Economic Freedom and Government Regulation: Russian Preferences

Abstract

The paper delivers an analysis of the Russian attitudes towards government price regulation, free international trade and immigration. The analysis is based on the results of the survey conducted in 2013 in the framework of the RLMS-HSE (comparison of averaging) and reveals the differences in Russian preferences depending on social and economic parameters. The analysis suggests that most of Russians do not approve of the idea of free formation of prices. Russians are suspicious (though they are more liberal) about free trade, immigration and economic consequences of immigration. Regression analysis allows defining a positive relationship between an individual’s level of education, his/her well-being, running his/her private enterprise and positive economic expectations from market liberalism. Older generations opt for government regulation and domestic production protectionism. A regression analysis of the relationship between economic and liberal values and particular factors outlined in professional literature was carried out. The basic empirical results of the study agree with the modern publications’ data.