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Russian Poll Shows Further Decline In Support For Stalin's Legacy

Moscow, 31 March: The number of Russians citizens who recognize the achievements of Joseph Stalin is gradually diminishing. At the same time, a third of people asked believe that the country has already rid itself of the effects of Stalinism, according to sociological research.

At present, 45 per cent of Russians believe that Stalin played a positive role in the country's history through his policies and his actions, whereas in 2009 49 per cent of those asked believed that, and in the past 51 per cent believed that, researchers from the Levada Centre told Interfax on Thursday (31 March) based on the findings of a nationwide survey carried out in March.

The study also showed a rise in the number of Russians who take a negative view of Stalin's deeds, from 33 per cent in 2009 to 35 per cent this year, as well in the number of those who struggled to express an opinion (from 18 per cent to 20 per cent respectively).

Asked by the sociologists to assess the role played in the country's history by the 20th Congress of the Communist Party of the Soviet Union, at which Soviet leader Nikita Khrushchev made a speech exposing Stalin's personality, around half those asked (48 per cent) described that role as positive.

Twenty-two per cent of those surveyed disagree, and find nothing positive to say about the condemnation of Stalin's personality cult and the repressions carried out during the period of his rule.

Those who most often spoke during the course of the survey about the negative role played by the 20th Congress include pensioners (35 per cent) and, more generally, Russians above the age of 55 (32 per cent), on low incomes (37 per cent) and those living in towns with a population of between 100,000 and 500,000 (28 per cent).

Among those who spoke most about the congress's positive role were entrepreneurs (53 per cent), workers (52 per cent), specialists (51 per cent) and, more generally, men (50 per cent), Russians aged between 40 and 55 (52 per cent), those with a higher education (52 per cent), those with a high consumer status, people living in Moscow (56 per cent) and people living in towns with a population of less than 100,000 (54 per cent).

In the opinion of 32 per cent of Russians surveyed, our country has already rid itself of the effects of Stalinism, while 30 per cent of citizens disagree, continuing to believe that the country is gradually overcoming them.

Twelve per cent of people are confident that overcoming the effects of Stalinism is impossible, while 11 per cent believe that this does not need to happen, "because, under Stalin, there were a lot of good things". Fifteen per cent struggled to provide a response, the Levada Centre told the agency.

 

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