Journal Article

DEFINING THE POLITICAL SYSTEM OF THE USSR: MASS SUPPORT FOR POLITICAL CHANGE

Finifter, A W, Mickiewicz, E

1992

نظرة عامة

USING DATA FROM A NATIONAL PUBLIC OPINION SURVEY CONDUCTED IN THE SOVIET UNION DURING NOVEMBER AND DECEMBER 1989, THE AUTHORS EXPLORE TWO ATTITUDES RELEVANT TO THE REVOLUTIONARY CHANGES THERE: (1) ATTITUDES TOWARD CHANGE AND POLITICAL DEMOCRACY AND (2) ATTITUDES TOWARD A CORE COMPONENT OF SOCIALIST IDEOLOGY, THE LOCUS OF RESPONSIBILITY FOR SOCIAL WELL-BEING (THE STATE OR INDIVIDUALS?). THESE VARIABLES ARE UNRELATED, WITH THE SAMPLE RELATIVELY EVENLY DIVIDED AMONG THE INTERSECTING CELLS OF A CROSS-TABULATION. WHILE SOCIAL CONFLICT MAY BE MITIGATED BY THE SMALL SIZES OF ABSOLUTELY OPPOSING GROUPS, CONSENSUS MAY ALSO BE HARD TO REACH. ETHNICITY, EDUCATION, INCOME, AGE, PARTY MEMBERSHIP, AND LIFE SATISFACTION HAVE IMPORTANT EFFECTS ON THESE ATTITUDES. THE AUTHORS DISCUSS HOW ATTITUDE PATTERNS IN THE DATA MAY BE RELATED TO THE DISINTEGRATION OF THE USSR AND TO PROBLEMS FACED BY THE INDEPENDENT SUCCESSOR STATES AS THEY DEVELOP NEW INSTITUTIONS AND FOSTER NEW VALUES.

• موضوع: ATTITUDES / POLITICAL STABILITY, INSTABILITY, & CHANGE / POLITICAL SYSTEM AS A WHOLE / PUBLIC OPINION / UNION OF SOVIET SOCIALIST REPUBLICS