A Comparison of Russians and the Leader Countries in Economic Development By Modernization Indicators, Based on Wvs Data

This report is devoted to comparing the values of Russians and inhabitants of the most successful countries in economic development. The study is base on the World Value Survey data (wave 6, 2010-2014). The purpose of the study was to compare the data for Russia and the data of the leading countries on modernization indicators to determine whether changes are taking place in favor of economic development or are a brake on it. To identify the values that contribute to the modernization of society, we use the typology proposed in L. Harrison's "The Central Liberal Truth." Harrison explicates the theory developed by the Argentine sociologist M. Grondona. In this theory were distinguish a group of cultural factors that influencing on progress. They form a typology consisting of 25 points, according to which it is proposed to analyze the degree of progressivity of cultures. Cultures favorable for economic development are opposed to cultures that resist such development. We selected analogues of these 25 points in WVS and compare them between Russians and the inhabitants of the four most competitive countries in Europe. To determine the group of European leading countries in terms of various indicators of modernization, 10 indicators of economic growth, outlined by Harrison, were applied. These indicators were used to assess the progressiveness of countries (117 countries were ranked). Indicators of progress, reflect the level of welfare, the level of confidence in institutions, the level of corruption and the nature of income distribution.