The majority of Russians think they should solve their own problems instead of going to the authorities, while nearly a third believe they are fully dependent on the government, a recent indicates.
Fifty-nine percent of respondents opted for self-sufficiency, down 5 percent from last year, according to a survey published Tuesday by the independent Levada Center pollster.
Another 28 percent of respondents said that their lives fully depend on the authorities, compared to 22 percent in March 2013.
Only 5 percent said they take their grievances to state officials.
These responses may be a reflection of Russians' general detachment from their country's politics.
Only 12 percent think they can influence state policies, and just 19 percent believe they can affect regional politics, the poll shows.
Three-quarters of Russians said they were not prepared to participate more actively in politics.
In a question that allowed for multiple answers, 32 percent of respondents said they choose to steer clear of politics because they think it should be left to state officials, while 23 percent said they don't think their efforts would make any difference.
A fifth said they are too busy for politics, 18 percent confessed to not understanding politics or government functions, and 16 percent lamented that it is a "dirty business."
The poll was conducted from March 21-24 among 1,603 Russians in 45 regions. The margin of error did not exceed 3.4 percentage points.
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