In most of Russia, democracy is a dirty word. "Under the Soviets we lived better than we live today," complains former collective farmer Valentina. She blames Yeltsin's Western-inspired policies for creating such an unequal society and considers Putin to be the lesser of two evils. Putin may have won 71% of the vote in the last elections but his is a grudging mandate. "Only 15% are sure that Putin is a successful leader," comments Lilya Shevtsova, author of 'Putin's Russia.' "They vote for him because they don't see a viable alternative." And there are plenty of Russians who disagree with his authoritarian style. As one of his rivals laments: "Independent media's been destroyed, freedom of speech has been trampled on - We have returned to the times of Brezhnez - only worse."