Why do Russians support Putin?
Vladimir Putin is considered a dictator by most of the Western world, which often exhibits Russophobia. Many Russians share this view. Yet, in the 2020 constitutional amendment vote, Russians overwhelmingly opened the door for Putin's lifelong rule, with a staggering 78% support.
This overwhelming support raises suspicions of election fraud. While there are certainly aspects that warrant skepticism, they aren't significant enough to overturn Putin's victory, a fact even his opponents acknowledge. Putin's popularity has been consistently high: 53% in 2000, 71% in 2004, 64% in 2012, and 77% in 2018, winning by large margins.
If not electoral fraud, does this mean Russians are ignorant of what dictatorship is? This is a common criticism in the Western world, implying that the people's ignorance leads to uncritical support of a dictator. This is partly true. Russians over 40, who didn't receive adequate education during the tumultuous shift from communism to capitalism and the dissolution of the Soviet Union, form Putin's solid support base. However, this phenomenon is not unique to Russia; globally, less educated people tend to support far-right conservatism. Moreover, Putin's United Russia party is not considered far-right in Russia. Even among the well-educated younger generation, those in their 20s and 30s, Putin enjoys substantial support, sometimes exceeding 80%, although this varies by survey.