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WVS Study: Belarusians Stopped Being Afraid And Got Out Of Protective Shell

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WVS Study: Belarusians Stopped Being Afraid And Got Out Of Protective Shell
PHOTO: BELSAT

Residents of our country have become different.

The next results of the most authoritative sociological research in the world - World Values Survey, WVS - can be called sensational for Belarus. Since the last survey (it lasted from 2011 to 2014) our country has undergone one of the most noticeable ethical transformations in the post-Soviet region. New data on Belarus were collected in 2018, that is, significant changes occurred several years before the current political events, Ezhednevnik writes.

Detailed materials on answers to questions have not yet been published, but we can judge the general trend by the movement of our country on the so-called "map of values", based on the generalization of WVS data.

On this map, or more precisely on the graph, on the vertical axis the values of collectivity/individualism are depicted. The lower it is, the more collective, traditional values, religion, authority and social hierarchy are valued in society. As we see, our country (circled in blue) is quite high, which means that these values are not close to it, and that individualism is much closer to it. Almost all countries that survived the "paradise" of Soviet collectivism hold a high position.

On the edge of the inhabited world

The vertical has not changed in our country since the last wave of research. But there is a strong shift in the horizontal plane. Preservation/development values are shown here. The closer to the left edge, the stronger the society values security, preservation, stability, delegates responsibility for itself to the state. It is also hostile to everything new and alien.

As we can see, 5-10 years ago Belarus was on the very left of the map. That is, all of the above mentioned referred to us more than to anyone else. Such countries as Ukraine, Bulgaria, Moldova and Tunisia were taking the extreme "protective" position with us.

The new data showed that most of the post-Soviet bloc countries had shifted from the left edge to the middle of the map. That is, from the values of security to the values of development, progress and independence. However, it is Belarus that has shifted most significantly. Now we occupy one of the most advanced positions in the Orthodox Europe cluster (pink). It turns out that the Belarusians are no longer afraid of a hostile world and have come out of the protective shell.

Russian political analyst Ekaterina Shulman said that if it had not been forbidden to monitor public opinion in Belarus, the post-election events could have been foreseen. And one would not have to be surprised: "What has happened to all of them? Probably, somebody from Poland has run and incited everyone here". Those who do not have scientific explanations have to resort to conspiracy theories.

Who pulls back the departing train?

The power vertical did not know and still does not know that the Belarusians have become different. It continues to sell outgoing values to society: "we will protect, we will save, and you sit still and obey". But this rhetoric now misses the mark, despite the work of the entire propaganda machine.

Of course, there are certain groups in society that are moving forward slower than others. Their consciousness is still responsive to stories about the terrible world outside of our "island of stability". And the calls to protect and preserve this islet resonate with their values. This part of society is firmly entrenched on the "safe" edge of the map and prevents everyone else from moving forward.

This is how Belarusian society is divided: not on the basis of national or religious values, but on the basis of different values. Some people value development and progress, while others value a safe, stable swamp. The WVS study shows that it is the former that set the social trends. But the latter, having become a minority, continue to hold in their hands the administrative resource through which they advocate for outgoing values.

The sense of danger and threat on which their perception of the world is based is a very powerful incentive. It forces them to hit with batons and to hate those who go for changes. For dangerous changes! They cling to power, trying to keep the country in the extreme left corner, otherwise it will roll in an unacceptable direction for them. Some of them seem to genuinely believe that they are fighting to protect the good.

Reference

The World Values Survey is a research project that brings together sociologists from around the world who study values and their impact on social and cultural life. WVS has already conducted sociological research in 97 countries, covering a total of 90% of the population.

These studies demonstrate changes in people's worldviews, in what they want from life. Sociologists interview representatives of all strata of the population using standardized questionnaires that measure changes in values related to religion, gender relations, labor motivation, democracy, governance in the country, social capital, political participation, tolerance, environmental protection and subjective sense of well-being.

WVS is the only source of empirical data on the worldview, values of people collected almost all over the world.

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