Concept et sondages d'opinion publique en Union Soviétique

Concept and Public Opinion Polls in the Soviet Union. It was not until the sixties that the concept of «public opinion» (obshchestven- noe mnenie) as a sociological phenomenon meriting analysis and perhaps differing from the accepted socialist doctrines in vigor began to be accepted in the USSR, under the impulsion of social scientists such as Uledov, Grishin and others. Although research in this field has been officially carried on since that time, the present study attempts to demonstrate that it is an «imported concept», adapted to the needs of Marxist-Leninist doctrine. Economic growth and the emergence of new social strata have engendered economic and social conflicts which in turn require sociological diagnosis. Although the State remains the spokesman of the public will, a certain degree of autonomy and variety in public opinion are tolerated which modifies the structural relationship between power and the social conscience. To this new approach changes are implicit, first, on the scientific level — the development of empirical research — and second, in socio-economic practice — the perception of social differentiations, reservations regarding the dogma of collective will identity from the point of view of the individual, as well as that of the State. Via such research, even though limited as it is, the outlines of the society take form; homo sovieticus with his beliefs, stereotypes and behavior appears for the first time. It becomes possible to assess his perception of the world, understand a little better the reasons for his dissidence or his non-conformity. One of the motives behind the development of public opinion polls today, directed under the aegis of the power in command, is that when the communist stage is attained, public opinion should theoretically be self-disciplined and capable of replacing State machinery. The working hypothesis of this study is the attempt to ascertain whether research in this area will be impaired and arbitrarily limited if dissent regarding the dogma, which has been existant for more than fifty years, should appear too great

Aesthetics · Autonomy · Conformity · Conscience · Doctrine · Economics · Epistemology · Field (mathematics · Identity (music · Marxist philosophy · Opinion poll · Perception · Political science · Politics · Positive economics · Power (physics · Public opinion · Sociology · State (computer science · Historical and Political Studies · Law · Philosophy