In the Russian political sphere dissonance occurs, writes the Washington Post journalist Michael Birnbaum that in Moscow for several hours participated in the poll. He was convinced that the vast majority of respondents actually supports Vladimir Putin.
However, they are “much more negative” attitude towards those who are subordinate to the Russian President.
And the Washington Post reporter Michael Birnbaum, whose publication introduces Inet, decided to see what constitutes “high ratings” of Vladimir Putin in real life. For that, he spent several hours accompanied by an employee from the centers of studying of public opinion when it carried out door-to-door survey of residents.
As the author notes, this survey showed that the vast majority of Russians do support the President of Russia, but against the politicians and bureaucrats are subordinate to this, people are in a “much more negative”. The journalist stresses that “it was amazing to watch this dissonance in real life”.
Moreover, the author has the impression that when the Russians Express support for Putin, this is not the same that the Americans who Express support for U.S. President Barack Obama. After more than 16 years of Putin’s rule, many Russians believe that the Russian leader “has gone beyond politics.”
“So ask someone if they approve of Putin, that’s like asking if they approve Russia”, — said the author.
One twenty-year-old boy said in interviews that he unequivocally endorses the activities of the President. However, when asked to list Russian politicians whom he supported, the young man could not name a single name.
“It was the feeling that, from his point of view, Putin is somewhere above all this”, — said the journalist of the Washington Post.
Other respondents stated that they believe in Putin, but they find other ways to Express their anxiety about which direction the country moves.
Again and again people said conducted a survey of the woman that they are concerned about how will be “to make ends meet.” In their opinion, most politicians in Russia “don’t care about ordinary people”, the article says. Many complained about the renewed pressures in our lives: are unable to take a vacation, are unable to buy medicine, refused of life’s little luxuries, because prices are rising rapidly and wages are reduced.
“Everything begins to look like the 90s,” said one woman. She added that she likes Putin, but she expressed fears of what will happen after him, as the Russian leader has no obvious successor.
And the Washington Post reporter Michael Birnbaum also notes that many people do not want to participate in the survey. They from behind the closed doors shouted, “do not participate in politics.”
“It is impossible to say for sure, is the opinion of this group of people from the opinions of those who are willing to talk with the staff of the sociological centers. But some critics of Putin claim that the polls exaggerate the level of support the Russian leader, because those who don’t like him, simply refuse to answer the questions,” writes the author.
