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What do Russians think about transition?1

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  • Irina Denisova
  • Markus Eller
  • Ekaterina Zhuravskaya

Abstract

We use data from the 2006 round of the Russian Longitudinal Monitoring Survey to describe perceptions of the Russian population about the transition process and the role of the state compared with that of free markets. We find that about one‐half of the Russian population is disappointed with transition and a large majority is in favour of high state regulation and state provision of goods and services. High demand for government regulation and increased state intervention coexists with a low level of trust in government institutions and recognition of high and rising levels of corruption. The findings are consistent with the theory developed by Aghion et al. (2009). In an environment with poor social capital, private business imposes negative externalities on the society and society chooses to demand more state regulation and tolerate corruption to reduce these externalities. We also find that individual perceptions of social capital and corruption co‐vary with the demand for regulation, as predicted by the theory.

Suggested Citation

  • Irina Denisova & Markus Eller & Ekaterina Zhuravskaya, 2010. "What do Russians think about transition?1," The Economics of Transition, The European Bank for Reconstruction and Development, vol. 18(2), pages 249-280, April.
  • Handle: RePEc:bla:etrans:v:18:y:2010:i:2:p:249-280
    DOI: 10.1111/j.1468-0351.2009.00381.x
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    Cited by:

    1. Irena Grosfeld & Claudia Senik, 2008. "The Emerging Aversion to Inequality: Evidence from Poland 1992-2005," William Davidson Institute Working Papers Series wp919, William Davidson Institute at the University of Michigan.
    2. Djankov, Simeon & Nikolova, Elena & Zilinsky, Jan, 2016. "The happiness gap in Eastern Europe," Journal of Comparative Economics, Elsevier, vol. 44(1), pages 108-124.
    3. Ofer, Gur, 2010. "Twenty Years Later and the Socialist Heritage is still Kicking: the Case of Russia," WIDER Working Paper Series 059, World Institute for Development Economic Research (UNU-WIDER).
    4. Shurchkov, Olga, 2012. "New elites and their influence on entrepreneurial activity in Russia," Journal of Comparative Economics, Elsevier, vol. 40(2), pages 240-255.
    5. repec:hal:spmain:info:hdl:2441/7fst0pcf5j8cr99e1nuobt97rn is not listed on IDEAS
    6. Denisova, Irina & Eller, Markus & Frye, Timothy & Zhuravskaya, Ekaterina, 2012. "Everyone hates privatization, but why? Survey evidence from 28 post-communist countries," Journal of Comparative Economics, Elsevier, vol. 40(1), pages 44-61.
    7. Borisova, Ekaterina I. & Polishchuk, Leonid & Peresetsky, Anatoly, 2014. "Collective management of residential housing in Russia: The importance of being social," Journal of Comparative Economics, Elsevier, vol. 42(3), pages 609-629.
    8. Golinelli, Roberto & Rovelli, Riccardo, 2013. "Did growth and reforms increase citizens' support for the transition?," European Journal of Political Economy, Elsevier, vol. 30(C), pages 112-137.
    9. Riccardo Rovelli & Anzelika Zaiceva, 2013. "Did support for economic and political reforms increase during the post-communist transition, and if so, why?," The Economics of Transition, The European Bank for Reconstruction and Development, vol. 21(2), pages 193-240, April.
    10. Polyachenko Sergiy, 2016. "Do changes in social and economic characteristics affect attitude towards price control?," EERC Working Paper Series 16/05e, EERC Research Network, Russia and CIS.
    11. Sergei Guriev & Ekaterina Zhuravskaya, 2009. "(Un)happiness in Transition," Journal of Economic Perspectives, American Economic Association, vol. 23(2), pages 143-168, Spring.
    12. Castañeda Dower, Paul & Markevich, Andrei, 2014. "A history of resistance to privatization in Russia," Journal of Comparative Economics, Elsevier, vol. 42(4), pages 855-873.
    13. Kiselev, Sergey, 2012. "Possible Effects of Russia's WTO Accession on Agricultural Trade and Production," National Policies, Trade and Sustainable Development 320161, International Centre for Trade and Sustainable Development (ICTSD).
    14. Fedotenkov, Igor, 2018. "Corruption vs reforms: Why do voters prefer the former?," MPRA Paper 89581, University Library of Munich, Germany.
    15. R. Menyashev., 2014. "Social Capital and the Demand for Regulation in Russia," VOPROSY ECONOMIKI, N.P. Redaktsiya zhurnala "Voprosy Economiki", vol. 4.
    16. Rinat Menyashev, 2011. "Consumer Cooperatives and Liberal Idea In Russia," HSE Working papers WP BRP 05/EC/2011, National Research University Higher School of Economics.
    17. Gur Ofer, 2010. "Twenty Years Later and the Socialist Heritage is still Kicking: The Case of Russia," WIDER Working Paper Series wp-2010-059, World Institute for Development Economic Research (UNU-WIDER).
    18. Markus Eller & Branimir Jovanovic & Thomas Scheiber, 2021. "What do people in CESEE think about public debt?," Focus on European Economic Integration, Oesterreichische Nationalbank (Austrian Central Bank), issue Q3/21, pages 35-58.
    19. Fidrmuc, Jarko & Senaj, Matus, 2012. "Human Capital, Consumption, and Housing Wealth in Transition," VfS Annual Conference 2012 (Goettingen): New Approaches and Challenges for the Labor Market of the 21st Century 62058, Verein für Socialpolitik / German Economic Association.
    20. Jarko FIDRMUC & Matus SENAJ, 2014. "Income, Schooling and Housing Wealth during Economic Reforms," Czech Journal of Economics and Finance (Finance a uver), Charles University Prague, Faculty of Social Sciences, vol. 64(2), pages 160-176, March.
    21. Pauline Grosjean & Frantisek Ricka & Claudia Senik, 2011. "Learning, Political Attitudes and the Crisis in Transition Countries," Discussion Papers 2011-16, School of Economics, The University of New South Wales.
    22. John V. Nye & Maksym Bryukhanov & Sergiy Polyachenko, 2016. "Does Higher Education Contribute to a Change in Attitudes to Government Price Control in Russia?," HSE Working papers WP BRP 146/EC/2016, National Research University Higher School of Economics.

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    JEL classification:

    • P20 - Political Economy and Comparative Economic Systems - - Socialist and Transition Economies - - - General

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