Russians on return to pre-perestroika times 2020

In September 2020, 47 percent of Russians believed their country would have been better off if things had remained as they were prior to the Soviet policy of perestroika launched in 1985. Initiated by the USSR leader at the time, Mikhail Gorbachev, perestroika referred to a range of political and economic reforms aimed at a democratic restructuring of the Soviet Union within a socialist system. However, the economy could not be stabilized, and the USSR collapsed in 1991. Some blame the period of perestroika for the dissolution of the state.

Do you agree or disagree that it would be better if everything in the country had remained the same as before 1985, prior to perestroika?

Characteristic	Agree	Disagree	Difficult to answer
Sep'20	47%	39%	14%
Mar'19	48%	39%	14%
Apr'17	50%	29%	20%
Mar'15	41%	34%	25%
Mar'11	42%	36%	21%
Mar'10	45%	39%	16%
Dec'09	44%	41%	15%
Feb'08	31%	52%	17%
Jan'07	42%	46%	12%
Jan'06	43%	45%	12%
Jan'05	48%	40%	12%
Mar'04	46%	44%	10%
Mar'03	56%	38%	7%
Mar'01	54%	39%	8%
Apr'00	50%	40%	10%
Feb'98	51%	39%	10%
Oct'97	50%	41%	9%
May'96	51%	41%	8%
Oct'95	53%	35%	13%

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Release date

November 2020

More information

Region

Russia

Survey time period

September 25-30, 2020

Number of respondents

1,605 respondents

Age group

18 years and older

Method of interview

Face-to-face interview

Supplementary notes

The original question was worded by the source as follows: "Многие говорят, что было бы лучше, если бы все в стране оставалось так, как было до 1985 года, до "перестройки." Вы с этим согласны или нет?"
Survey characteristics refer to the latest survey.
The survey was conducted in 50 federal subjects of Russia, in 137 localities.

Prior to 2020, 4 rather than 2 answer options were offered to respondents. They were summed up into "Agree" and "Disagree."
Figures might not sum up to 100 due to rounding.

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