24.01.2002, Analysis
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On the eleventh year of its independence, the Russian State finally has a complete set of state symbols. It could be said that in spite of all the political arguments that accompanied the adoption of the national emblem, the flag, and the old-new anthem, society on the whole has acknowledged these symbols.
Given the widespread nostalgia for the Soviet period (judging by the polls, today three quarters of Russians regret the collapse of the Soviet Union (Cf. 10 years later: Belovezhsky aggreements // Dominants. The Field of Opinions. 2001. ¹ 046 (http://www.fom.ru/survey/dominant/324/784/2619.html)(). However, it should be noted that this feeling is essentially "platonic": the majority of the respondents - 68%, according the same poll - believe that the reconstruction of the USSR is impossible.)), it is not surprising that society was most unanimous in acknowledgment of the recently-approved anthem. Only one-tenth of all respondents do not like it. It is significant that more often the reason for resentment is not the return of the Soviet anthem, but the fact that it is not the complete version of the old anthem, including the old lyrics. So the following opinions are frequently encountered:
- "The old one was better"; "I don't like the new words – the old text was better."
The loss of historical realities connected with this anthem is mentioned far less frequently:
- "It is the old anthem of the old country."
Obviously, the resentment of the Soviet past in itself, the past Alexandrov's anthem comes from, is not clearly articulated in these opinions, even if it is implied in them. Only 2% of the respondents unambiguously expressed their negative attitude towards the anthem.
- "It doesn't inspire me"; "I'm not impressed."
Two other state symbols - the flag and especially the coat-of-arms - are different from the anthem, as by their historical grounds and symbolical meaning, they are embodiments of pre-Soviet Russian history. So it is not surprising that the attitude of respondents towards these symbols is a bit less sympathetic. First of all, this is true for those groups that traditionally long more for the Soviet past: respondents with an educational level below secondary and the older generation.
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... the Russian flag... |
...the Russian national coat-of-arms; |
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All respondents |
Above 50 years |
Education below secondary |
All respondents |
Above 50 years |
Education below secondary |
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Like |
64 |
51 |
52 |
53 |
39 |
40 |
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Dislike |
16 |
25 |
22 |
20 |
30 |
27 |
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Hard to answer |
19 |
23 |
26 |
27 |
31 |
32 |
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It is evident that the more clear the monarchic essence of the symbol is, the less favorable is the attitude of the respondents, and especially of the groups mentioned above. At the same time, it should be noted that even in these groups, the share of citizens who don't like the state symbols of Russia is smaller than the share of those who do, and also of those who had difficulty answering. And of the 20% of respondents displeased with the coat-of-arms, only about one-seventh named the historical background of this symbol as the reason:
- "The symbol of Tsarist times, of the autocracy - what good is it for us today?"; "it is the symbol of the Tsarist regime, and I don't have much respect for the Tsarist government."
And the majority of those displeased with the coat-of-arms, as well as with the Russian flag, feel homesick for the symbols of the Soviet era:
- "We got used to the hammer and sickle, the red star"; "we grew up with the red flag"; "I lived for a long time with the red flag, the hammer and sickle, and got used to it."
Historical associations connected with the coat-of-arms and the flag are mentioned mostly by those who regard the new symbols positively:
- "It was like that before the revolution - continuity of the generations"; "the coat-of-arms is the history of Russia"; "a return to our origins"; "historically justified as the flag of the Russian state"; "an ancient flag, a historic one."
Answering the open-ended question, "What images or thoughts do you get when you see the Russian coat-of-arms?", 16% of respondents mentioned associations connected with Russian history as the reason for a positive attitude towards it. Of course, we cannot speak about these responses being totally identical, but there is definitely some symmetry. And there is no similar symmetry shown in the case of the anthem, where the associations should be entirely different. "Pride of the people"; "pride in Russia" (22% of all opinions) hold first place among the images provoked by the anthem, and "memories of younger years"; "an image of the Soviet Union"; "a memory of Soviet time" (13% of responses) holds second. But the most frequently mentioned reason for liking the anthem is its artistic values (17%):
- "The melody and the meaning of the text both suite me"; "the music unites us"; "the melody is clear and memorable, it is perceived well emotionally"; "beautiful, solemn music and good words."
Every tenth respondent (10%) explains his sympathy for the anthem by habit and lack of an alternative:
- "Our generation got used to it"; "I don't know another, and don't want to - we got used to it, the melody is familiar"; "the anthem is familiar from childhood, I can't imagine another."
Mention of the Soviet Union could also be found in the answers of respondents who dislike the anthem:
- "There was the undissoluble union before, but not now"; "this anthem belonged to the USSR, not to Russia."
There is an evident "lowering" of the register: speaking about images connected with the anthem, respondents use the comparatively high register: the feeling of pride in the country, the memories of a great state. When supporting their sympathy, they use "low" arguments - the melody, habit - argumentation that essentially brings the anthem down to a popular song. Why are appellations to the historical past of Russia "permitted" by the respondent's consciousness when he is explaining his sympathy for the two-headed eagle, and moved to the background when explaining his love for the anthem by Alexandrov? It is hard to say; all the more that in many other matters, the respondents regularly and willingly appeal to the "glorious Soviet past." This cannot be "deciphered" without special studies.
The Russian tricolor looks comparatively neutral against the background of the other two state symbols, "loaded" with clearly expressed historical connotations. Evidently, it was exactly this factor that helped the Russian flag to win broader sympathy than the coat-of-arms: 64% of the respondents like the flag, and only 53% like the coat-of-arms.
The structure of images provoked in the consciousness of a respondent by the sight of the flag is similar to those raised by the other state symbols:
- Pride in the country ("the greatness of Russia"; "pride and respect");
- Historical associations ("an image of Peter the Great's time, associations with the trade flag"; "St. Andrew's flag, the `Potemkin'");
- General positive feelings ("the rebirth of Russia").
But more detailed analysis of these conceptions reveals their comparatively low-grounded nature. Firstly, a substantial part of the historical associations are incorrect: the respondents confused the tricolor with the famous Navy ensign, the St. Andrew's flag. Secondly, along elevated images, like "the greatness of Russia," the respondents also use some very trite words: "pleasant, a relieved feeling"; "it is my country's flag." The symbolic deficiency of the flag is exactly the reason why respondents tend to seek various interpretations of the color stripes, as was noted in a previous release (Ñf.: The Russian Flag // Dominants. Opinion Field. 2002. ¹ 001-002.)(http://www.fom.ru/survey/dominant/343/853/2775.html).
Evidently, different connotations – by itensity, as well as by polarity – of the individual components of the state symbols, which are meant to be the ultimate embodiment of the state, are projections of a blending (but not uniting) of the Soviet and modern Russian levels of reality. But in the case of the official symbols, the respondents tend to seek ways to join the elements.
In spite all differencies in the structure of concepts in the state symbols, and also in the motives for sympathy or antypathy towards them, the majority of respondents – about 90% - are sure that respect for the state symbols should rise. The unanimity of Russian citizens who gave a positive answer to the question, "Is it important that respect for the Russian flag (or coat-of-arms, anthem, in the corresponding questions) should grow?", is accounted for by the functions Russians attach to the state symbols. During discussions in three focus groups, the participants singled out three main tasks of the official symbols.
The first task is to present Russia on the international arena, to provide the means of identification for Russian individuals, teams, or national achievements:
- "Indeed, the symbols represent the country. And they are an embodiment of the spirit of the people. At least, they should be an embodiment. And, as a matter of fact, they should be the pride of the people. Suppose we are defending the country, and, when the anthem is playing, then this country achieves something. This meant they sucseed in something in this country, they won something"
(DFG, Novosibirsk).
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Ira: Let us assume, at a meeting, every country represents itself in some way. I mean, here a minister sits, and here is a flag near him – Russia, Canada.
Sveta: The chess-players sit, play, and their flag is beside them" (DFG, Moscow).
Official symbols also serve as a key to recognition in a system of "ours – alien":
- «Participant 1: «The symbols are essentially signals for «ours» and «alien» – effective inside the state as well as abroad. Someone that is against somebody or for somebody. Unfortunately, most people, even seeing a man for the first time, usually think he can be for somebody or against somebody.
- Participant 2: Now it is probably impossible to find out who is of Russian origin, and who is of all sorts of other nationalities. «Russian» is a very broad conception. And the symbols are necessary» (DFG, Novosibirsk).
This function, of course, is relevant not only for the people, but also for equipment: airplanes, ships, and so on.
And finally, the third function of the official symbols singled out by focus groups participants consists in supporting the people who are far from their homeland. The national coat-of-arms, flag, and anthem create the feeling of belonging to one's nation.
&9679 «I think that a symbol is the sign of belonging to something. When a man feels that he belongs to something, this something has its symbol, its color, its pattern. Therefore, even when one is far away, one will know it is his and one belongs to it, one comes from there. And it will support him very powerfully. When you are at the world's end and you hear your anthem and see your flag and your coat-of-arms, you begin to understand that you are from there, that you belong to them»(DFG, Novosibirsk).
Evidently, these functions are primarily externally-oriented, and in the outward-oriented existence, the present Russian official symbols get the support of the overwhelming majority of the citizens. Representing all together – Russia and its citizens – abroad, the official symbols in many respects become free from the contradictions in the structure of perception each symbol receives separately. In the last opinion, it is significant that the continuous listing of the symbols: «you hear your anthem and see your flag and your coat-of-arms» – shows they are interchangeable, and hence equivalent, though for the time being «only at the world's end."
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