Most Russians like Lenin

More than half of Russians estimate the role of Lenin in the country’s history as positive, yet they support the idea of taking his body out of the Mausoleum and burying in some cemetery.
This information was received by Public Opinion Foundation's survey of 1,500 Russians on the eve of the 134th Lenin’s birthday anniversary (April 22).

The research revealed that the percentage of those estimating the role of Lenin in history positively, is decreasing in the last 5 years (from 65 percent in 1999 to 53 percent in 2003. However, the number of Lenin’s supporters is still 3-4 times bigger than the number of his opponents. At the same time, the number of those having no opinion about Lenin, is increasing as well – from 13 percent to 30 percent. These are mainly young people.

The surveyed named the following good points about Lenin: people were enjoying “free social benefits” (28 percent of the surveyed), “the authority was given to people, land – to peasants, factories – to workers” (22 percent), and “the life was better at that time than today” (8 percent). In turn, their opponents accuse Lenin of initiating “Red terror” and repressions”, “Civil War” and “Execution of the Czar’s family” (11percent), and also “breaking the natural course of history” and “wiping out the intelligentsia, the rich and peasants” (6 percent).

Gradually the number of the proponents of reburying Lenin outside the Mausoleum is increasing.   10 years ago 45 percent of Russians supported this idea, in 2003 – 52 percent, in 2004 – 56 percent. Less than one third of Russians (30 percent) denounce the idea of reburying Lenin. 

The survey was conducted on April 10-11 in 100 settlements of 40 Russian regions.