Citizens are ready to celebrate a day off
National unity day has not become clear to the Russians.
According to VTsIOM, 43% of respondents do not remember or do not know what the name of the holiday that the country will celebrate on 4 November. And for the most part of the respondents to the Day of national unity is nothing more than an extra day off. Head of chair of political psychology at Moscow state University Elena Shestopal said that the consolidation of the nation state have to be such holidays not only myths, “but also a system of meanings.”
For 36% of the citizens national unity Day became a holiday that awakens in man “a special elation”, urging to “think about the past and future of the country.” Among the inhabitants of the village so meet the 40%, follows from poll VTsIOM. But 48% of citizens perceive, on 4 November, as only “one extra day”.
Especially apolitical were Moscow and Saint Petersburg. For 60% of the inhabitants of the two capitals is a holiday, a holiday only for 25%. 16% of the total number of respondents VTsIOM difficult to answer, whether the occasion on 4 November.
Citizens have little understanding of what is celebrated 4 November (the feast established in 2005). Only 12% of respondents know its exact name — national unity Day. Most people believe that this “unity day” (13%). 8% are ready to celebrate the independence day of Russia. 4% will be celebrated Constitution day. There are those who believe that Russia celebrates “the day of liberation from the poles” (1% with a statistical error of polls of 2.5%). 2% of respondents said that from 7 on November 4, postponed the anniversary of the October revolution.
Overall 43% of respondents do not remember or do not know what the name of the holiday on the 4th of November.
This figure is constantly fluctuating. In 2008, those who “do not remember do not know” was 48%, and a year later more of them — 52%.
According to VTsIOM, 79% of respondents consider it “important” to celebrate holidays like Day of national unity. For 16% of this ritual is “not important”. Another 5% difficult to answer. “This is a paradox, — explained “Kommersant” the head of the Department of research VTsIOM Stepan Lvov.— People recognize the absolute importance of state holidays, but when it comes to personal involvement, consider them as an additional rest day and not as a session initiation to the history and spirit of patriotism.”