New Russia Barometer II Questionnaire
I. VIEWS OF ECONOMY
Q. With development of economic reform, some people have been able
to make more money. Do you agree or not with the following statements
about people who are now making a lot of money?
Definitely agree/Generally agree/Generally disagree/Definitely
disagree
1) Work hard
2) Take advantage of other people
3) Help make our economy grow
4) Use connections, position
5) Intelligent
6) Use foreign connections
7) Dishonest
8) Lucky
Q. People hold different views about the economy. For each pair of
statements, which is closer to your own view?
9) Incomes should be made more equal
OR
Individual achievement should determine how much people are paid
10 ) Individuals should take responsibility for themselves
OR
The state should be responsible for providing for every household
11) State ownership is the best way to run an enterprise
OR
An enterprise is best run by private entrepreneurs who produce
goods that people want to buy
12) A good job is one that is secure even if it doesn't pay very much
OR
A good job pays good money, even if there is a risk of unemployment
13) Getting the economy right should be the first priority for government
OR
Stopping crime and maintaining order should be the first priority for
government
II. PRIVATIZATION
Q. There is a lot of talk these days about the government's plan to
privatize major enterprises. Do you agree or not agree that privatisation:
Definitely agree/Somewhat agree/Somewhat disagree/Definitely
disagree
14) Will make the economy more productive
15) Will make a few people rich
16) Will give everyone a material stake in state property
17) Will keep power in the hands of enterprise managers
18) Will give workers influence on the future of their enterprise
19) Will increase unemployment
20) Will put more goods in the shops
21) Will increase prices
22) Will benefit mainly foreigners
23) Will result in no change
Q. As you know, privatization entitles every Russian to claim a voucher
that can be used to obtain shares in enterprises.
24) Did you claim a voucher?
Yes/No
IF YES, have claimed a voucher:
26) What have you done with it?
Exchanged it for cash, goods or services/Exchanged it for shares/
Kept it/Given it to relatives
IF YOU still have your voucher:
27) What do you intend to do with it?
Sell it at the first opportunity
Invest in enterprise where I work
Invest in another enterprise
Give to relatives
Buy shares in investment fund
Keep it until a good opportunity arises
Hold it in hopes it increases in value
Don't know
No answer
28) Have other members of your family claimed vouchers?
Yes, all/Yes, not all/None
EVERYONE TO ANSWER
29) How much money do you think a voucher is worth?
1,000 Roubles/2,000/3,000/4,000/5,000/6,000/7,000/8,000/9,000/
10,000/11-15,000/16-25,000/26-50,000/51-99,000/100,000/101-200,000/
More than 200,000
Q. In the long run, do you think your voucher could:
Very likely/May be/Unlikely/No chance
30) Make money when the economy recovers
31) Help as savings for old age, making a big purchase, e.g. a car
32) Can be used it to influence management at work
33) Lose its value
34) Won't make any difference to my material wellbeing
Q. There is talk about letting people use privatization vouchers to buy
their house, a small shop or business, or some land. Would you approve
or disapprove if people could use a voucher to meet part of the cost of
buying:
Approve/Disapprove
35) Small plot to grow own food
36) Farm
37) Small shop, business
38) Car
39) Own home, flat
40) Which of the following do you think are good sources of information
about what to do with a voucher? (more than one answer permitted)
Watching TV
Ask friends, relatives
Read newspapers, magazines
Manager of enterprise
Talk with people at work
Talk over in the household
Savings bank
Businessmen, commercial bank
Other
III. PRODUCTION AND CONSUMPTION
A) 1st JOB, MAIN JOB
41) What is your economic status?
Employed/Pensioner/Drawing pension, still employed/Student/Housewife/Maternity leave/Unemployed
IF EMPLOYED
43) How long have you held your current job (years)?
1/2/3/4/5/6/7/8/9/10/11-12/13-14/15-16/17-18/19-20/21-25/26-30/More than 30
45) Have you been unemployed for a week or more in the past 12
months?
No/Yes, 1 week/2 weeks/3 weeks/4 weeks/5 to 10 weeks/11 to 20
weeks/More than 20 weeks
47) Have you been subject to wages being delayed or unpaid leave?
No/Yes, 1 week/2 weeks/3 weeks/4 weeks/5 weeks/6 weeks/7 to 8 weeks/9 to 10 weeks/12 to 16 weeks/More than 16 weeks
49) In the past year about how many days have you been away from
work because of illness?
None/1 to 4 days/5 to 9 days/10 to 14/15 to 19/20 to 24/25 to 29/30 to 50/More than 50
50) Are you worried about losing your job?
Yes, very worried/Somewhat worried/No
51) If you lost your job, where would you go to try to find another job?
(More than one answer permitted)
Family
Friends
Look at job advertisements
Official employment bureau
Approach employers asking for work
Other
52) What is your occupation?
Proprietor
Professional, manager
Qualified non-manual with subordinates
Qualified non-manual without subordinates
Routine non-manual
Skilled manual
Unskilled manual
Agricultural worker
53) Is your employer:
State enterprise, farm
State trading enterprise
Army, police
State health sector, education, public services
Private enterprise, cooperative
Self-employed
Collective farm
Other
54) How likely do you think it is that your place of work will be
privatized?
Already privatized/Very likely/Unlikely/Don't know
55) If your employer is privatized, do you think this will make your job:
Better/Worse/No difference/Don't know
56) Would you say that people at your place of work are often not doing anything useful or producing anything?
Often/Sometimes/Seldom/Never
57) If answer is often/sometimes/seldom. Is that because: (more than
one answer permitted)
Shortage of materials, goods
People are lazy
More employees than the enterprise really needs
No orders or demand for what the enterprise produces
Other
58) How satisfied are you with your job?
Very satisfied/Fairly satisfied/Fairly dissatisfied/Very dissatisfied
59) Besides your pay, do you get any benefits as part of your job, such as:
Meals/Housing/Medical care/Holiday facilities/Care for children/Children's holiday facilities/Food/Goods in shortage/Other
60) Would you call yourself the chief bread-winner in the family?
Yes/No
IF NO:
61) What is the bread-winner's economic status?
Employed
Pensioner
Drawing pension, still employed
Student
Housewife
Unemployed
62) What is the bread-winner's occupation?
Proprietor
Professional, manager
Qualified non-manual subordinates
Qualified non-manual without subordinates
Routine non-manual
Skilled manual
Unskilled manual
Agricultural worker
No answer
63) Is the bread-winner's employer:
State enterprise, farm
State trading enterprise
Army, police
State health sector, education, public services
Private enterprise, cooperative
Self-employed
Collective farm
Other
Don't know
ASK ALL:
64) Altogether, how many people in your household have a regular job?
None/1/2/3/More than 3
65) Currently, do you and others in your household earn enough from
this work to buy the things that your household really needs?
Definitely yes/Generally enough/Barely enough/Definitely not
enough
B) SECOND JOB
66) Do you have an additional job or jobs that you work at sometimes?
No/Yes: one/Two or more additional jobs
IF HAS AN ADDITIONAL JOB:
67) Is this additional work with: (more than one answer permitted)
State enterprise
Private enterprise, cooperative
Self-employed
Other
68) About how many hours a week do you spend at additional jobs?
Up to 4/5 to 8/9 to 12/13 to 16/17 to 20/21 to 25/26 to 30/31 to 40/More than 40
69) What percentage of your income comes from additional jobs?
1 to 10 %/11 to 20%/21 to 30%/31 to 40%/41 to 50%/51 to 60%/61 to 70%/71 to 80%/81 to 90%/91 to 99%/100%
70) How did you find this extra work? (More than one answer
permitted)
Family
Friends
Advertisement
Official employment bureau
Tried employers asking for work
Other
71) Altogether, how many people in your household have an additional
job?
None/One/Two/More than two
C) HOUSEHOLD, FAMILY PRODUCTION
72) Does your household have any land where you grow food?
Yes/No
IF YES:
73) How long does it take to get to this land?
No time, by the house/Up to 15 minutes/30 minutes/1 hour/More
than 1 hour
74) About how much time are you or other members of your household
working this land during the season?
Several hours a day/Several times a week/Saturday or Sundays/Just from time to time
75) Does your family sometimes sell this food in the free market?
Regularly/Often/Sometimes/Occasionally/Never
Q. Of the food your family consumed last year, about what percentage
did you produce yourself:
None/1-10%/11-20%/21-30%/31-40%/41-50%/51-60%/61-70%/71-80%/81-90%/91-99%/100%
76) Potatoes
77) Vegetables
78) Meat, chickens, eggs
IF NO LAND:
79) Do you sometimes help relatives or friends to grow food on their
land?
Often/Sometimes/Seldom/Never
IF HELPS OTHERS GROW FOOD:
80) How long does it take to get to this land?
No time, by the house/Up to 15 minutes/30 minutes/1 hour/More
than 1 hour
81) About how much time do you or other members of your household
spend growing food during the season?
Several hours a day/Several times a week/Weekends/Just from time
to time
82) Does your family sometimes sell this food in the free market?
Regularly/Often/Sometimes/Occasionally/Never
Q. Of the food your family consumed last year, about what percentage
did you produce yourself at your friends' land:
None/1-10%/11-20%/21-30%/31-40%/41-50%/51-60%/61-70%/71-80%/81-90%/91-99%/100%
83) Potatoes
84) Vegetables
85) Meat, chickens, eggs
EVERYONE SHOULD ANSWER:
86) About how much time do you spend each day standing in queues or
searching for what you need in shops?
Not my duty/Half an hour or less a day/About an hour a day/About two hours/About three hours/About four hours/More than four hours
87) Before price liberalization in January 1992, did you spend more or
less time standing in queues or searching for goods?
More than now/The same/Less time
HOUSING
88) Is your home:
Multi-story flat with elevator/Low-rise flat/House/A room in a flat
or house/Hostel, dormitory, barracks/Other
89) Is your home owned by:
State or municipal council/Employer/Cooperative/Family/Family,
privatised state flat/Family, privatised cooperative flat/Family bought/
Privately rented
90) Do you or anyone in your household spend any time making repairs
to your home or build any additions?
Often/Sometimes/Seldom/Never
91) How many rooms does your household have?
Less than one/1/2/3/4/5/6
D) SOCIAL EXCHANGE OF GOODS AND SERVICES
Q. Do you or other members of your household do such things as (more
than one answer permitted):
92) Growing food
93) Queuing
94) Looking after children
95) Cooking, washing, cleaning
Q. Do friends or relatives ever help members of your household with:
Yes, often/Sometimes/Seldom/Never
96) Repairing the house
97) Growing food
98) Buying food, other goods
99) Looking after children
100) Cooking
Q. Do you agree or disagree with the following statements:
Strongly agree/Agree/Disagree/Strongly disagree
101) A husband's job is to earn money and a woman's job is to look after
the home and family
102) It doesn't make any difference whether a male worker's supervisor
is a woman or a man
103) Being a housewife and looking after the family is just as satisfying as
working for money
E) ALLOCATION THROUGH CONNECTIONS
In this society it often helps to have connections with people who can do
things for you.
104) In the last year or two, have you or anyone in your household used
a connection to get things you couldn't get in the ordinary way, such as
medicine, consumer goods, something for the children at school, etc?
Yes/No
105) Is it usually expensive?
Very expensive/Fairly expensive/Doesn't cost much/Practically
nothing/Do not pay/No answer
106) In your regular job, are you sometimes asked to do favours for
others?
Yes/No
IF YES:
107) Do people offer you money to do favours?
Often/Sometimes/Occasionally/Never/No answer
F) FOREIGN CURRENCY
People sometimes use foreign currency such as dollars or Deutsche Marks.
108) In the past year have you bought things in this country with a foreign
currency because it is difficult to get by paying roubles?
Often/Sometimes/Occasionally/Never
109) Do you have any acquaintances who have been able to buy things
with foreign currency in the past year?
Yes/No
110) What would you say foreign currency is good for: (more than one
answer permitted)
Buying a house
Medical services
Buying a car
Buying foreign clothes, consumer goods
Savings, protect against inflation
Paying a connection for something special
G) DOMINANT ECONOMIC SECTORS
111) Which is the most important for the standard of living of you and
your family today?
Growing own food, repair house
What we get through connections
What we get with the help of friends and relatives
Buying things with foreign currency
Earnings from second job, own business
Getting paid for doing favours
Earnings from regular job
Pension, unemployment benefit
Benefits at place of work such as holidays, meals, child care
112) And second most important?
Growing own food, repair house
What we get through connections
What we get with the help of friends and relatives
Buying things with foreign currency
Earnings from second job, own business
Getting paid for doing favours
Earnings from regular job
Pension, unemployment benefit
Benefits at place of work such as holidays, meals, child care
No answer
113) In the past year, has your household been able to:
Save money/Just get by/Had to spend savings, sell household
goods/Borrowed money/Spent savings and borrowed
114) How long will be it before you have reached a standard of living
with which you are content?
1-2 years/3-5 years/6-10 years/Never/Don't know/Already content
IV. EVALUATION, ASPIRATIONS FOR SELF AND NATION
A) ECONOMIC PREDISPOSITIONS
IF EMPLOYED:
Q. How likely do you think it might be that you would do any of the
following to improve your economic situation?
Very likely/Maybe/Unlikely/No chance
115) Start a business/ shop/ farm
116) Become self-employed farmer
117) Get a job in another city
118) Get a job in another country
119) Work overtime at my regular job
120) Get an additional second job
121) Learn a new skill
122) Get a regular job with a different employer
Q. Here are statements people sometimes make about their work. Can
you tell me whether you agree or disagree:
Definitely agree/Generally agree/Generally disagree/Definitely
disagree/No answer
123) Too old to do anything different
124) At my place of work, things are so messed up there is no point in
trying to do anything
125) No point in seeking a new job, no work around here
126) A new job wouldn't pay any more money
127) All in all, how do you rate the economic situation of your family
today?
Very satisfactory/Fairly satisfactory/Not very satisfactory/Very
unsatisfactory
128) How does the economic situation of your family today compare with five years ago?
Much better now/A little better/Much the same/A little worse/A
lot worse
129) What do you think your economic situation will be in five years
time?
Much better in five years/A little better/Much the same/A little
worse/A lot worse
130) Do you prefer an economy in which government is responsible for
what is done, determining what shops can sell and setting all the prices
OR
An economy in which everyone is free to seek whatever job he or she
likes, and shops offer whatever people want to buy and set their own
prices
Q. Here is a scale ranking how well an economy works. The top, plus
100, is the best and the bottom, minus 100, is the worst. Where would you
put:
131) The economic system before the start of perestroika
132) Our present economic system
133) Our economic system in five years time
Y. ATTITUDES TO GOVERNMENT
134) Do you support the policy that the president and government have
pursued since 1992?
Totally approve/Approve in general/Partly approve/Don't approve
at all
Q. Here are some statements made about the rules that should
determine how the country is governed. Do you agree or not that:
Strongly agree/Agree/Disagree/Strongly disagree
135) The President should have the power to suspend the Supreme Soviet
and rule by decree if he thinks this necessary
136) A Commission of Experts should be established to make major
decisions about the economy rather than having decisions made by
politicians
137) The Supreme Soviet should have the power to stop the President
taking actions that it objects to
138) In case of a dispute between the President and the Supreme Soviet,
the Supreme Court should decide
Q. Here is a scale for ranking how the government works. The top, plus
100, is the best; at the bottom, minus 100, is the worst.
139) Where on this scale would you put the system of government before
perestroika?
140) Where on this scale would you put our present system of governing?
141) Where on this scale would you put the system of governing we will
have in five years?
142) Generally speaking, how much interest do you usually have in
what's going on in politics?
A good deal/Some/Not much/None
143) Do you trust the President of the Russian Federation?
Yes, a lot/Yes, somewhat/Not much/Not at all
144) Do you think it necessary to hold an early presidential election?
Yes/No
145) Do you think it necessary to hold an early election to the Supreme
Soviet?
Yes/No
Q. Compared to our system of government before perestroika, would
you say that our current system is better, much the same, or not so good as
the old system in allowing people to:
Better/Much the same/Worse
146) Say whatever they think
147) Travel and live wherever they want in Russia
148) Join any organization
149) Decide whether or not to take interest in politics
150) Live without fear of unlawful arrest
151) Allows each individual to decide whether or not to believe in God
Q. How much do you trust the following:
A lot/Some/Little/None
152) Army
153) Television
154) Supreme Soviet
155) Police
156) Trade unions
157) Political parties
158) State security service
159) Local government
160) Courts, judicial powers
161) Do you think any of the following pose a threat to peace and security
in this society?
Some nationalities in our society/Old Communists/Other CIS
Republics/Islamic countries/Jews/USA/Germany/China
169) Government decisions can be taken by authorities in different places.
What do you think is the best way for Russians to be governed?
All important decisions made in Moscow
Moscow keeps control but regional and local authorities have a
degree of autonomy
Most important decisions made at regional or local level
All important decisions made at regional or local level
170) In the referendum in April, did you vote?
Yes/No
Q. Reasons for not voting (two allowed), as % of non-voters:
Primary reason/Secondary reason/Not mentioned
171) Authorities did not organize a vote in this locality
172) Would not make any difference
173) Didn't understand what it was about
174) Thought the Referendum a bad idea
175) Better if experts decide how country is governed
176) Away from home; my name was not on the register of voters
177) Too ill to vote
VI. SOCIAL CHARACTERISTICS
178) Are you:
Male/Female
180) And are you:
Married/Single, never been married/Live together but not married/Separated/Divorced/Widow/Widower
181) All together, how many people live in this household ?
1/2/3/4/5/6/7/More than seven
182) And of these, how many children?
None/1/2/3/More than three
184) Who is mainly responsible for domestic duties in the household?
(More than one answer permitted)
I am/Spouse/Mother/Daughter/Father, Son/Work shared between
all family members
185) How old were you when you completed fulltime schooling?
15 or less/16/17/18/19/20/21/22/23/Over 23
186) In your education, did you earn:
Scientific degree/University degree/Technical college/Secondary
school/Vocational/Secondary incomplete
187) What is your nationality?
Russian/Republic nationality/Other
188) As for religion, do you consider yourself:
Atheist/Russian Orthodox/Other Christian/Muslim/Jewish/Other/Believer without particular church/Difficult to give a definite answer
189) (If not an atheist) How often do you go to church?
At least once a week/At least once a month/Few times a year/Very
rarely/Never/No answer
ASK EVERYONE:
Q. People differ in what they believe. Do you agree or disagree with the following statements?
Definitely agree/Generally agree/Generally disagree/Definitely
disagree
190) Miracle stories in the Bible did not really happen
191) There is a devil
192) There is life after death
193) Everything that happens must be accepted as God's will
Q. Does your household have:
194) A car
Yes, one/Yes, more than one/No
195) A telephone
Yes/No
196) A dacha in country
Yes/No
197) Do you have any relatives or close friends living in the West?
None/One or two/A lot
Q. In the past month, what was the total income of your household:
198) From regular employment (% of those with regular job):
Up to 10,000 Roubles/11 to 20,000/21 to 30,000/31 to 40,000/41 to
50,000/51 to 60,000/61 to 80,000/81 to 100,000/101 to 200,000/More than
200,000
199) From second job (% of those with second job):
Up to 5,000 Roubles/6 to 10,000/11 to 20,000/21 to 30,000/31 to
40,000/41 to 50,000/51 to 75,000/76 to 100,000/More than 100,000
200) From casual jobs, money on side (% of those with second job):
Up to 5,000 Roubles/6 to 10,000/11 to 20,000/21 to 30,000/31 to
40,000/41 to 50,000/More than 50,000
201) Pensions, stipends, benefits etc (% of those who receive):
Up to 1,000 Roubles/2,000/3,000/4,000/5,000/6 to 10,000/11 to
15,000/16 to 20,000/21 to 30,000/31 to 40,000/41 to 50,000/More than
50,000
202) From help of relatives, friends, non-regular charities (% of those being helped):
Up to 4,000/5 to 9,000/10 to 14,000/15 to 20,000/More than 20,000
203) Compared to other households in this country, would you say your
standard of living is:
Above average/Average/Below average
Q. In the past year, has your household sometimes done without any of the
following because of a shortage of goods or money:
Often/Sometimes/Rarely/Never
204) Food
205) Heating, electricity
206) Clothes or shoes you really needed
207) Petrol for car
208) Something the children really needed
209) If Presidential elections were held next month, for whom would you
vote?
Gorbachev/Yeltsin/Rutskoi/Sobchak/Khasbulatov/Other/Wouldn't vote/Don't know
211) Administrative status of place of interview:
Moscow/St Petersburg/Capital of republic/Capital kray, oblast/Rayon centre/Other towns/Rural, village
212) Population of place of interview:
Over 1 million/500,000 to 1 million/100,000 to 500,000/50,000 to
100,000/20,000 to 50,000/5,000 to 20,000/Rural, village
213) Economic region
North, North-West/Central/Central Black Soil/Volga-Vyatka/North Caucases/Volga/Urals/West Siberia/East Siberia/Far East
214) Sampling region
St. Petersburgh/Moscow/Moscow Oblast/Vladimir/Central/North
Caucases/Volga-Vyatka/Saratov/Kazan/Tolyatti/Izhevsk/Urals/West
Siberia/East Siberia/Far East