The Russian population and the political development of Russia: the view from abroad, and contemporary perceptions

The study of the new democratic institutions and democratic procedures which were inaugurated in Russia in 1991 cannot be separated from the study of the socio-political discourse that directly impacts upon both Russia's domestic and foreign policies. This article is an attempt to consider some of the original foreign researches of public opinion in post-Soviet Russia, which, being based on poll information gathered by the Pew Research Centre, examines the relationship of Russia's population to the political advancement of the country. The article outlines the key elements of Russian social opinion important for foreign authors, related to democracy and the political regime. They are analyzed and critiqued from the position of actual Russian poll studies of the loyal Internet community, undertaken in February 2015 by the «Public Opinion» Foundation Institute, polling more than 50,000 people in various Russian cities. The conclusions and new data published in this study can assist both those interested in evaluating government action in the context of the chosen cross-section of socio-political discourse and similarly aid the authorities to present the detail of the population feelings about politics more clearly, and to guide their actions based upon it.