ABSTRACT
The results of population surveys in Russia exhibit a rather convincing correlation between democratic orientations and market support (Evans and Whitefield 1995; Miller et al. 1997), while the empirical results of previous elite studies are rather contradictory. Miller et al. (1997) investigated the relationship between support for democracy and market reform among Russian and Ukrainian elites in 1992 and 1995. Somewhat surprisingly to them, they found no clear correlation. The relationship was tenuous and much weaker than among the general public. In fact in 1992 strong support among the elite for democracy was significantly correlated with preferences for a state-regulated economy. One factor which had a major impact on the relationship between a democratic and a market orientation among citizens, was party affiliation. Those who were affiliated with a party were consistently more in favour of both democracy and the market economy.
