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WHAT THE BELARUSIANS THINK ABOUT PRIVATIZATION

Unlike in the Soviet times when people didn’t and couldn’t have any personal property, at present many of the Belarusians have finally gained realty or other private ownership and are even not afraid to admit this. Nowadays, over 53% of adult population answers in the affirmative to such a question that we asked during our latest nation opinion poll.

How did the citizens obtain that property? Table 1 to a certain extent clarifies the point. As one can see, 42.1% of respondents gained their property through privatizing. If compare the number of those who has the property and those who received it through privatizing, then the difference of 10.9% are those who received their properties in some other way (built, purchased, inherited, etc.). It is noteworthy that for over 10 years of denationalization and privatizing that were undertaken in this country some 60% of adult population hasn’t yet received their part of the public ‘pie’. Also, the results of privatization don’t reveal great difference between A. Lukashenko’s supporters and opponents in the issue of ownership. Perhaps, the only point is that A. Lukashenko’s supporters are more land owners while his opponents are more realty owners (apparently, apartment owners).

Table 1. Distribution of answers to the question “Have you received any property through privatization?”* (more than one answer is possible)

Variant of answer
All population
Among them:
A. Lukashenko’s supporters
A. Lukashenko’s opponents
Received no property
57.9
58.5
58.2
Received realty
20.8
17.4
21.4
Land
13.2
16.8
12.9
Enterprise shares
6.0
5.3
5.4
Other
2.1
1.9
2.1

* Reduced to 100%

Now, what is the attitude of the Belarusians to privatization of large enterprises, so called ‘flagships of Soviet industry’ or ‘our national pride’? Table 2 shows that respondents’ opinions have divided almost fifty-fifty with a minor advantage in favor of privatization. But among the public opinion leaders an overwhelming majority (92%) considers such privatization essential. Both representatives of the private and the public sectors are unanimous in this respect. We suppose that leaders have deeper and better understanding of the very problem.

Table 2. Distribution of answers to the question “Almost all large enterprises in Belarus are presently state-owned. Do you think they should be privatized?”, %

Variant of answer
Population
Leaders of public opinion
All respondents
Employees of the public sector
Employees of the private sector
Yes, most of them should be privatized
42.2
92
93
90
No, most of them should remain state’s property
39.0
3
7
Primary arguments why people support or stand against privatizing of large enterprises are presented in Tables 3 and 4. As one can see, the respondents supporting privatization argue that private property is more efficient than the state-run (17.3% of answers) and that giving enterprises to private owners would allow making their work more efficient and lead the country out of crisis (16.7%). All other arguments are not so relevant. Those who spoke out against privatization argue their stands with that the state-run property is more efficient than the private (15.6% of answers) and this most probably reveals ideological aversion of the very privatization inherent to them and incompetence in the problems of economics.

Table 3. Distribution of answers to the question “If you think most large enterprises in Belarus should be privatized, then why do you think so?”, % (open question, more than one answer is possible)
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Table 4. Distribution of answers to the question “If you think most large enterprises in Belarus should remain state’s property, then why do you think so?”, % (open question, more than one answer is possible)

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The arguments for privatization among the public opinion leaders are by far more various, yet prevailing is still that same high efficiency of the private property (56% of answers). As for the arguments against, there’s only one. It was sharply outlined by a respondent: “Large enterprises should be left to the state as the private proprietor doesn’t need this garbage. It is easier and cheaper for him to build a new enterprise. Let the state try to sell out those enterprises in parts for waste metal and secondary raw materials while budgetary funds should be spent not for support of their existence but for assistance to their former employees in finding new workplaces”.
Noteworthy are the answers of those who support privatizing of large enterprises to the question on who to trust that property. Referring to Table 5, one third of respondents in the nation opinion poll suppose that those should be Belarusian entrepreneurs. Another 18% of the polled claim this property should be given to enterprise employees, yet another 16% – to Western businessmen and about 11% – to Russian businessmen. All other answers are not relevant.

Table 5. Distribution of answers to the question “If you think most large enterprises in Belarus should be signed over into private propriety, then who it should be signed over to?”, % (more than one answer is possible)

Variant of answer
Population
Leaders of public opinion
All respondents
Employees of the public sector
Employees of the private sector
Belarusian businessmen
32.9
54
53
57
Employees of the enterprise
18.2
7
10
3
Western businessmen
15.9
30
17
43
Russian businessmen
10.6
18
20
17
Businessmen from other countries
3.5
15
17
13
Businessmen from other CIS countries
2.9
2
3
Public opinion leaders showed slightly different preferences. Over 50% respondents irrespective of the sector they represent spoke out in favor of the Belarusian businessmen. Another 30% – in favor of Western businessmen and 18% more – in favor of Russian businessmen. But a vast majority of leaders don’t agree to give large enterprises to their employees. Evidently, they well see all nonsense of such an idea: How can a destitute work collective restore those enterprises if the state cannot do this?