The Gender Factor in Soviet Mass Politics: Survey Evidence from Greater Moscow

Based on a representative sample of 504 respondents from the Moscow oblast of the Soviet Union, gender differences in both political and non- political variables (which may serve to explain the connection between gender and the political) were investigated. With controls for age, edu cation, income and membership in the Communist party, women were found to be more favorable to the Communist party, less in favor of radical change, less politically interested and efficacious, more likely to vote but less likely to be involved in unconventional participation. Several inter vening variables were examined as possible explanations for these gender differences, including feminist orientation, compassion, religiosity and fatigue.