, increased, or decreased?
Present level 10.4% Increased 3.3 Decreased 70.5 Don't know 15.3 Refused .5 Total 100.0
This same question was asked in the United States in early April of 2006: In your view, should immigration be kept at its present level, increased, or decreased? -- [AMERICAN DATA]
Present level 35% Increased 15 Decreased 47 No opinion 4
As it can be seen, Russians are overwhelmingly likely to say that immigration into Russia should be decreased. The 71% of Russians who hold this attitude is significantly higher than 47% of Americans who hold the same attitude.
Given the degree to which Russians believe that the number of immigrants coming into their country should be decreased, it is perhaps not surprising to find that a majority of Russians think that immigration is bad -- or at best neutral -- for their country:
On the whole, do you think immigration is good, neutral, or bad for this country today?
Good 4.6 Neutral 29.8 Bad 52.3 Don't know 12.6 Refused .7
It is clear that some of the explanation for the high level of worry about immigration is the fact that Russians perceive immigration in their country is increasing:
Compared with five years ago, are there more immigrants today, about the same, or fewer immigrants?
More 61.2 About the same 17.3 Fewer 6.5 Don't know 14.9 Refused . 1 Six out of ten Russians perceive there are more immigrants than five years ago, while only 7% say they are fewer.
Another question asked Russians to estimate how many immigrants they perceived there were in their particular city/village/rural area:
First, in your city/village/rural area where you live, are there many immigrants, a fair amount of immigrants, a few immigrants, or no immigrants?
Many 48.5 A fair amount 23.3 A few 16.1 None .7 Don't know 11.3 Refused .1
Here, again, is evidence of the degree to which Russians perceive immigration is a major issue in their country. More than seven out of ten Russians say that there are many or a fair amount of immigrants in their area.
What should be done about immigration into Russia? A question included in the Russian survey gave respondents five policy alternatives and asked them to choose which one came closest to their personal beliefs. The answers were as follows:
What should the national government do about illegal immigrants who want to become citizens of this country?
Should make it easier only for immigrants of Russian nationality to become citizens
20.8 Should make it easier only for those immigrants who ever lived in Russia or who consider Russia to be his/her native land
32.4 Should make it easier for all immigrants to become citizens
8.4 Should not make it easier for any immigrants to become citizens
9.4 Should make it tougher for all immigrants to become citizens
16.6 Don't know
11.3 Refused
1.1
Although preferences varied across the five alternatives, it is clear that policies that are more restrictive are favored by the significant majority of Russian respondents. Over half say immigration should be made easier only for those who are of Russian nationality -- or who have lived in Russia or who consider Russia to be their native land. Another 17% say, in general, it should be tougher for all immigrants to become citizens.
There is an additional question that illustrates the degree to which outlooks on differences in language, culture, and religion have changed over the years, particularly in contrast to the days of the Soviet Union when such differences were celebrated:
What do you think is better for this country?
To have many different kinds of people with different languages and culture and religion
34.2 To have mostly one culture and nationality, with people who all speak the same language
51.2 Don't know
13.4 Refused
1.2
The fact that Russians are now more willing to embrace the "one culture and nationality" ideal -- rather than the diversity ideal -- provides a strong corollary to the current anti-immigration attitudes. Fifteen highly diverse Republics constituted the USSR in the final years before its dissolution in 1991, and Communist dogma celebrated the value of diversity and differences that this aggregation of cultures, races, and languages provided. Now, in 2006, the data suggest only a third of Russians continue to embrace this philosophy, while the majority proclaim the value of a single culture and language.