A strong
leader is the personification of a strong government and state, and
the longing for a “strong hand” is typical for Russian mentality.
When Russians are asked to give their views about their leaders,
they tend to award higher marks to strong and authoritarian rulers.
Peter the Great enjoys the highest percentage of positive
evaluations. He is followed by Catherine the Great, Ivan the
Terrible, and Vladimir Lenin. Typically, Gorbachev and Yeltsin get
the lowest marks being perceived as weak leaders.
Prioritize Factors Beneficial for Russia, (%) (VTsIOM,
2000)
|
|
|
Strong leader |
71 |
|
Strong state |
59 |
|
Cultural and spiritual revival |
25 |
|
Revival of patriotism |
25 |
|
Democratic institutions |
13 |
|
Revival of traditions |
13 |
|
Unifying national idea |
12 |
|
Other |
2 |
|
Unsure |
3 |
|
The majority
of Russians today longs for a strong and authoritarian ruler capable
of solving the country’s current problems. Many think that the
factor of a strong leader is more imperative for Russia than others,
more important by far than the development of democracy or the
revival of culture and traditions.
