Ukrainians support personal freedom more than collectivism, according to a study by the International Institute for Liberty
Ukrainians generally prefer personal freedom over social welfare, although most advocate a balance between these priorities. This is evidenced by the results of a sociological study by the International Liberty Institute, presented at the Interfax-Ukraine agency.
The survey was conducted on behalf of the Institute by New Image Marketing Group using the Lemur app in the first half of September 2025. CAWI methodology, sample of 1,000 respondents, representative of the adult population of Internet users aged 18+ throughout Ukraine, except for temporarily occupied territories. The statistical error does not exceed 3.16%.
According to the study, most respondents choose a balance between personal freedom and public interests. Among those who make an unambiguous choice, 29% give priority to personal freedom, while 13% support the primacy of public welfare. Against the backdrop of wartime, a significant proportion of respondents are willing to accept certain temporary restrictions, but a noticeable portion emphasize that personal freedom should not suffer even for the common good.
In the ranking of agreement with statements, mutual support in difficult times, even at the cost of personal resources, takes first place. This is followed by attitudes about the right of a person to live as they see fit and the decisive role of personal effort in achieving success. The priority of public interests over individual interests came in last place.
In terms of self-identification of views, nationalist views prevail. 17% identified themselves as liberal conservatives, 5% identified themselves as libertarians, and about 30% were unable to define their ideology. The main sources of information in terms of frequency of mention are Telegram, YouTube, websites, and Facebook.
Yaroslav Romanchuk, President of the International Liberty Institute: “Ukrainians are ready for the market and capitalism. It is part of our value code. Charity, solidarity, and mutual support have become a powerful force that can become the foundation for development after victory.” He stressed that the key challenge remains a lack of understanding of basic economic concepts: “We need educational work on economic freedom, private property, and the role of the state. The state must guarantee security and rights, but not replace private initiative.” Romanchuk also highlighted the link between support for market principles and long-term growth results: “Where support for market principles is higher, investment, productivity, and prosperity are higher. Ukraine can move faster if there is competition between programs and ideas, not just personalities.”
A comparison with Central European countries showed that state regulation of prices and wages is more often supported in Ukraine than in Poland, while agreement with the statement that private businesses have the right to independently determine their product range and prices is lower, at around 20%. Support for a market economy has grown compared to 2019, but lags behind Poland and the Czech Republic.
In demographic terms, support for elements of a market economy is more common among higher-income groups, young people aged 18-29, and respondents aged 55+. By gender, support for capitalism is higher among men than among women.
Mykhailo Kamchatnyi, director of the International Institute for Liberty, emphasized that Ukrainians consistently place the interests of the individual above those of the state and society, while at the same time demonstrating a high level of solidarity.
The full report and an abridged presentation are available on the website of the International Liberty Institute.