Latov Yu.V. Corruption in the mirror of Russian public opinion: problems, contradictions, paradoxes

Текст статьи на сайте журнала URL: http://hjournal.ru/files/JIS_11_4/JIS_11.4_3.pdf (дата обращения 24.12.2019)

Abstract

When summarizing the results of sociological surveys on corruption, conducted in the 2000– 2010s of the Institute of Sociology, VCIOM and FOM, focuses on the internal contradictions of the «anti-corruption mentality» of Russia. Their first one is the contradiction between the recognition by Russians of corruption as a problem requiring a priority solution, and at the same time a relatively low rating of corruption among socio-economic problems that disturb citizens (only about the 5th most important problem). Further, it points out the contradictions between the data from different databases of sociological polls on the dynamics of corruption in Russia, some of which can be interpreted as evidence of stability or growth of corruption (polls by the Institute of Sociology and FOM), while others show more likely a decrease in corruption (polls VCIOM). The contradiction between the expected growth of personal corruption experience of the Russians with the transition to older age groups and the actual partial annulment of this experience has been found. Attention is also drawn to the contradiction between the discourse of the political opposition on the «corrupt regime» and the actual perceptions of the Russians that the upper «floors» of state power are more corrupt, but the lower ones. In explaining the detected contradictions, the main attention is paid to cognitive distortions associated with the limited rationality of social consciousness, in particular, to the effects of halo, framing and embellishment of the past. The study of the «anti-capitalist mentality» allows you to see the «pitfalls» that prevent the too banal interpretation of mass anti-corruption sentiments as a positive factor in the expected changes.