More than half of Russians think, that members of ethnic minorities live better than Russians

MOSCOW, January 14, 2005. The analytical center of Yuri Levada пїЅLevada-centerпїЅ carried out research devoted to the problem of nationalism in December 2004. It turned out that 58% of the surveyed think that in the last 5 to 6 years, the number of Russians who share пїЅextreme nationalistic attitudesпїЅ has grown. Only 8% believe that they have decreased, and 20% that their number has not changed. Most of all (19%) terrorist acts are considered as the reason for the increase in nationalism, as well as bad living standards in Russia (14%), provocative actions from ethnic minorities (12%), the inability of authorities to cope with an outburst of nationalism (5%), and the unwillingness of authorities to struggle with nationalism (5%). 16% of the surveyed completely support the slogan пїЅRussia for RussiansпїЅ. Nationalistic attitudes serve the perception that ethnic minorities in Russia live better than Russians (thatпїЅs what 39% think) by means of justification. Another 34% believe that they live as Russians do, and 17% think they live worse than Russians. In relation to emigrants from the Northern Caucasus, 46% of the questioned do not have particular feelings, 8% have respect and sympathy, 23% - irritation, 24% - hostility and 4% - fear. Besides that, 58% would think positively about the fact that the administration of their city or region would exclude emigrants from the southern regions from living in their territory. Only 19% believe that skinhead attacks on emigrants from southern regions can be excused with the last terrorist act, 72% of the questioned disagree with this. At the same time, 44% approve administrative restrictions against the spreading of Islam in Russia, and 38% do not approve of it.

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Source: Agency for Social Information