Demand for social democracy in Russia

Despite the absence of a large social democratic party in Russia and the minimal level of campaigning in this direction, there is a clear demand in society for an organization of this kind, as evidenced by various studies. For instance, a 2020 Levada Center poll made it clear that among politically active youth aged 14 to 29, as many as 28% identify as social democrats (the second largest political group — Russian nationalists — gathered 16%)¹. Communism, despite many decades of a monopoly on propaganda and a preserved organizational infrastructure, received only 11% in the poll.

A poll was also conducted by the pro-communist political page “Dialectic” on the social network “VK”. Among the youth surveyed aged 15 to 24, social democracy also turned out to be the most popular ideology, with 31.1% of the vote, while second place went to socialism with 20.9% of the vote². However, in the group aged 25 to 34, social democracy came in fourth (16.7%), while socialism led with 29.1%. Finally, in the age group from 35 to 49, social democrats gathered only 9.3%, while the ideology of socialism dominated with 46.2%. Overall, across all age groups according to this page’s poll, social democracy ranks third in popularity.

A poll of youth in the Saratov region conducted in 2021 showed that to the question “The values of which ideology seem closest to you?”, 24.3% of respondents named social democracy, which was the second most popular result after liberalism, which received 26.6%³.

Such results are not a temporary phenomenon. Social democracy was previously one of the most in-demand trends in society as well: for instance, Levada Center polls in 2013, 2011, and 2005 showed that 34%, 40%, and 39% of respondents held “socialist and social democratic” views, respectively⁴, which significantly surpassed all other views, including communist ones.

In 2019, “Regnum” reported on the results of the AKSIO-8 poll, in which 40.6% of citizens stated that they would like to live under a social democratic government (51.3% expressed a desire to live under socialism)⁵. A poll conducted at an opposition rally on June 12, 2013, showed that the dominant force there was liberals (46% support), while the second most popular ideology was social democracy (14%)⁶.

In 2016, the TV channel “Dozhd” conducted a mass political test titled “Assemble your ideal duma”, in which nearly 100,000 people participated. The composition of the duma was formed based on the answers of those who took the test. First place in this duma went to the social democrats, who received 36%, while the liberals in second place took 23%⁷.

Once again, the demand for social democracy was confirmed in 2023. At the Grushin Conference organized by VCIOM, experts noted that Russians “have begun to lean more toward social democratic and liberal values rather than conservative ones, and to sympathize with centrist political forces”⁸. The most popular ideas in the new poll turned out to be liberal ones, receiving 26% of the vote, with social democratic ideas in second place with 25% of the vote. Conservatives and communists received 19 and 13 percent, respectively.

A poll conducted in 2018 by RANEPA showed that, in the opinion of respondents, what Russian politics lacks most is a left-wing party that would promote the idea of a socially oriented state⁹. The poll results in an infographic from RBC:

Despite the minimal presence of propaganda and party activity by social democrats in the Russian political field, they manage to occupy prominent positions in most polls. This allows us to suggest that there is a significant and vacant political niche in society. Whoever occupies it and succeeds in building a major political organization will have great prospects in terms of its further growth and public support. Furthermore, should a serious organization emerge, the popularity of social democratic ideas could increase even further.

1. More than 80% of Russian youth are indifferent to politics // Levada Center (www.levada.ru). April 30, 2020. [Electronic resource]. URL: https://www.levada.ru/2020/04/30/bolee-80-rossijskoj-molodezhi-ravnodushny-k-politike/ (Date of access: 30.05.2023).
2. Which ideology dominates in Russia? // Dialectic – VK (vk.com). January 4, 2020. [Electronic resource]. URL: https://vk.com/@dialectic.club-kakaya-ideologiya-dominiruet-v-rossii (Date of access: 30.05.2023).
3. A.A. Vilkov. The value-ideological factor in shaping contemporary youth’s image of Russia’s future (a regional case) // Izvestiya of Saratov University. New Series. Series: Sociology. Political Science. 2022. Vol. 22, iss. 1. — p. 101-107.
4. Political views of Russians // Levada Center (www.levada.ru). September 23, 2013. [Electronic resource]. URL: https://www.levada.ru/2013/09/23/politicheskie-vzglyady-rossiyan/ (Date of access: 30.05.2023).
5. In Russia, an absolute majority wants to live under socialism – poll // IA REGNUM (regnum.ru). November 20, 2019, 11:56. [Electronic resource]. URL: https://regnum.ru/news/2776939 (Date of access: 30.05.2023).
6. Poll at the opposition rally on June 12 // Levada Center (www.levada.ru). June 17, 2013. [Electronic resource]. URL: https://www.levada.ru/2013/06/17/opros-na-mitinge-oppozitsii-12-iyunya/ (Date of access: 30.05.2023).
7. Assemble your ideal duma // TV Channel “Dozhd” (tvrain.tv). [Electronic resource]. URL: https://tvrain.tv/idealduma/ (Date of access: 07.06.2023).
8. Anastasia Kornya. Optimocentropathy // Kommersant (www.kommersant.ru). May 28, 2023, 23:00. [Electronic resource]. URL: https://www.kommersant.ru/doc/6012592 (Date of access: 30.05.2023).
9. Vladimir Dergachev. RANEPA discussed the demand among Russians for a left turn in politics // RBC (www.rbc.ru). October 25, 2018, 17:03. [Electronic resource]. URL: https://www.rbc.ru/politics/25/10/2018/5bd1b4a89a7947b421dc4b0e (Date of access: 04.06.2023).