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Redefining the Political System of the USSR: Mass Support for Political Change

Publication ,  Journal Article
Finifter, AW; Mickiewicz, E
Published in: American Political Science Review
December 1992

Using data from a national public opinion survey carried out in the Soviet Union during November and December 1989, we 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. We discuss how attitude patterns in our data may be related to the disintegration of the Soviet Union and to problems faced by the independent successor states as they develop new institutions and foster new values.

Duke Scholars

Published In

American Political Science Review

Publication Date

December 1992

Volume

86

Issue

04

Start / End Page

857 / 874

Related Subject Headings

  • Political Science & Public Administration
  • 1606 Political Science
 

Citation

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ICMJE
MLA
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Finifter, A. W., & Mickiewicz, E. (1992). Redefining the Political System of the USSR: Mass Support for Political Change. American Political Science Review, 86(04), 857–874.
Finifter, Ada W., and Ellen Mickiewicz. “Redefining the Political System of the USSR: Mass Support for Political Change.” American Political Science Review 86, no. 04 (December 1992): 857–74.
Finifter AW, Mickiewicz E. Redefining the Political System of the USSR: Mass Support for Political Change. American Political Science Review. 1992 Dec;86(04):857–74.
Finifter, Ada W., and Ellen Mickiewicz. “Redefining the Political System of the USSR: Mass Support for Political Change.” American Political Science Review, vol. 86, no. 04, Dec. 1992, pp. 857–74.
Finifter AW, Mickiewicz E. Redefining the Political System of the USSR: Mass Support for Political Change. American Political Science Review. 1992 Dec;86(04):857–874.

Published In

American Political Science Review

Publication Date

December 1992

Volume

86

Issue

04

Start / End Page

857 / 874

Related Subject Headings

  • Political Science & Public Administration
  • 1606 Political Science