The Effects of the Global Financial Crisis on Russian Political Attitudes

Attempting to explain falling support for United Russia in the December 2011 parliamentary elections and the subsequent anti-regime protests, commentators stressed the global financial crisis's triggering effect. This article reassesses the political effects of the financial crisis. An original set of 2009 survey data is used to examine the financial crisis's impact on support for Russia's rulers; popular assessments of government efficacy during the crisis; and popular evaluations of Russian democracy. The influence of the 2008-2009 economic turmoil on political unrest in 2011 is considered. The question of whether the financial crisis politicized individuals from different employment sectors and social classes in distinctive ways is also considered.