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Education, the Economy, and Post-materialist Values in Russia: Evidence from the Chechnya Conflict*

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Abstract (2. Language): 
A large number of survey-based studies have led to a widely held opinion about value-shifts in the former Soviet Union. More specifically, scholars have argued for surprising evidence of “postmaterialist” values driven by either economic security or education, and that these values have salient implications for democratic progress throughout the region. The rise of “new Russians,” e.g. urban, well-educated, and well-off supporters of democratic values has been posited since the early 1990s. This paper offers a cautionary alternative to this view, arguing that inconsistencies might exist on citizen attitudes on critical issues. Specifically we posit that some of the factors driving postmaterialist values might run counter to earlier widely held expectations, and find that Russian attitudes toward the conduct of the Chechnya conflict raise new questions about the strength of the postmaterialist argument in this part of the world.
101-120