Influence of economic crisis on everyday life of Russians: results of CESSI Russian National Poll 

Though last year many analysts in Russia claimed that the crisis is mainly in people’s heads, the economic crisis actually had perceptible influence on many other aspects of people’s lives in Russia. It is confirmed by the data of “Monitoring of social-economic and political development of Russia” conducted by CESSI during the last 20 years. The poll is conducted several times a year by face-to-face interviews at respondents’ homes on the base of random probability multi-stage sample of population of Russia 18 years and older. We present the data of latest poll conducted in December 2009 - 1000 respondents were interviewed in total. The data of similar poll conducted in December 2008, one year before these events, are used as a baseline.

The majority of Russians (81%) feel that economic crisis did actually had an impact on economic situation in their oblast/ region/ republic. Moreover the percentage of those who rated this impact as very strong, had increased from 36% till 44% over the last year.

Graph 1. How strong impact, to your opinion, financial and economic crisis had on economic situation in your oblast/ region/ republic? (% of respondents)

One of out five families in Russia had improved their material situation over last year. It is 6% less than in 2008 when such positive rating of the recent changes in materials situation was reported by more than one fourth of the sample (26%). The percentages of families, whose materials situation did not change much for the last year, also decreased – from 38% in 2008 till only one third of families at the end of 2009. Other respondents felt the negative changes in their materials situation for the last year – 45%, for 15% such changes were strongly negative.

Graph 2. How did material situation of people change in year 2009?  (% of respondents)

Although Russians are rather pessimistic about recent changes in their material situation and this pessimism has increased for the last year, there are more hopes for happy future than a year ago. Almost one third of respondents believed that their material situation will improve in the next year which is almost twice more than one year ago. About one third of Russians expect that their materials situation will be stable and will not change much and the percentage of such people is the same as in 2008. The pessimistic views about the future was expressed by 14% of respondents which is more than twice less than one year ago.

Graph 3. How will material situation of people will change in one year?  (% of respondents)

In general the economic crisis had influence of everyday life of the majority of Russians. People experienced some problems with consumption, income decrease, problems with work (69% had at least one of these problems in last year). People felt similar influence of economic crisis already a year ago (62% of them) but for the last year the impact of crisis become wider and its consequences were increased rather than decrease.

The serious influence of crisis is on consumption. About half of Russians had to delay the planned large purchase (including such vitally important services as medical treatment and education). The percentage of people who need to cut their spending increased substantially for the last year - by 12%. More than one third of Russian stopped building house, dacha etc. or need to interrupt flat reparation. The percentage of people who experienced this problem increased over the last year by 13%.

The significant part of Russians experienced various financial difficulties due to financial and economic crisis. 29% of Russians said that their salary was reduced (this percentage is counted from all Russians – working and non-working). Salary reductions had increased significantly in 2009 compared to 2008. By the end of year 2008 13% of Russians experienced this problem, while in the end of year 2009 - 29%. Wage and pension arrears, the problem which was almost forgotten in Russia after end of 90s, is in agenda again. About 20% of respondents experienced problems with salary, pension and other payments delays. Difficulties in paying credits/ loans/ mortgages is another financial problem of Russian people in the year of crisis (about one fifth of respondents). About 14% of respondents need to stay without loan/ credit/ mortgages which they planned to take because of financial difficulties. The credit/ loans problem did get smaller for the last year but did increased much too.

11% of Russians participated in the poll had serious employment problems due to the crisis – they were fired or sent to unpaid leave and the percentage of such people is increased. This problem was expreicned by 4% of respondents at the end of year 2008 and is already 11% in the end of year 2009. 15% of respondents reported that their family members were fired or pushed to non-paid leave (they were 10% in last year survey).

Graph 4. How crisis influenced on Russians life (% of respondents, who experienced the following in last year)

In opinion of Russian population the government should have the following priorities in the current time – solving the problem of unemployment, fight with increase of prices, work on the increase of industrial manufacturing in general. About one fifth of Russian respondents choose on of these issues as the priority for the government. One year ago the major concern of people was the prevention of price increase, but for the last year the issue of unemployment get higher priority. Fighting corruption is considered to be the major priority by more and more people in Russia. In 2008 11% of respondents in Russia choose this issue among all others, while at the end of 2009 it is considered to be the major problem by 18% of people in Russia.

Graph 5. Which economic task should become the priority for Russian government in the current time (% of respondents)

If you are interested in “Monitoring of social-economic and political development of Russia”, conducted by CESSI in Russia or would like to conduct a new survey, please, contact Vladimir G. Andreenkov by e-mail cessi@cessi.ru.