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BUSINESS & POLITICS IN THE WORLD GLOBAL OPINION REPORT NO. 713 Week:
October 18 –October 24, 2021 Presentation:
October 29, 2021 77
Percent Of Candidates In The Lower House Election Favor Increased Fiscal
Spending In Japan 60%
Of The Generation Z Want To Start Their Own Businesses 43%
Pakistanis Consider The Speed Of Vaccine Rollout By The Government To Be
Adequate Half
Of Libyans Say They Have Favorable Views Of The U S, Six-In-Ten Say The Same
For China 72%
Of Iranians Approve Of The Job President Ebrahim Raisi Is Doing Public
Support Majority Of Net Zero Policies (Seven Out Of Eight) … Unless There Is
A Personal Cost Half
(49%) Of The Public Think Britain Is Heading In Wrong Direction By
45% To 18%, Britons Support Banning Cryptocurrency To Combat Climate Change 76%
Of French People Consider That We Are Not Equal In Terms Of Food Covid-19
Pandemic Leads To More Australians Regularly Attending Their Place Of Worship Pre-Christmas
Retail Trade For 2021 Predicted To Remain Steady Year-On-Year At $58 Billion Three
In Ten Consumers Worldwide See The Banking Sector Negatively INTRODUCTORY NOTE
713-43-24/Commentary:
Persistent
Racial Segregation In American Churches:60% Of Black Adults Who Go To
Religious Services Attend Severely 'Racialized' Services, Most Or All
Attendees And The Clergy Are Black
Worship
habits among Black Christians in the South, where African American
churches date back to the
1770s, have long differed from practices of Black
Americans in other parts of the United States. Contrasting styles of worship
were a source of tension after the Civil War and
during mass
migrations of Southern Black people to Northern
cities, when Black Northerners objected to expressive forms of worship that
were common in the South, such as dancing in church.
Today, there
are few regional differences among Black Americans when it comes to worship
styles, but Black Southerners diverge from other Black Americans – especially
Northeasterners and Westerners – in other ways when it comes to religion,
according to a recent Pew
Research Center report based on a survey of 8,660 Black
U.S. adults. For example,
Black Southerners are more likely than Black Americans living elsewhere to be
part of a Black congregation (where all or most attendees and clergy are
Black). In the Southern U.S., roughly two-thirds of Black adults who attend
religious services at least a few times a year (65%) say they worship at a
Black congregation. That’s slightly higher than the share of Black adults in
the Midwest (60%) who say they go to a Black congregation, and much higher
than the shares in the Northeast (52%) and West (38%) who say this. A closer
look at subregional divisions used by the U.S. Census Bureau shows that Black
attenders in the South who live in Alabama, Kentucky, Mississippi and
Tennessee – known as the East South Central division – are even more likely
than other Black attenders in the South to worship at Black congregations
(73% vs. 63%). The religious
experience of Black Southerners stands out in other ways, too. Protestantism,
which is the most common faith among Black Americans in all four regions of
the country, is most prevalent among Black Americans in the South (72%). That
compares with 65% of Black adults in the Midwest, 58% in the West and 54% in
the Northeast. Black Southerners in the East South Central subregion are even
more likely than Black adults in other parts of the South to say they are
Protestant (78% vs. 70%). In contrast,
the Northeast has relatively high shares of Black Catholics and adherents of
non-Christian religions compared with the South; 11% of Black Northeasterners
are Catholic, compared with 5% of Black Southerners.
A similar
pattern can be seen when looking at religious service attendance and
frequency of prayer: More than a third of Black Southerners (37%) say they
attend worship services at least once a week, compared with roughly
three-in-ten Black adults in the Midwest (31%) and about a quarter in the
West (26%) and Northeast (25%). And about seven-in-ten Black Southerners
(69%) say they pray daily, compared with six-in-ten in the Midwest and just
over half in the Northeast (54%) and West (51%). Among Black
Southerners specifically, those who live in the East South Central division
of the South as well as the area made up of Arkansas, Louisiana, Oklahoma and
Texas (West South Central) are more likely than Black Southerners in states
along the Atlantic coast and in West Virginia (South Atlantic) to say they
pray daily. They are also more likely to say that religion is “very
important” to them.
Black
Southerners also are more likely than Black people in other regions to say
the Bible is the literal word of God. Half of Black Southerners say they
believe this, compared with 43% of Black adults in the Midwest, and around a
third of Black Northeasterners (35%) and Westerners (31%). Again, Black
Southerners on the Atlantic coast and in West Virginia are less likely than
those in other parts of the South to say the Bible is the literal word of
God.
Some of
these regional trends are also present in the general U.S. population. When
it comes to the importance of religion, U.S. adults overall in the South
(48%) are more likely than Americans in the Midwest (40%), Northeast (34%) or
West (35%) to say religion is very important in their life. Within the South,
U.S. adults in the East South Central division (55%) are more likely than
Americans in the South Atlantic states (45%) to say religion is very
important to them. (PEW) OCTOBER 21,
2021 713-43-25/Country Profile: SUMMARY
OF POLLS
ASIA (Japan) 77 Percent Of Candidates In The Lower House Election Favor
Increased Fiscal Spending In Japan With the COVID-19 pandemic hammering the
economy, 77 percent of candidates in the Lower House election favor increased
fiscal spending, double the ratio of 38 percent in the previous election in
2017, according to a survey. The survey, jointly conducted by The Asahi
Shimbun and a team led by Masaki Taniguchi, a professor of political science
at the University of Tokyo, also showed stronger stances in favor of “big
government” for this election. (Asahi Shimbun) October 21, 2021 (Turkey) 60% Of The Generation Z Want To Start Their Own Businesses In the Z Report prepared by Ipsos, the
entrepreneurial aspect of this generation dominates and 60% of the young
people want to start their own businesses. The rate of young people
considering working in an international company is 36%. Since Z generation
youth are not passive individuals, they position themselves in life as an
active part of whatever they experience. When young people are asked about
the subjects they care about most, education ranks first with 17%. (Ipsos Turkey) 18 October 2021 (Pakistan) 43% Pakistanis Consider The Speed Of Vaccine Rollout By The
Government To Be Adequate According to a survey conducted by Gallup
& Gilani Pakistan, 43% Pakistanis consider the speed of vaccine rollout
by the government to be adequate. Complete report for Wave 12 of the COVID-19
tracker survey can be accessed here. A nationally representative sample of
adult men and women from across the four provinces was asked the following
question, “What is your opinion regarding the speed of vaccine rollout by the
Pakistani government?” In response to this question, 13% said very slow, 43%
said adequate, 30% said very good and 11% did not know. 3% did not respond. (Gallup Pakistan) October 22, 2021 MENA (Libya) Half Of Libyans Say They Have Favorable Views Of The U S,
Six-In-Ten Say The Same For China The Libya Stabilization Conference, hosted
in the Libyan capital, Tripoli, on October 21, 2021 is the first
Libya-related international conference to take place inside the war-torn
country since civil war broke out in 2014. The agreement was not as
successful, however, in limiting foreign interference. While 26 percent of
Libyans said in October 2020 that foreign interference was the most important
challenge, 17 percent said the same between March and April 2021 as several
countries continue to interfere overtly and covertly. (Arabbarometer) October 20, 2021 (Iran) 72% Of Iranians Approve Of The Job President Ebrahim Raisi
Is Doing Just a few weeks into Ebrahim Raisi's
presidency, Gallup surveys in Iran showed Raisi had the backing of the
Iranian people that had mostly eluded his predecessor, Hassan Rouhani.
Shortly after Raisi took office in August, 72% of Iranians expressed approval
of the job he was doing. The percentages of Iranians who approve of the jobs
that Presidents Ebrahim Raisi and Hassan Rouhani have done. In the last
reading of Rouhani's presidency, in November of last year, 32% approved of
the job he was doing. (Gallup) OCTOBER 21, 2021 AFRICA (Eswatini) Three-Fourths (76%) Of Citizens Of Eswatini Say The
Country’s Economic Condition Is Fairly Bad Or Very Bad After recording significant gains between
2013 and 2018, citizens’ assessments of economic conditions in Eswatini have
taken a nosedive, the latest Afrobarometer survey shows. Only about one-third
(35%) of Emaswati say the country is going in the right direction, a sharp
decline from 2018 (52%). Three-fourths (76%) of citizens say the country’s
economic condition is “fairly bad” or “very bad,” a dramatic increase
compared to three years ago (48%). Only two in 10 citizens (21%) expect the
country’s economic condition to improve over the next year. (Afrobarometer) 18 October
2021 (Tanzania) Only About One-Third (35%) Of Tanzanians Say They Have
Heard Of Climate Change, A Modest Increase Compared To 2017 (31%) A majority of Tanzanians who are aware of
climate change say it is making life in the country worse, according to the
latest Afrobarometer survey. But only about one-third of Tanzanians are aware
of climate change. Next month’s 26th United Nations Climate Change Conference
(COP26) offers a platform for reviewing international commitments to
addressing climate change. While Tanzania contributes only 0.03% of global
greenhouse gas emissions, it is already experiencing effects of climate
change that threaten human health, safety, food security, and socio-economic
development. (Afrobarometer) 22 October 2021 WEST
EUROPE (UK) Public Support Majority Of Net Zero Policies (Seven Out Of
Eight) … Unless There Is A Personal Cost New research by the Climate Engagement Partnership, a
collaboration between Ipsos MORI and the Centre
for Climate Change and Social Transformations, finds that a majority of the UK public
support seven out of eight key net zero policies. Frequent flier levies
receive the highest levels of support at 68%, followed by pricing products to
reflect how environmentally friendly they are, phasing out the sale of gas
and coal boilers and electric vehicle subsidies, all on 62%. (Ipsos MORI) 18 October 2021 Two Thirds Of Britons (65%) Believe That Nuclear Should Play
A Role In The Country’s Climate Change Strategy Recent media reports have suggested that the government intends to put
nuclear energy at the heart of Britain’s attempts to reach net zero carbon
emissions by 2050. A new YouGov survey shows that two thirds of Britons (65%)
believe that nuclear should play a role in the country’s climate change
strategy. This includes one in three (34%) who say that nuclear should play a
major role in attempts to make Britain’s electricity low or no carbon – on a
par with renewable energy sources like solar and wind. Another 31% want to
see it play a minor role. (YouGov UK) October 18, 2021 Half (49%) Of The Public Think Britain Is
Heading In Wrong Direction Ipsos MORI’s latest Political Pulse survey
reveals around half (49%) of Britons think the country is heading in the
wrong direction (+5 since September) - the highest proportion since the start
of the year. Only one in four (24%) think the country is on the right track
(-5) which has near halved from as recently as May (when it was 47%). Meanwhile,
half (50%) now think the UK’s decision to leave the European Union is having
a negative impact on the country (+7 since September). (Ipsos MORI) 19 October 2021 More Than Half (57%) Of Smaller Businesses
Have Heard A Lot, Or A Fair Amount, About The Government’s Commitment To
Reach ‘Net Zero’ Emissions By 2050 In UK Ipsos MORI supported this research for the
British Business Bank through surveys with 1,200 owners or managers at small
and medium businesses across the UK. Small and medium businesses account for
around half (50%) of UK business-driven emissions, the same proportion as
larger businesses; and almost a third (30%) of all current UK greenhouse gas
emissions (including emissions from households, industry and government). (Ipsos MORI) 21 October 2021 By 45% To 18%, Britons Support Banning Cryptocurrency To
Combat Climate Change The environmental impact of cryptocurrency
is well-documented, with studies showing that the amount of electricity being
used to mine Bitcoin alone is greater
than that consumed by entire countries. By 45% to 18%, Britons say they would
support banning cryptocurrencies like Bitcoin in order to help tackle climate
change, including 29% who would “strongly support” it. Age is a key factor,
with younger Britons opposing such a ban. The youngest adults (18-24 year
olds) are in opposition by 35% to 21%, as are 25-34 year olds by 34% to 25%.
Support swings firmly in favour of the ban among older 35-44 year olds. (YouGov UK) October 21, 2021 Six In Ten Britons Want Schools To Teach Children About
Britain’s Involvement In The Slave Trade And Its Impact In The World Today A new survey by Ipsos MORI for Black
History Month shows strong support for educating children in both primary and
secondary schools about Britain’s involvement in the slave trade and its
impact in the world today. Six in 10 (60%) support teaching children in
British primary schools while almost two-thirds (65%) are in favour of
educating secondary school students on this subject. (Ipsos MORI) 22 October 2021 (France) 76% Of French People Consider That We Are Not Equal In
Terms Of Food French eating habits reflect French
inequalities and divides . Attitudes and behaviors are very unevenly distributed among the different social
categories , which pay different attention, The richness and
variety of their food - 69% of CSP + against 56% of CSP-Consumption of
healthy and balanced food products - 66% of CSP + against 57% of CSP In
addition to social cleavages, there are generational cleavages. (Ipsos France) 22 October 2021 (Germany) More Than Half Of Germans Believe That There Is A
Connection, Large Or Small, Between The Zodiac Signs And People's Personality
(53 Percent) Our date of birth has an important meaning
not only in the identity card: each of us belongs to one of the 12 zodiac
signs. More than half of Germans believe that there is a connection,
large or small, between the zodiac signs and people's personality (53
percent). 42 percent do not believe this. But do women and men
share the same opinion? Our data show that women in Germany generally
believe in it more often than men. Every fourth woman (24 percent)
believes there is a big connection, among men only one in ten (11 percent)
does so. (YouGov Germany) October 21, 2021 NORTH AMERICA (USA) Three-Quarters Of Black Americans Say That Opposing Racism
Is Essential To Their Faith Or Sense Of Morality Opposing racism is an integral part of
religious identity for many Black adults. Three-quarters of Black Americans
say that opposing racism is essential to their faith or sense of morality, a
view that extends across faith traditions. Those who say that being Black is
a very important part of their personal identity (78%) are more likely than
those for whom being Black is less important (70%) to view opposition to
racism this way. (PEW) OCTOBER 19, 2021 Black Adults In The U S South 65% More Likely Than Those In
Other Regions (38%, 60% And 52%) To Attend A Black Congregation According to a recent Pew Research Center report based on a survey of 8,660 Black U.S.
adults. For example, Black Southerners are more
likely than Black Americans living elsewhere to be part of a Black
congregation (where all or most attendees and clergy are Black). In the
Southern U.S., roughly two-thirds of Black adults who attend religious
services at least a few times a year (65%) say they worship at a Black
congregation. That’s slightly higher than the share of Black adults in the
Midwest (60%) who say they go to a Black congregation, and much higher than
the shares in the Northeast (52%) and West (38%) who say this. (PEW) OCTOBER 21, 2021 AUSTRALIA Covid-19 Pandemic Leads To More Australians Regularly
Attending Their Place Of Worship Looking at where this increase has come
from shows big increases for Women, Millennials, people living in Capital
Cities and the States of NSW, WA and Tasmania, while there have been small
decreases for people living in Victoria and older Australians over the age of
75 (Pre-Boomers). Although there is now little difference between women and
men on the question with 19.1% of women and 19% of men reporting they ‘regularly go to church or my place of worship’
the increase has been larger for women during the pandemic (up 4.1% points)
compared to a smaller increase for men (up 1.2% points). (Roy Morgan) October 18 2021 Pre-Christmas Retail Trade For 2021 Predicted To Remain
Steady Year-On-Year At $58 Billion The ARA-Roy Morgan 2021 pre-Christmas
Retail Sales predictions forecast that overall spending will come in at $58.8
billion, virtually unchanged on last year, but up 11.3% on pre-pandemic
conditions. Roy Morgan CEO Michele Levine believes this is good news for
Australia: “Our sales forecasting reveals a country on the move; a consumer
economy exhibiting all the signs of pent-up demand. (Roy Morgan) October 21 2021 MULTICOUNTRY STUDIES An Average Of 51% Across The 28 Counties Feel That It Is
Right To Prioritise The Impact On The Environment, Nearly Double The 26% Who
Put Greater Weight On Economic Impacts A new study carried out in 28 countries by
Ipsos, in collaboration with the Global
Infrastructure Investor Association (GIIA), finds that when making decisions about
how to improve infrastructure, the global public considers their impact on
the environment should be more of a priority than their impact on the
economy. The environment is also ranked as the most important of seven
factors when planning for the future; an average of 26% of people rank it
first, slightly ahead of the quality of infrastructure, chosen by 23%. (Ipsos Egypt) 18 October 2021 Source: https://www.ipsos.com/en-eg/global-infrastructure-index-2021 Three In Ten Consumers Worldwide See The Banking Sector
Negatively On average, three in ten respondents
worldwide (30 percent) have a negative opinion about the banking
industry. Only one in four (24 percent) has a positive
attitude. Europeans are clearly the most negative attitudes
towards banking, and this is most common in Spain: three out of five
Spaniards (60 percent) have a negative attitude, including 30 percent a very
negative one. This may be due in part to lingering grudges from the
financial crisis. Denmark ranks second when it comes to negative
attitudes towards banks: 45 percent see them in a negative light, while 15
percent take a positive stance. The United Kingdom is in third place: 44
percent of Britons see the industry negatively, only 11 percent see it
positively. (YouGov Germany) October 21, 2021 Source: https://yougov.de/news/2021/10/21/drei-von-zehn-verbrauchern-weltweit-sehen-bankense/ Across 17 Advanced Economies Surveyed, A Median Of 56%
Believe Their Political System Needs Major Changes Or Needs To Be Completely
Reformed As citizens
around the world continue to grapple with a global pandemic and the changes
it has brought to their everyday lives, many are also expressing a desire for
political change. Across 17 advanced economies surveyed this spring by Pew
Research Center, a median of 56% believe their political system needs major
changes or needs to be completely reformed. Roughly two-thirds or more hold
this view in Italy, Spain, the United States, South Korea, Greece, France,
Belgium and Japan. (PEW) OCTOBER 21,
2021 More Than Two In Five Consumers Aged 18-24 From Around The
World Say Video Games Are As Culturally Important It’s a statistic that demonstrates the
dominance of video games in society today: More than two in five consumers
aged 18-24 from around the world say video games are as culturally
important — if not more important — than
music. According to the survey, nowhere are these feelings more
prevalent than in urban Mexico and the United Arab Emirates. In Mexico 68% of
adults in general say video games are more culturally important than before
the pandemic and 57% say there’s something in the video game universe for
everyone. Close to two in five Mexican adults also feel video games are as
important to culture as music (39%). (YouGov UK) October 22, 2021 ASIA
713-43-01/Polls 77 Percent
Of Candidates In The Lower House Election Favor Increased Fiscal Spending In
Japan
With the COVID-19 pandemic hammering the
economy, 77 percent of candidates in the Lower House election favor increased
fiscal spending, double the ratio of 38 percent in the previous election in
2017, according to a survey. The survey, jointly conducted by The Asahi
Shimbun and a team led by Masaki Taniguchi, a professor of political science
at the University of Tokyo, also showed stronger stances in favor of “big
government” for this election. In fact, the survey showed the largest
percentage of candidates against “small government” since the joint surveys
started in 2003. The questionnaires were mailed out from
Sept. 2 to 1,051 potential candidates, and responses were received from 974
as of Oct. 19 when campaigning officially began for the Oct. 31 vote. Support for fiscal spending cut across
party lines. Eighty-four percent of candidates from the ruling
Liberal Democratic Party were leaning in favor, a sharp increase from 46
percent of the 2017 survey. Among other parties, 87 percent of both
opposition Constitutional Democratic Party of Japan candidates as well as
junior coalition partner Komeito candidates were leaning in favor. There was also a weakening of neoliberalist
thinking on government services, such as social welfare. In response to a question about whether
smaller government was preferred, 68 percent of all candidates were leaning
against that view. That figure exceeded even the 57 percent in the survey for
the 2009 Lower House election that was held amid the aftershock of the
collapse of U.S. investment bank Lehman Brothers. Concern about the fiscal debt also weakened
amid greater pressure for heightened spending to restore the economy that has
taken a beating from the pandemic. Questions were asked about long-term
economic goals, such as achieving a surplus in the government’s primary
balance. This long-held goal would require tax and other revenue to cover
programs, from social security to public works projects, without having to
issue new government bonds. Forty-one percent of all candidates were
leaning in favor of postponing the goal of achieving a primary balance
surplus. Fifty-two percent of CDP candidates
supported the suspension of that goal, followed by 45 percent of LDP
candidates, an increase from 33 percent of four years ago. Regarding a possible increase in the
consumption tax rate from the current 10 percent, none of the major parties
was in favor of such a move. Four years ago, the LDP and Komeito said a
higher consumption tax rate would likely be needed in the future. Opinion was split on cutting the
consumption tax rate, with the ruling coalition leaning against it while
opposition parties, such as the CDP, the Japanese Communist Party, Nippon
Ishin (Japan Innovation Party) and the Democratic Party for the People,
leaning in favor of a rate reduction. (Asahi Shimbun) October 21, 2021 Source: https://www.asahi.com/ajw/articles/14465344 713-43-02/Polls 60% Of The Generation
Z Want To Start Their Own Businesses
The Dream of Young People to Start Their
Own Business Life balances, habits, social values,
working life and differences between generations are changing rapidly. When
we look at the process, it becomes very important to understand the children
of yesterday, who will form the producing, managing and decision-making part
of the century we are in, the youth of today. The most important feature that
distinguishes Generation Z from other generations is that they were born in a
period when digital high technology is widely used. The fact that they are
more educated as a workforce than previous generations suggests that these
young people have a dominant character design that makes their own decisions.
In the Z Report prepared by Ipsos, the entrepreneurial aspect of this
generation dominates and 60% of the young people want to start their own
businesses. The rate of young people considering working in an international
company is 36%.
Top Issues in Education, Unemployment and
Gender Equality for Youth Since Z generation youth are not passive
individuals, they position themselves in life as an active part of whatever
they experience. When young people are asked about the subjects they care
about most, education ranks first with 17%. Unemployment is in second place.
Equality between men and women is one of the top 3 issues for young people in
this age group. Health comes first! With the possible effect of the pandemic
period, health is the most important value for individuals between the ages
of 15 and 24 belonging to the Z generation. Family is the most important
value after health.
1 out of 2 young people state that their
relationship with their family is good While 48% of Generation Z youth state that
they have good relations with their families, only 3% evaluate their
relations with their families as bad. 4 out of 10 people say the pandemic has
negatively impacted their relationships with their families.
70% of young people feel safe with their
families. Only 7% of young people say they do not feel safe. On the other
hand, 5 out of 10 young people state that their families are proud of them,
and 4 of them state that their families support their decisions. Only 14% and
15% of young people are unhappy about these issues. 61% of young people are worried
about their future. Only 1 in 10 young people are not worried about their
future. The level of anxiety does not differ between men and women. Only 5% of young people do not
spend time on social media. Young people who spend time on social media spend
more than 3 hours a day on these platforms. Spending time on social media has
become a common behavior and time spent here generally creates neither a
positive nor a negative feeling. Only 25% of teens say their time makes them
feel positive. 90% of young people use Whatsapp
and Instagram. After these two applications, the most used application is
Youtube. Let's admit that today's young
people are going through a different process than the previous few
generations, they are living their youth under the conditions of the global
pandemic. This fact otherwise affects the natural tensions they experience
because of their age. For example, the most important issue for them is
health, which is not surprising when there is an epidemic, but on the other
hand, it is an unexpected response from this age group under normal
conditions. It is not surprising that they started to give more importance to
their families as they heard and read about those who lost their lives due to
Covid 19 around them. One of every two young people
states that their relationship with their parents is good, the other of these
two young people defines this relationship as neither good nor bad. Having to
stay at home for a long time during the pandemic process has also negatively
affected their relationship with their family, according to one of every two
young people, and the rate of those who say that the relationship is
positively affected in this process is only one in ten. Almost half of the youth state
that their families support their decisions and that they are proud of them.
The other half state that their decision is either not supported or they are
somewhere in the middle on the matter. Despite these differences, the rate of
those who feel safe with their families is high, seven out of ten young
people feel this way. I wish the families to be aware of this responsibility
and give it their due. Youth is a word that naturally connotes
"future". Pandemic youth are unfortunately worried about their
future. Six out of ten young people say they are worried about their future.
In particular, they care about education, unemployment and gender equality.
We can see the excitement and courage of their age in their expectations for
their future business life, six out of ten young people dream of starting
their own business. Public institutions, which were the unrivaled choice a
few generations ago, are lagging behind, and government office appeals to
only one in five young people. While preparing for the future,
I would like to point out that they spend the present day on social media
seriously. They spend an average of one-fifth of their non-sleep time using
social media, about 3.5 hours. If we take into account other times such as
meals, school, and the road, we can better estimate the level of the area
that social media occupies in their lives. This is another reality of our
time. I think we should not expect a different result when there is such a
huge content bombardment. The course of the content presented on social
media, the regulations to be made by companies, states or international
organizations in this field, and finally those famous "algorithms"
in the next ten years will be the primary determining factor for the
"future". (Ipsos Turkey) 18 October 2021 Source: https://www.ipsos.com/tr-tr/z-kusaginin-hayali-kendi-isini-kurmak 713-43-03/Polls 43%
Pakistanis Consider The Speed Of Vaccine Rollout By The Government To Be
Adequate
According to a survey conducted by Gallup
& Gilani Pakistan, 43% Pakistanis consider the speed of vaccine rollout
by the government to be adequate. Complete report for Wave 12 of the COVID-19
tracker survey can be accessed here. A nationally representative sample of
adult men and women from across the four provinces was asked the following
question, “What is your opinion regarding the speed of vaccine rollout by the
Pakistani government?” In response to this question, 13% said very slow, 43%
said adequate, 30% said very good and 11% did not know. 3% did not respond.
32% from Sindh and 30% from Punjab rate the
speed of vaccine rollout by the government as very good.
(Gallup Pakistan) October 22, 2021 Source: https://gallup.com.pk/wp/wp-content/uploads/2021/10/22-Oct-English.pdf MENA
713-43-04/Polls Half Of
Libyans Say They Have Favorable Views Of The U S, Six-In-Ten Say The Same For
China
The Libya Stabilization Conference, hosted
in the Libyan capital, Tripoli, on October 21, 2021 is the first
Libya-related international conference to take place inside the war-torn
country since civil war broke out in 2014. According to the Libyan foreign minister,
Najla al-Mangoush, the conference will focus on two tracks: the first is security and the second is
economic recovery. The security track aims to provide
assistance and support to the Joint Military Committee 5+5 (JMC) to maintain
the ceasefire and unite the Libyan military. The JMC was formed in January
2020 during the Berlin conference. It would take the JMC months of
negotiations to finally reach a ceasefire agreement. On August 21, 2020
President Fayez al-Sarraj of the internationally-recognized Government of
National Accords (GNA) and Aguilah Saleh, speaker of the House of
Representatives allied with the Libyan Arab Armed Forces (LAAF) jointly announced the ceasefire. Two months later, the
JMC signed a permanent ceasefire agreement that
expanded the August agreement by including the withdrawal of all foreign
mercenaries and forces within 90 days. The agreement solidified the halt of
hostilities between the GNA and LAAF. In October 2020, internal instability
came first in the list of challenges facing the country with 30 percent of
Libyans saying it is the most important challenge. As the peace agreement
largely held and direct confrontations stopped for a few months, internal
instability dropped to fourth place in the list of challenges with only 14
percent. The agreement was not as successful,
however, in limiting foreign interference. While 26 percent of Libyans said
in October 2020 that foreign interference was the most important challenge,
17 percent said the same between March and April 2021 as several countries continue
to interfere overtly and covertly.
During the 2019 war, both Russia and Turkey
supplied their local allies with mercenaries. A year after the JMC peace
agreement, a large number of those mercenaries are still present on Libyan
soil. The direct involvement of Russia and Turkey is reflected in the
relatively negative views Libyans hold of both countries. Only a quarter say
they have favorable views of either country (27 percent for Turkey and 26
percent for Russia).
Other regional powers with less direct
influence on the conflict fared much better than Russia and Turkey. Between
August and September 2020, 58 percent of Libyans said they have favorable
views of Saudi Arabia, compared with 43 percent for France and 67 percent for
Germany in spring 2021. The two global superpowers, the United
States and China, too enjoy significant support in Libya. While half of
Libyans say they have favorable views of the U.S., six-in-ten say the same
for China. With all these countries participating in the Libya Stabilization
Conference, the Libyan government hopes to garner more support from global
and regional powers to carry out its mandate and lead a successful transition
in the country. One of the government’s main goals is to
stimulate the economy and begin an economic recovery program. The halting of
hostilities and new political agreement earlier this year has resulted in a
steady oil production and a stable exchange rate, which translated
immediately to improvements in the overall economy. In spring of 2021, nearly
half (45 percent) of Libyans said the economic situation was very good or
good, compared with less than a quarter (22 percent) saying the same in
October 2020. Notably, Libyans still express optimism in their prediction of
the economic situation in the upcoming years. In spring 2021, the majority
said that the situation will be much better or somewhat better in the next 2
– 3 years (78 percent).
The question remains, however, on which
countries are favored to take part in the economic recovery projects. While
several countries are likely eager to land some of Libya’s infrastructure
projects, a few regional powers have already scored agreements with the
Libyan government to do so. On September 16, 2021, Libya and Egypt signed 14 memoranda of understanding and six
executive agreements in various fields including oil and gas, aviation,
construction, and agriculture. A few months prior, Libya signed six agreements with Turkey in fields
of electricity, aviation, media, and trade, among others. Libyans, however, prefer other countries to
carry out infrastructure projects. A third of Libyans (33 percent) say they
prefer Germany to get the infrastructure contracts, while around a quarter
(23 percent) say the United States and 16 percent say Italy. China and Turkey
are less preferred with 11 percent and 10 percent, respectively.
The Libya Stabilization Conference is an
excellent opportunity for the Libyan government to convey the message its
people clearly hold, that foreign interference perpetuates the conflict and
poses a significant challenge to the country. Libyans are eager to begin
their process of reconstruction and they need trustworthy partners in the
country’s journey towards economic recovery and development. (Arabbarometer) October 20, 2021 Source: https://www.arabbarometer.org/2021/10/10502/ 713-43-05/Polls 72% Of
Iranians Approve Of The Job President Ebrahim Raisi Is Doing
WASHINGTON, D.C. -- Just a few weeks into
Ebrahim Raisi's presidency, Gallup surveys in Iran showed Raisi had the
backing of the Iranian people that had mostly eluded his predecessor, Hassan
Rouhani. Shortly after Raisi took office in August, 72% of Iranians expressed
approval of the job he was doing.
Line graph. The percentages of Iranians who
approve of the jobs that Presidents Ebrahim Raisi and Hassan Rouhani have
done. In the last reading of Rouhani's presidency, in November of last year,
32% approved of the job he was doing. This contrasts with the first reading
of Raisi's presidency, when 72% approved of the job he was doing. These latest data come from Gallup's survey
conducted Aug. 24-31, three weeks after Raisi took office. Raisi has been
characterized in the West as a hard-line conservative cleric, contrasting
with Rouhani who was perceived as a more moderate figure who would
potentially reform the Iranian government. Despite his characterization as a
moderate, Rouhani never received majority-level job approval in any of
Gallup's readings during his presidency. In the last survey during Rouhani's
presidency, conducted in November 2020 as the pandemic ravaged Iran, roughly
a third of Iranians (32%) approved of the job Rouhani was doing. The Iranian
government's response to the COVID-19 pandemic under Rouhani was criticized
earlier this year for mismanagement and a lack of transparency after Supreme
Leader Ali Khamenei banned the import of coronavirus vaccines from U.S. or
U.K. sources. In a separate question in this year's August poll, Iranians
were asked retrospectively if they approved of the job Rouhani had done as
president, and 23% indicated they did. Iranians' Confidence in Their Government
Rises After Raisi's Election The poorly rated Iranian government
response to the COVID-19 pandemic coincided with a drop in Iranians'
confidence in their national government, declining from 52% in July 2019 to
47% in August 2020 and falling further to 41% in November. That 41% was the
lowest level of confidence recorded in Gallup's trend. Even before taking office, Raisi
articulated a plan to tackle the pandemic, focusing on increasing COVID-19
vaccination throughout the country. Prior to Raisi's election in June, about
5% of the Iranian population was at least partly vaccinated; since then, the
percentage of vaccinated Iranians has risen to nearly 50%. The increase in
availability of vaccines from non-Western sources and the new
administration's emphasis on taking action on the pandemic likely contributed
to the spike in Iranians' confidence in their national government, which
jumped to 62% shortly after Raisi entered office.
Line graph. Iranians' confidence in their
nation government. 59% of Iranians now have confidence in their national
government, up from 41% in November of last year. Bottom Line Raisi has come into office with an apparent
reservoir of goodwill among the Iranian public. However, public opinion could
sour rapidly if his government is unable to follow through on its pledge to
swiftly address the pandemic situation. In the short term, reports indicate
COVID-19 vaccination has accelerated substantially in the country. However,
daunting challenges remain -- particularly concerning the country's economy
-- and only time will tell if Raisi delivers on his promises to the Iranian
people. For observers outside of Iran, Raisi's job
approval rating and the spike in Iranians' confidence in their government
that coincided with his election should indicate that a leader perceived as
hard-line and conservative can still garner substantial public support in
Iran. If Raisi succeeds in turning around the country's pandemic response and
improving the lives of Iranians, the country may be more resistant to
external pressures. (Gallup) OCTOBER 21, 2021 Source: https://news.gallup.com/poll/355973/iranians-show-faith-new-president.aspx AFRICA
713-43-06/Polls Three-Fourths
(76%) Of Citizens Of Eswatini Say The Country’s Economic Condition Is Fairly
Bad Or Very Bad
After recording significant gains between
2013 and 2018, citizens’ assessments of economic conditions in Eswatini have taken a
nosedive, the latest Afrobarometer survey shows. Large majorities of citizens say the country
is headed in the wrong direction and describe both the national economy and their
personal living conditions as bad. Increasing numbers are going without basic life necessities,
and few are optimistic that things will get better during the coming year. While a majority of Emaswati who accessed
key public services last year encountered few difficulties, most say the government is
performing poorly on key economic issues. Eswatini’s stagnating economic growth has
been exacerbated by the COVID-19 pandemic. The Government of the Kingdom of Eswatini’s
post-COVID-19 recovery plan aims to stimulate economic growth through high-impact
projects led by the private sector in order to improve citizens’ livelihoods. Key findings Only about one-third (35%) of
Emaswati say the country is going in the right direction, a sharp decline from 2018 (52%) (Figure 1). Three-fourths (76%) of citizens
say the country’s economic condition is “fairly bad” or “very bad,” a dramatic increase compared to
three years ago (48%) (Figure 2). Only two in 10 citizens (21%)
expect the country’s economic condition to improve over the next year. Increasing numbers of citizens
report going without enough food (60%), enough clean water (58%), needed medical care
(62%), and a cash income (78%) at least once during the year preceding the survey
(Figure 3). Fewer than four in 10 citizens
approve of the government’s performance on managing the economy (38%), improving
living standards of the poor (31%), creating jobs (29%), keeping prices stable (27%),
and narrowing gaps between rich and poor (22%). All reflect declines since 2018
(Figure 4). However, among citizens who sought
public services during the previous year, majorities say they found it easy to get
help from public schools (69%), public health facilities
(68%), and the police (63%) (Figure 5). (Afrobarometer) 18 October
2021 713-43-07/Polls Only About
One-Third (35%) Of Tanzanians Say They Have Heard Of Climate Change, A Modest
Increase Compared To 2017 (31%)
A majority of Tanzanians who are aware of
climate change say it is making life in the country worse, according to the latest
Afrobarometer survey. But only about one-third of Tanzanians are aware of climate change. People who work in the agricultural sector
(farming, forestry, and fishing), who are particularly likely to suffer negative effects of
climate change, are more likely to be concerned but less likely to be aware of climate change
compared to their counterparts in other sectors. Next month’s 26th United Nations Climate
Change Conference (COP26) offers a platform for reviewing international commitments to
addressing climate change. While Tanzania contributes only 0.03% of global greenhouse
gas emissions, it is already experiencing effects of climate change that threaten human
health, safety, food security, and socio-economic development. Key findings Only about one-third (35%) of
Tanzanians say they have heard of climate change, a modest increase compared to 2017 (31%)
(Figure 1). o Awareness of climate change is highest
among citizens with post-secondary education (76%) and regular Internet users
(64%) (Figure 2). o Awareness is particularly low among women
(29%), rural residents (29%), and people who work in the agricultural sector
(29%) (Figure 2). Among citizens who have heard of
climate change, almost two-thirds (63%) say it is making life in Tanzania “somewhat worse” or
“much worse” (Figure 3). o This perception is particularly common
among men (68%), older people (70% of those over age 55), those with
post-secondary education (68%), and those who work in the agricultural sector (66%)
(Figure 4). (Afrobarometer) 22 October 2021 WEST
EUROPE
713-43-08/Polls Public Support Majority Of Net Zero Policies (Seven Out Of Eight) …
Unless There Is A Personal Cost
New research by the Climate
Engagement Partnership, a collaboration between Ipsos MORI and
the Centre for Climate
Change and Social Transformations, finds that a majority of the UK public
support seven out of eight key net zero policies. Frequent flier levies receive
the highest levels of support at 68%, followed by pricing products to reflect
how environmentally friendly they are, phasing out the sale of gas and coal
boilers and electric vehicle subsidies, all on 62%. The least support
is shown for a policy that would increase taxes on red meat and dairy, at
47%.
When the Climate Engagement Partnership asked the UK public whether
they still supported the above eight policies if they personally impacted
them – for example, they couldn’t take flights very often or they couldn’t
install a gas boiler – the level of support dropped for all policies, except
product pricing to reflect the environmental impact of the item. Most
markedly it dropped in relation to the frequent flier levies.
Support falls significantly further when people are made aware of the
potential financial implications of the policies for them personally – such
as having to pay more council tax.
While the public support these policies when they are outlined
initially, that support falls dramatically when they are presented with the
possible lifestyle and financial cost implications for them personally. Just
one policy remains more popular and is the exception to the rule: changing
product pricing to reflect how environmentally friendly products are, which
is still supported once the lifestyle and cost implications are outlined. High levels of concern about climate change Eight in ten (83%) of the UK public say they are
extremely/very/fairly worried about climate change and over two thirds (68%)
say they think the UK is already feeling the effects of climate change. Half
(54%) think that the UK needs to reduce its carbon emissions to net zero
sooner than 2050. People identify travel, home energy and consumption as the three most
important areas where both government and individuals should take
action. Who supports net zero policies? Support for net zero policies is higher amongst homeowners, those
that are more financially secure, those that identify as ‘left’ wing and hold
communitarian views and those that are already engaged with and feel
knowledgeable about the topic. Support for certain policies is higher among older people aged 55 and
over, namely: creating low traffic neighbourhoods, frequent flyer levies and
changing product pricing to reflect how environmentally friendly products
are. In contrast, support for electric vehicle subsidies, increasing
vegetarian/vegan options in public food provisioning and phasing out the sale
of gas and coal boilers is higher among younger people. Support for net zero policies is lower among those who voted
Conservative at the last election than it is among those who voted Labour,
Liberal Democrat or SNP, which represents a challenge for Boris Johnson’s
Government. Before the lifestyle and cost implications are mentioned, more
Conservative voters say they support each policy than oppose it, with the
exception of higher taxes on red meat and dairy. Once the lifestyle and cost
implications are outlined, though, Conservative voters oppose 7 of the 8
policies: the only policy that remains popular is changing product pricing to
reflect how environmentally friendly products are. In contrast, Labour voters still support 5 of the 8 policies once the
lifestyle and cost implications are outlined: changing product pricing to
reflect the environmental impact of the item, higher taxes on red meat and
dairy, frequent flyer levies, electric vehicle subsidies, and phasing out the
sale of gas and coal boilers. Kelly Beaver, MD of Public Affairs, Ipsos
MORI, says: This research shows that people are very
worried about climate change and they are broadly supportive of implementing
policies to tackle the issue. However, people struggle to accept the personal
impact policies may have on them. These new findings illustrate some of
the challenges the Government faces in reaching its net zero target by 2050,
but by understanding these barriers there is also the opportunity to support
the public through this transition. Lorraine Whitmarsh, Professor of
Environmental Psychology and Director of CAST, says: This support provides further evidence that
the UK public want urgent action on climate change, but may not yet be fully
aware of the implications for individuals of doing so. There is a need to
raise awareness of the costs of action but also of inaction, and for net zero
policies to be designed in ways that generate wider benefits to people’s
health, wellbeing, and financial stability. This data is the first in a series of research that will be run by
the Climate Engagement Partnership,
a partnership between Ipsos MORI and the Centre for Climate Change and Social Transformations,
with the aim of exploring public attitudes to the issue of climate change and
raising awareness of barriers and opportunities to change. (Ipsos MORI) 18 October 2021 713-43-09/Polls Two Thirds Of Britons (65%) Believe That Nuclear Should Play A Role
In The Country’s Climate Change Strategy
Recent media reports have
suggested that the government intends to put nuclear energy at the
heart of Britain’s attempts to reach net zero carbon emissions by 2050. Nuclear energy has proved controversial in the recent past, with
Germany, Switzerland and Belgium currently phasing out their provision. But
what is public opinion on nuclear in the UK? A new YouGov survey shows that two thirds of Britons (65%) believe
that nuclear should play a role in the country’s climate change strategy.
This includes one in three (34%) who say that nuclear should play a major
role in attempts to make Britain’s electricity low or no carbon – on a par
with renewable energy sources like solar and wind. Another 31% want to see it
play a minor role. Only 12% of Britons say we should not generate any nuclear energy
whatsoever.
Anti-nuclear sentiment is highest among Labour (16%) and Remain
voters (14%), as well as women (14%). By contrast, Conservative voters (45%)
and men (45%) are much more likely to back making nuclear a major part of
Britain’s strategy. Belief nuclear energy is a serious carbon
emitter could be driving opposition for some The survey also explored people’s awareness of nuclear as a low
carbon source of energy. Fewer than half of Britons (46%) consider nuclear to
be zero carbon (14%) or low carbon (36%). Three in ten believe it to be
moderate (14%) or high carbon (16%). Nuclear also received a higher rate of
“don’t know” responses than the other energies we asked about (23%, vs
14-17%). This compares to 80-81% who believe solar and wind to be zero/low
carbon, and 2-6% who say the same of gas, oil and coal. Belief that nuclear power creates greater levels of carbon emissions
is higher among those who don’t want to see it as part of Britain’s energy
mix: 46%, compared to only 21% who want to see it play a major role and 33%
who want it to play a minor role.
(YouGov UK) October 18, 2021 713-43-10/Polls Half (49%) Of The Public Think Britain Is Heading In Wrong Direction
Ipsos MORI’s latest Political Pulse survey reveals around half (49%)
of Britons think the country is heading in the wrong direction (+5 since
September) - the highest proportion since the start of the year. Only one in
four (24%) think the country is on the right track (-5) which has near halved
from as recently as May (when it was 47%).
Boris Johnson and Keir Starmer Amid this pessimism, Boris Johnson has experienced a slight dip in
his ratings following Conservative party conference. Nearing half (49%) say
they have an unfavourable opinion of the Prime Minister (+3 since September).
One in four (26%) are favourable towards him (-2). Some forty-five percent say that since Boris Johnson has become Prime
Minister, he has changed the country for the worse, whilst fewer than a
quarter in each case think he has either made no difference (24%) or changed
the country for the better (22%). Optimism is low that things will change,
with similar proportions believing he will make the country worse in the
future (43%), make no difference (23%) or make it better (24%).
Nearing half (46%) believe Mr Starmer has made no difference to the
Labour party since becoming leader (-1 since May 2021), whereas nearer one in
five say he has either made it better (19%, -1) or worse (19%, unchanged).
Opinion is only slightly more optimistic that he will improve things for the
Labour party in the future (24%, +2 since May) as slightly fewer think he
will not make a difference (38%, -5), but the same proportion think he will
make things worse (19%, +1).
The picture is similar for the leaders’ respective parties. Nearing
half (48%) have an unfavourable opinion towards the Conservatives (+5 from
September), compared to one in four (25%) who are favourable (-3). This means
their net favourability has dropped 8-points since last month (now -23).
Meanwhile, two in five (43%) are negative towards the Labour party (-1 from
September), whilst fewer than a quarter (23%) are positive (-2). Impact of party conferences Few Britons followed either party conference closely this year.
Around one in five say they closely followed the Conservative (19%) or Labour
party (22%) conference. For each just 4% said they followed the conference
“very closely”. Three in four did not follow either conference very closely
or at all (75% for Conservatives, 72% for Labour). Among those that followed
the party conferences closely, 53% think the Conservative conference went
well for Boris Johnson and 22% think it went badly, whereas 46% of those
following Labour conference closely think it went well for Keir Starmer and
28% say badly. Favourability trackers Elsewhere in the poll, the public are split on the Chancellor Rishi
Sunak with three in ten (31%) saying they are favourable towards him (-3
since September) and the same number (31%) unfavourable (+1). This is the
first time Mr Sunak’s net favourability (0) has not been in positive territory
since this series began asking about him in May 2020. Other Government ministers and political parties receive negative
favourability ratings:
Keiran Pedley, Research Director at Ipsos
MORI, said of the findings: The public are increasingly concerned about
the direction of the country with twice as many thinking things are heading
in the wrong direction rather than the right one. They also appear to hold a
pretty dim view of our political leaders, with favourability towards Johnson
and the Conservatives falling and weak favourability towards Starmer and
Labour too. (Ipsos MORI) 19 October 2021 Source: https://www.ipsos.com/ipsos-mori/en-uk/half-public-think-britain-heading-wrong-direction 713-43-11/Polls More Than Half (57%) Of Smaller Businesses Have Heard A Lot, Or A
Fair Amount, About The Government’s Commitment To Reach ‘Net Zero’ Emissions
By 2050 In Uk
Ipsos MORI supported this research for the British Business Bank
through surveys with 1,200 owners or managers at small and medium businesses
across the UK. The research, one of the most in-depth so far in this
under-explored part of the market, highlights the potential collective
influence of UK smaller businesses and the considerable contribution they
could make to wider net zero objectives. The report reveals that:
(Ipsos MORI) 21 October 2021 Source: https://www.ipsos.com/ipsos-mori/en-uk/survey-british-business-bank-carbon-emissions-and-uk-smes 713-43-12/Polls By 45% To 18%, Britons Support Banning Cryptocurrency To Combat Climate
Change
The environmental impact of cryptocurrency is well-documented, with
studies showing that the amount of electricity being used to mine Bitcoin
alone is greater than that
consumed by entire countries. At the time of writing, Bitcoin mining
reportedly uses more electricity than the Philippines, and accounts for 0.46%
of the entire world’s electricity consumption. With COP-26 approaching and world leaders set to discuss ways to
reduce emissions and combat climate change, a new YouGov survey looking at
support for different measures finds that Britons tend to support banning
cryptocurrency for environmental reasons. By 45% to 18%, Britons say they would support banning
cryptocurrencies like Bitcoin in order to help tackle climate change,
including 29% who would “strongly support” it.
Age is a key factor, with younger Britons opposing such a ban. The
youngest adults (18-24 year olds) are in opposition by 35% to 21%, as are
25-34 year olds by 34% to 25%. Support swings firmly in favour of the ban
among older 35-44 year olds (who back a ban by 40% to 22%) and among those
aged 65 and older support for a ban is more than ten times the level of
opposition (63% vs 6%). Men (particularly young men) are known to be much more involved in
cryptocurrency trading, so it is no surprise to see a gender divide on the
idea of a ban. While men and women are about equally likely to support a ban
(47% of men and 43% of women), men are twice as likely to be opposed (25% vs
12%). Women are more likely to have answered ‘don’t know’ on the topic (45%
vs 28%). Would such a ban be effective though? Here, Britons are doubtful.
Only a quarter (26%) think that banning cryptocurrency would be effective at
tackling climate change. This means that a crypto ban is actually close to
the bottom of the table in terms of measures Britons think will work. This is also the largest disparity between support for a climate
change measure and its perceived effectiveness of all the 21 measures we
asked about. This could indicate that some Britons support a ban for reasons
unrelated to climate change – cryptocurrency also has a
reputation for use in criminal activities. (YouGov UK) October 21, 2021 713-43-13/Polls Six In Ten Britons Want Schools To Teach Children About Britain’s
Involvement In The Slave Trade And Its Impact In The World Today
A new survey by Ipsos MORI for Black History Month shows strong
support for educating children in both primary and secondary schools about
Britain’s involvement in the slave trade and its impact in the world today.
Six in 10 (60%) support teaching children in British primary schools while
almost two-thirds (65%) are in favour of educating secondary school students
on this subject.
Opinion is split when considering Britain’s involvement in the slave
trade. While 1 in 5 (20%) feel more ashamed of its involvement, the same
proportion say they are more proud that Britain was one of the first
countries to abolish it. Britons are most likely to say that it all happened
too long ago to be either proud or ashamed (29%), while 18% feel a mixture of
both.
When considering how the British nation as a whole should feel, 20%
say we should be more ashamed of the country’s involvement, while the same
proportion say the country should be more proud of its pioneering role in
abolition. Twenty-one per cent say it should feel both ashamed of its
involvement and proud to have acted to end it before other countries – and
some 27% believe it happened too long ago to feel either way. By two to one, Britons are against the UK government paying
compensation to those whose ancestors were slaves. Overall half (50%) are
opposed to the UK government paying compensation to people living in Britain
whose ancestors were slaves while nearly a quarter (23%) support of it.
However, around half (53%) of Britons from Black or Mixed Black ethnic groups
support this (19% opposed). A majority of White Britons (55%) are
opposed (20% support it).
In contrast Britons are more in favour of investment in housing,
education, health and employment for all ethnic minorities in Britain than of
paying compensation to the descendants of slaves. Half (51%) think it is more
important to dedicate investment to help all ethnic minorities living here
today, while only 8% would rather see the money paid to compensate all those
whose ancestors were slaves. Among Britons from Black or Mixed Black ethnicity fewer also say
compensation for the past is more important than investment in all ethnic
minorities (28% vs 41%). Ben Page, CEO Ipsos MORI, said: Most people want children to be taught
about the British slave trade, and only a minority want to forget all about
it. At the same time, there is resistance to paying compensation to
people whose ancestors were affected by it, with a clear focus among white
and Black Britons alike in investing in services to help disadvantaged
minorities. (Ipsos MORI) 22 October 2021 713-43-14/Polls 76% Of French People Consider That We Are Not Equal In Terms Of Food
French eating habits reflect French
inequalities and divides Attitudes and behaviors are very
unevenly distributed among the different social categories ,
which pay different attention:
When asked about their vegetable consumption:
In addition, the consumption of vegetables is particularly emblematic of gender inequalities . Overall,
women pay more attention to food quality than men. Less than 1 in 2 men eat vegetables every day ,
unlike 65% of women who include them
in their daily diet . The French make a severe but fair diagnosis
on food inequalities, and are clear about the causes of this situation 76% of the 2000 French people surveyed consider that we are not equal in terms of food and that the
situation is deteriorating in France - more than half (52%)
of respondents even believing that inequalities are increasing.
78% of those questioned believe that vegetables are essential for good health . It is
also the food family perceived as the
most important , ahead of fruits (71%), fish (51%), dairy
products (51%), starches (46%), eggs ( 37%) or meat (37%). But 3 in 4
French people are currently dissatisfied with their vegetable consumption.
Culture and education have a key role to
play in the evolution of our eating habits Beyond socio-economic and socio-demographic issues, culture and education are at the heart of eating
habits . Logically, we observe that those who have been
used to eating vegetables when they are small, consume more in
adulthood. Among the French who estimate that they have eaten a lot of vegetables
as a child, 62% of them consume them daily today (a higher proportion than
the average which is 57%). What if the solution was soup? Universal and consensual, the soup partly removes the obstacles
linked to the consumption of vegetables. The soup unites and 89% of
respondents even find it delicious! If
94% of French people have consumed soup during the previous year ,
59% of them have opted for ready-made soup. (Ipsos France) 22 October 2021 713-43-15/Polls More Than Half Of Germans Believe That There Is A Connection, Large
Or Small, Between The Zodiac Signs And People's Personality (53 Percent)
Our date of birth has an important meaning not only in the identity
card: each of us belongs to one of the 12 zodiac signs. More than half
of Germans believe that there is a connection, large or small, between the
zodiac signs and people's personality (53 percent). 42 percent do not
believe this. But do women and men share the same opinion? Our data
show that women in Germany generally believe in it more often than
men. Every fourth woman (24 percent) believes there is a big connection,
among men only one in ten (11 percent) does so. However, more than half
of men (55 percent) believe that the zodiac sign cannot say anything about a
person's personality. 30 percent of German women are of the same
opinion.
HOW MANY CONSUMERS READ HOROSCOPES
REGULARLY? Daily, weekly or monthly horoscopes are published that provide us
with predictions about our job, love life and special events. But who
actually reads horoscopes? 13 percent of Germans state that they regularly read
horoscopes. Among them, 3 percent read them every day, 6 percent weekly
and 4 percent monthly. Two out of five respondents read their horoscopes
at more irregular intervals (39 percent). Women do this noticeably more
often than men (49 percent vs. 29 percent of men). In contrast, almost
half of all respondents do not read any horoscopes at all (46 percent).
WOMEN ARE MORE LIKELY TO BELIEVE IN THE
PROPHECIES IN HOROSCOPES THAN MEN Our data shows that those respondents who read horoscopes regularly
are more likely than not to believe the prophecies in horoscopes. Almost
half of regular horoscope readers say they do (48 percent). Among them,
women agree with the statement more often than men (51 percent vs. 44 percent
of men). However, two in five Germans who say they read horoscopes
regularly do not believe in what they predict about the future (40
percent). Again, more men than women agreed with this statement (47
percent vs. 35 percent of women). The opinions of the various age groups also differ on the
subject. Younger Germans in particular, who regularly read horoscopes,
are more likely to believe in what is prophesied in horoscopes. 61
percent of 18- to 24-year-olds and 35 to 44-year-olds say they believe the
predictions, and 56 percent of 25 to 34-year-olds say the same. In
contrast, only 30 percent of respondents aged 55 and over say this.
(YouGov Germany) October 21, 2021 Source: https://yougov.de/news/2021/10/21/ihr-tagliches-horoskop-was-die-deutschen-uber-ster/ NORTH
AMERICA
713-43-16/Polls Three-Quarters Of Black Americans Say That Opposing Racism Is
Essential To Their Faith Or Sense Of Morality
The intersection of race and religion has
played an important role in the civic lives of Black Americans for
more than two centuries. From hosting antebellum abolitionist meetings to
serving as centers for social movements in the mid-20th century, Black houses
of worship have often been the foundation from which public battles for freedom
and racial equality have been waged. At the same time, race plays a
fundamental and complex role in the religious and personal lives of Black
adults, according
to a recent Pew Research Center survey.
Opposing racism is an integral part of religious identity for many
Black adults. Three-quarters of Black Americans say that opposing racism is
essential to their faith or sense of morality, a view that extends across
faith traditions. Those who say that being Black is a very important part of
their personal identity (78%) are more likely than those for whom being Black
is less important (70%) to view opposition to racism this way. The majority of Black Protestants – regardless of the race of their
congregations – along with Black Catholics and other Christians, such as
Jehovah’s Witnesses, Orthodox Christians and other groups, say that opposing
racism is essential to what being a Christian means to them. Likewise, the
majority of Black non-Christians – including Muslims, adherents of
traditional African or Afro-Caribbean religions and other groups – say that
opposing racism is essential to what their faith means to them (82%). And 71%
of Black religiously unaffiliated adults say that opposing racism is
essential to their sense of morality. Detailed table: Black Christians are more
likely than Christians of other racial and ethnic backgrounds to say that
opposing racism is essential to their faith
While race factors significantly into what Black Americans’ faith
means to them, it is also a key component of their personal identities.
Two-thirds of Black adults say being Black is a very important part of how
they think about themselves. Black Protestants (70%) are somewhat more likely
than Catholics (60%) and the religiously unaffiliated (62%) to say that being
Black is a very important part of their personal identity. Among Protestants,
three-quarters of those who attend Black churches (76%) say that being Black
is very important to how they think of themselves, as do 65% of those who go
to multiracial churches and 56% of those who attend churches where most are
White or another race.
While race is important to many Black Americans’ personal identities
and faith, large numbers of Black Americans are open to increased diversity
in historically Black congregations. About six-in-ten Black Americans say
that historically Black congregations should try to “become more racially and
ethnically diverse,” while a third say historically Black congregations
should try to “preserve their traditional racial character.” Black adults who say that being Black is a very important part of how
they think of themselves (37%) are more likely than those for whom being
Black is less important (26%) to say that Black congregations should preserve
their traditional racial character. Black Protestants and Catholics have
similar views on whether Black congregations should diversify. Black
Protestants who attend churches where White people or some other racial or
ethnic group make up the majority are only slightly more likely than those
who attend Black churches to say that Black congregations should diversify
(69% vs. 62%, respectively).
When asked what sorts of things they would prioritize if they were to
find themselves looking for a new congregation, few Black adults would
prioritize race. Only 14% of Black Americans say it would be “very important”
to them to find a house of worship with Black senior religious leaders, and a
similar share (13%) says it would be “very important” to find a congregation
where most attendees are Black. While about one-in-five say each of these
factors is “somewhat important,” most Black adults say these factors are
either “not too important” or “not at all important.” In contrast,
eight-in-ten Black Americans say it would be very important for houses of
worship to have welcoming congregations. A small share of Black adults who view being Black as a very
important part of their identity say factors like having a Black congregation
would be very important in their search for a new house of worship. Even so,
they are more likely than those for whom being Black is less important to say
that congregations that have Black leadership (18% vs. 6%, respectively) and
Black members (16% vs. 5%) would be very important in a new church. Black Protestants are somewhat more likely than Black Catholics to
say that if they were looking for a new congregation, it would be very
important to them that most attendees and religious leaders were Blaunaffck.
Still, relatively small shares of Protestants who attend different types of
congregations would prioritize the race of attendees and religious leaders if
they were searching for a new church. (PEW) OCTOBER 19, 2021 713-43-17/Polls Persistent Racial Segregation In American Churches:60% Of Black
Adults Who Go To Religious Services Attend Severely 'Racialized' Services, Most
Or All Attendees And The Clergy Are Black
Worship habits among Black Christians in the South, where African
American churches date
back to the 1770s, have long differed from practices of Black Americans
in other parts of the United States. Contrasting styles of worship were a
source of tension after
the Civil War and during mass
migrations of Southern Black people to Northern cities, when Black
Northerners objected to expressive forms of worship that were common in the
South, such as dancing in church.
Today, there are few regional differences among Black Americans when
it comes to worship styles, but Black Southerners diverge from other Black
Americans – especially Northeasterners and Westerners – in other ways when it
comes to religion, according to a recent Pew
Research Center report based on a survey of 8,660 Black U.S. adults. For example, Black Southerners are more likely than Black Americans
living elsewhere to be part of a Black congregation (where all or most
attendees and clergy are Black). In the Southern U.S., roughly two-thirds of
Black adults who attend religious services at least a few times a year (65%)
say they worship at a Black congregation. That’s slightly higher than the
share of Black adults in the Midwest (60%) who say they go to a Black
congregation, and much higher than the shares in the Northeast (52%) and West
(38%) who say this. A closer look at subregional divisions used by the U.S. Census Bureau
shows that Black attenders in the South who live in Alabama, Kentucky,
Mississippi and Tennessee – known as the East South Central division – are
even more likely than other Black attenders in the South to worship at Black
congregations (73% vs. 63%). The religious experience of Black Southerners stands out in other
ways, too. Protestantism, which is the most common faith among Black
Americans in all four regions of the country, is most prevalent among Black
Americans in the South (72%). That compares with 65% of Black adults in the
Midwest, 58% in the West and 54% in the Northeast. Black Southerners in the
East South Central subregion are even more likely than Black adults in other
parts of the South to say they are Protestant (78% vs. 70%). In contrast, the Northeast has relatively high shares of Black
Catholics and adherents of non-Christian religions compared with the South;
11% of Black Northeasterners are Catholic, compared with 5% of Black
Southerners.
A similar pattern can be seen when looking at religious service
attendance and frequency of prayer: More than a third of Black Southerners
(37%) say they attend worship services at least once a week, compared with
roughly three-in-ten Black adults in the Midwest (31%) and about a quarter in
the West (26%) and Northeast (25%). And about seven-in-ten Black Southerners
(69%) say they pray daily, compared with six-in-ten in the Midwest and just
over half in the Northeast (54%) and West (51%). Among Black Southerners specifically, those who live in the East
South Central division of the South as well as the area made up of Arkansas,
Louisiana, Oklahoma and Texas (West South Central) are more likely than Black
Southerners in states along the Atlantic coast and in West Virginia (South
Atlantic) to say they pray daily. They are also more likely to say that
religion is “very important” to them.
Black Southerners also are more likely than Black people in other
regions to say the Bible is the literal word of God. Half of Black
Southerners say they believe this, compared with 43% of Black adults in the
Midwest, and around a third of Black Northeasterners (35%) and Westerners
(31%). Again, Black Southerners on the Atlantic coast and in West Virginia
are less likely than those in other parts of the South to say the Bible is
the literal word of God.
Some of these regional trends are also present in the general U.S.
population. When it comes to the importance of religion, U.S. adults overall
in the South (48%) are more likely than Americans in the Midwest (40%),
Northeast (34%) or West (35%) to say religion is very important in their
life. Within the South, U.S. adults in the East South Central division (55%)
are more likely than Americans in the South Atlantic states (45%) to say
religion is very important to them. (PEW) OCTOBER 21, 2021 AUSTRALIA
713-43-18/Polls Covid-19 Pandemic Leads To More Australians Regularly Attending Their
Place Of Worship
Looking at where this increase has come from shows big increases for
Women, Millennials, people living in Capital Cities and the States of NSW, WA
and Tasmania, while there have been small decreases for people living in
Victoria and older Australians over the age of 75 (Pre-Boomers). Although there is now little difference between women and men on the
question with 19.1% of women and 19% of men reporting they ‘regularly go to church or my place of worship’
the increase has been larger for women during the pandemic (up 4.1% points)
compared to a smaller increase for men (up 1.2% points). A look at the different generations shows Millennials driving the
increase with over a fifth, 21.2%, who now report they ‘regularly go to church or my place of worship’
up 5.8% points from pre-pandemic. Also increasing and above the national
average is Generation Z, now at 19.8%, up 2.7% points during the pandemic. The only exception among the generations are the Pre-Boomers, those
now aged over 75. Now 22.2% of Pre-Boomers say they ‘regularly go to church or my place of worship’,
down 2% points on pre-pandemic. The decline in attendance for older
Australians is not surprising when one considers that COVID-19 poses the
greatest risk to Australians in the oldest age groups. Even so, Pre-Boomers
are still the most likely of any generation to regularly attend church or a
place of worship. % of Australians agree: ‘I regularly go to
church or my place of worship’ by Gender & Generation in March Quarter
2020 (pre COVID-19) cf. June Quarter 2021
People in Capital Cities, NSW, WA and
Tasmania drive increased attendance at places of worship Comparing people living in Australia’s Capital Cities with those in
Country Areas reveals a striking difference with over a fifth of people in
Capital Cities, 20.9%, now report they ‘regularly
go to church or my place of worship’, an increase of 4.1% points
during the pandemic. In contrast now 15.5% of people in Country Areas say they ‘regularly go to church or my place of worship’
– unchanged since pre-pandemic. The key difference between the Capital Cities
and Country Areas during the pandemic has been the series of lockdowns
impacting cities including Melbourne, Sydney, Brisbane and Perth on multiple
occasions whereas Country Areas have largely avoided extended lockdowns. The biggest increases by State have been in NSW, WA and Tasmania.
Over one-in-five people in NSW (21.2%), now say they ‘regularly go to church or place of worship’,
up 4.1% points from pre-pandemic and higher than any other State. The biggest increase has been in WA in which 21% now say they ‘regularly go to church or place of worship’
– an increase of 6.6% points from pre-pandemic. In Tasmania over one-in-six
people (17.2%) now agree with the statement, an increase of 6.1% points from
prior to the onset of COVID-19. The exception to the overall trend seen amongst other States is
Victoria which is the only State to show a decline in people attending church
or their place of worship during the pandemic to 17.3% (down 0.2% points).
The likely reason for this is the long period of time Victoria has spent in
lockdown, including nearly four months in the second half of 2020 while no
other part of Australia was in lockdown. The data comes from Roy Morgan Single Source, the nation’s largest and
longest-running program of research into consumer behaviour and attitudes,
continuously conducted year-round. % of Australians agree: ‘I regularly go to
church or my place of worship’ by Capital City/ Region and State in March
Quarter 2020 (pre COVID-19) cf. June Quarter 2021
“The COVID-19 pandemic has had a huge, and
enduring, impact on our way of life over the last 18 months and we are only
just starting to enter a period of ‘COVID-normal’ now as high vaccination
rates allow locked down cities such as Sydney, Melbourne and Canberra to
finally open up. “There have been many impacts of the
pandemic that aren’t immediately apparent and increasing attendance at
church, or other places of worship, is one outcome that has not been widely
considered. “In the June quarter 2021 almost
one-in-five Australians (19.1%) report that they ‘regularly attend church or
their place of worship’, an increase of 2.8% points from pre-pandemic in the
March quarter 2020 (16.3%). The increase in attendance during the pandemic,
at least for the last 18 months, has halted a long-term decline in this
measure we have seen over many years which reached a low of around 16% during
2019. “The increase has been broad-based, but not
uniform as the circumstances of the pandemic have had a very different impact
on separate demographics across the country. Among the biggest drivers of the
increase are Millennials, people aged 30-45 and typically with young
families, up 5.8% points to 21.2% on pre-pandemic – more than double the
increase seen for any other generation. “Millennials are now second only to
Pre-Boomers (people aged over 75) for their regular attendance at church or a
place of worship. For many Millennials the pandemic has meant extended
periods of working from home at the same time as taking care of primary
school aged children engaged in remote learning. This has clearly been a very
challenging period for many young parents. “In contrast, Pre-Boomers are the only
generation which has seen a decline in regular attendance at church or a
place of worship. Hardly surprising when one considers the far higher danger
posed to older Australians by the threat of COVID-19. Well over half of all
Australian deaths from COVID-19 have been in those aged 75 or older. “There has also been a clear City/Country
divide during the pandemic with Australia’s Capital Cities spending far more
time in lockdown than Country Areas and many cities having multiple
lockdowns. The lockdowns have had an impact with regular attendance at church
or a place of worship up 4.1% points to 20.9% in Capital Cities while being
unchanged at 15.5% in Country Areas. “By State the big increases have been in
NSW (up 4.1% points to 21.2%), WA (up 6.6% points to 21%) and Tasmania (up 6.1%
points to 17.2%). The exception to these trends has been Victoria for which
regular attendance at church or a place of worship is down 0.2% points to
17.3%. “Although lockdowns have driven attendance
in other States and Capital Cities the extent of the lockdowns in Victoria,
and especially the long second lockdown in late 2020, have prevented the rise
in attendance seen elsewhere. “The trends during the pandemic are clear
but now that we are emerging into a ‘COVID-normal’ period with high
vaccination rates, and COVID being endemic in the community, it will be
interesting to see whether attendance at church or a place of worship
continues to increase or returns to its previous pre-pandemic levels over the
next few months.” (Roy Morgan) October 18 2021 Source: https://www.roymorgan.com/findings/8824-place-of-worship-june-2021-202110180551 713-43-19/Polls Pre-Christmas Retail Trade For 2021 Predicted To Remain Steady
Year-On-Year At $58 Billion
The ARA-Roy Morgan 2021 pre-Christmas Retail Sales predictions
forecast that overall spending will come in at $58.8 billion, virtually
unchanged on last year, but up 11.3% on pre-pandemic conditions.
ARA-Roy Morgan 2021 pre-Christmas Retail
Sales (by category)
The Roy Morgan data also values (for the first time) the impact of
the most recent lockdowns on retail trade at $131 million per day across the
economy. (Roy Morgan) October 21 2021 MULTICOUNTRY
STUDIES
713-43-20/Polls An Average Of 51% Across The 28 Counties Feel That It Is Right To
Prioritise The Impact On The Environment, Nearly Double The 26% Who Put
Greater Weight On Economic Impacts
A new study carried out in 28 countries by Ipsos, in collaboration
with the Global
Infrastructure Investor Association (GIIA), finds that when making
decisions about how to improve infrastructure, the global public considers
their impact on the environment should be more of a priority than their
impact on the economy. The environment is also ranked as the most important of seven factors
when planning for the future; an average of 26% of people rank it first,
slightly ahead of the quality of infrastructure, chosen by 23%. Ownership
(whether the infrastructure is owned by the public sector or private
businesses) and the amount of disruption occasioned by construction and
repairs are least likely to be chosen as the most important factor, selected
by just 9% and 7% respectively. Ownership is the factor most commonly ranked lowest; on average, 24%
put it last, while just 6% judged quality seventh out of seven. The survey, which has been running for five years, shows that:
There has been a consistent view globally across the last five years
that infrastructure is an area where more can be done. The strength of this
sentiment has varied though; for example, 61% of people in the United States
consider this is the case this year, down from 65% in 2020 (but higher than
57% in 2018). People in South Africa (79%) and Brazil (75%) are most likely to
agree that their country is “not doing enough to meet our infrastructure
needs”. South Korea (28%) and Japan (29%) have the lowest level of agreement. In terms of infrastructure investment, three-quarters, 75%, across
the 28 countries agree that investing in infrastructure “will create new jobs
and boost the economy”. South Africa leads with 90% agreeing while the loest
level of agreement is in Japan with 51%. Water supply and sewerage rank as the top priority for investment
with 42% selecting it from a list of 13 possibilities, followed by solar
energy infrastructure (39%) and flood defences (36%). Nuclear infrastructure
to generate energy and airports are seen as a priority by much smaller
proportions of people with just 11% selecting each. That all but two of the
options are selected by at least 1 in 4 people highlights the level of
competition for prioritisation in infrastructure investment by the public and
reflects the sentiment that not enough is being done. At a global level, as was the case last year, more people would
prefer to improve social infrastructure such as school and hospital
buildings, and housing in preference to economic infrastructure such as road,
rail and air networks, utilities such as energy and water, and broadband and
other communications. However, the gap has narrowed since last year (when the
pandemic had increased attention to hospitals and schools); 42% prioritise
social infrastructure but this is a fall of 6 points from 2020 when it was
48%, while preference for economic infrastructure has increased 3 points from
35% in 2020. There continues to be a preference for maintaining and repairing
existing infrastructure (chosen by 55%) rather than spending on new
infrastructure projects (20%), an identical pattern to that found in 2019. (Ipsos Egypt) 18 October 2021 Source: https://www.ipsos.com/en-eg/global-infrastructure-index-2021 713-43-21/Polls Three In Ten Consumers Worldwide See The Banking Sector Negatively
On average, three in ten respondents worldwide (30 percent) have a
negative opinion about the banking industry. Only one in four (24
percent) has a positive attitude. Germans tend to have a negative attitude towards the sector in
general: only 10 percent of those surveyed state that they have a positive
attitude towards the sector. Every third person in Germany (32 percent)
has a negative view of it. Europeans are clearly the most negative attitudes towards banking,
and this is most common in Spain: three out of five Spaniards (60 percent)
have a negative attitude, including 30 percent a very negative one. This
may be due in part to lingering grudges from the financial
crisis. Denmark ranks second when it comes to negative attitudes towards
banks: 45 percent see them in a negative light, while 15 percent take a
positive stance. The United Kingdom is in third place: 44 percent of
Britons see the industry negatively, only 11 percent see it
positively. In the USA, too, the sector is rated rather negatively: 39 percent of
those surveyed rate the financial services sector in this way. In
contrast, there are 20 percent who have a positive view of the
industry. In the APAC markets surveyed, consumers have a largely positive
attitude towards banking: in Indonesia (58 percent) and India (56 percent),
well over half of those surveyed see the industry as positive. Consumers
in Singapore (33 percent positive vs. 15 percent negative), China (22 percent
positive vs. 8 percent negative) and Hong Kong (26 percent positive vs. 17
percent negative) are generally more positive than negative about the
industry. Australia is the main exception in the APAC region: while one
in five (22 percent) has a positive opinion about banking, 36 percent
disagree. (YouGov Germany) October 21, 2021 Source: https://yougov.de/news/2021/10/21/drei-von-zehn-verbrauchern-weltweit-sehen-bankense/ 713-43-22/Polls Across 17 Advanced Economies Surveyed, A Median Of 56% Believe Their
Political System Needs Major Changes Or Needs To Be Completely Reformed
As citizens around the world continue to
grapple with a global pandemic and the changes it has brought to their everyday
lives, many are also expressing a desire for political change. Across 17
advanced economies surveyed this spring by Pew Research Center, a median of
56% believe their political system needs major changes or needs to be
completely reformed. Roughly two-thirds or more hold this view in Italy,
Spain, the United States, South Korea, Greece, France, Belgium and
Japan.
Even in places where the demand for
significant political reform is relatively low, substantial minorities say
their system needs minor changes. In all of the publics surveyed, fewer than
three-in-ten say the political system should not be changed at all.
But while many want change, many are also
skeptical about the prospects for change. In eight of the 17 publics, roughly
half or more of those polled say the political system needs major changes or
a complete overhaul and say they have little
or no confidence the system can be changed effectively. There is also a strong desire for economic
reform in many of the publics surveyed. In Italy, Spain and Greece – three
countries where the economic
mood has been mostly dismal for over a decade – at least
eight-in-ten of those polled believe their economic systems need major
changes or a complete overhaul. About three-quarters in South Korea and
two-thirds in the U.S. and France share this sentiment. In comparison, there is less demand for
changes to health care systems. But the U.S. and Greece are clear outliers:
About three-quarters of Americans and Greeks say their health care system
needs major changes or needs to be completely reformed. These questions about political, economic
and health care reform reveal very different public moods across the advanced
economies surveyed. There are six nations – the U.S., Italy, Spain, Greece,
France and Japan – where discontent with the status quo is especially high.
In all six, more than half want major changes or complete reform to the
political, economic and health care systems. Satisfaction with the way democracy is
working is also lowest in these countries. Fewer than half of adults in
Greece, Italy, Spain, Japan, the U.S. and France are satisfied with the
functioning of democracy in their country. However, the public mood is not so downcast
everywhere. Majorities in half of the surveyed publics express satisfaction
with the state of their democracy. And there are six nations – Canada, the
Netherlands, Sweden, Australia, Singapore and New Zealand – where the desire
for reform is relatively low. (Organizations that provide cross-national
ratings of democracy generally give Singapore lower ratings than the other
nations in the survey. For more on how the Economist Intelligence Unit,
Freedom House and the Varieties of Democracy project rate all 17 places
polled, see Appendix
A.) Fewer than half of those surveyed in all six countries want
significant reform to their political, economic or health care systems.
Satisfaction with democracy is also notably high in these nations.
The impact of economic assessments
Attitudes toward the state of democracy and
political reform are shaped in part by views about the economy, the impact of
COVID-19 and social and political divides. People who describe the current economic
situation in their country as bad are consistently more likely than those who
describe it as good to say they are dissatisfied with the way democracy is
working. And in 16 publics, they are more likely to want significant
political reform. Similarly, optimism or pessimism about the
long-term economic future for children is linked to attitudes toward
political reform. In the societies polled, those who think children in their
country today will be financially worse off than their parents are especially
likely to say their political system needs major changes or complete reform. In the United Kingdom, for example, 61% of
respondents who are pessimistic about the next generation’s financial
prospects think their country needs significant political reform, compared
with just 34% among those who are optimistic that the next generation will do
better financially than their parents. Opinions about the current and future state
of the economy are also tied to views about economic reform. People who say
the current national economic situation is bad and those who are pessimistic
about the financial prospects for today’s children are generally more likely
to call for significant changes to their economic system. COVID-19 and views about the state of
politics
The coronavirus
pandemic has influenced politics and public opinion around the
globe. As previous Pew Research Center reports
have shown, a growing number of people in advanced economies report that
their lives have changed significantly as a result of the pandemic. Our
analysis also shows that opinions about the impact of COVID-19 are shaping
attitudes toward democracy and the need for reform. People who believe their country is doing a
poor job of dealing with the pandemic are consistently more likely to say
they are dissatisfied with the way their democracy is working and to call for
political reform. For instance, 73% of Germans who feel their
country is handling the crisis poorly believe their political system needs
major changes or should be completely overhauled, while just 32% of those who
think the country is handling it well express this view. The belief that one’s country is doing a
bad job of dealing with the pandemic is also linked to a desire for health
care reform. In the U.S. – where the demand for reform is relatively high –
86% of those who think the country has handled the pandemic poorly want
significant change in the American health care system; 62% of those who say
the U.S. has done a good job dealing with the pandemic want significant
change. Another key finding from our earlier
reporting on COVID-19 is that growing shares of the publics in
advanced economies believe their country is more divided than before the
outbreak. We also find that this belief about people now being more divided
is linked to attitudes about the political system. People who think their
country is more divided since the outbreak are particularly likely to be dissatisfied
with the state of democracy and to want political reform. Divided societies and political reform
The pandemic has exacerbated long-running
divisions in countries around the globe, and as a recent Center report found,
many people in these 17 advanced economies see significant
partisan and racial and ethnic conflict in their societies. Perceptions of partisan divisions – which
are especially common in South Korea and the U.S., where nine-in-ten see
conflict between people from different political parties – are linked to
unhappiness with the state of democracy and a strong desire for political
reform. Sweden is a nation where the demand for
political reform is low overall, but among those who say there is significant
partisan conflict in their country, 52% think the political system needs
major changes or should be overhauled completely; only 24% of Swedes who do
not believe there is partisan conflict in their country say their political
system needs significant reform. Similar gaps between those who see partisan
conflict and those who do not are also found in 13 other publics surveyed. Beyond partisan disagreements, at least a
quarter in many places say most people disagree
about basic facts on
important issues facing their country (in France, the U.S., Italy, Spain and
Belgium, about half or more say this). And the desire to reform the political
system is especially common among those who see widespread disagreement over
basic facts. For instance, 69% of Dutch respondents who say there is
disagreement about basic facts want significant political reform, compared
with just 37% of those who believe people generally agree about facts. These are among the major findings of a Pew
Research Center survey, conducted from Feb. 1 to May 26, 2021, among 18,850
adults in 17 advanced economies. The survey also finds that at least half in
every public surveyed say their government respects the personal freedoms of
its people. Still, about a third or more of those polled in Greece, France,
Japan, Belgium, Spain, Italy and the U.S. say their government does not
respect personal freedoms. Widespread support for political reform in
many publics
Roughly half or more in 13 of 17 publics
surveyed say their political system needs at least major changes. A median of
38% say their system needs major changes, while 23% say it needs to be
completely reformed. In Spain, South Korea, the U.S. and Italy,
four-in-ten or more say their political systems need to be completely
reformed. And in nearly all places, roughly a third or more of people say
major changes are needed. In contrast, most of those surveyed in New
Zealand, Sweden, Singapore, the Netherlands, Canada and Australia think their
political systems need either minor changes or no changes at all.
Those who are dissatisfied with democracy
are consistently more likely to say that their political system needs at
least major changes. These differences are double digits in every place
surveyed but tend to be largest in nations where large majorities are
satisfied with democracy, such as Sweden and Canada, and smaller where fewer
are satisfied with democracy, such as the U.S. and Italy. In the U.S., large majorities of both
Democrats and Democratic-leaning independents (88%) and Republicans and Republican-leaning
independents (83%) support major changes or complete reform. Roughly half of
Democrats (47%) think the political system needs to be completely reformed,
compared with 38% of Republicans. In 14 publics, people who support the
governing party are less likely to want significant political reform. The
U.S. is the only country where this pattern is reversed. (The U.S. survey was
conducted in early February 2021, only a couple weeks after Joe Biden was
inaugurated as president.) Many who want changes are not confident the
political system can be effectively reformed Respondents who said the political system
where they live needs major changes or complete reform were then asked how
confident they are that the system can be changed effectively. A median of
46% across the 17 publics express both a desire for change and a lack of
confidence, while a median of just 18% are confident the change they feel
their system needs can happen.
Italians are by far the most pessimistic:
73% want significant political reform but are not confident their system can
be changed effectively. Roughly half or more share this view in Spain,
Greece, South Korea, the U.S., France, Belgium and Japan. In every public
except Singapore, larger shares of those who want political reform lack
confidence that reform can happen effectively, compared with those who are
confident change can occur. Those who do not support the governing
party are more likely to want political reform and lack confidence that the system
can be changed effectively in nearly every public surveyed. In the UK, 47% of
people who do not support the governing Conservative Party say their
political system needs significant reform and do not think effective reform
is possible, while only 17% of Conservative supporters hold this view. Views on economic system reform vary widely
across 17 publics When it comes to reforming the economic
system, views are roughly split across the 17 publics surveyed. Majorities in
seven publics say the economic system needs complete or major reform, while
in five, majorities say the system needs minor changes or no reform at all,
and elsewhere opinion is divided.
Calls for economic reform are highest in
Italy, Greece and Spain – three countries where large shares say that
the economic
situation is not good. Additionally, large majorities in the U.S.,
France, South Korea and Japan believe the economic system in their countries
needs significant reform. In the Netherlands, Sweden, Australia and New
Zealand, where people generally describe their economic situation as good,
large majorities say their economic system either does not need any changes
or needs only minor changes. Opinion on the degree to which the economic
system needs reform is more balanced among Canadians, Germans, Belgians,
Britons and Taiwanese. In the U.S., 80% of Democrats and
Democratic-leaning independents think the economic system needs major changes
or a complete overhaul, compared with 50% of Republicans and
Republican-leaning independents who say the same. There are also significant ideological
differences on this question in the UK, Australia and Belgium, with
respondents who place themselves on the ideological left voicing more support
for economic reform than those on the right. Publics mostly split on whether reform of
health care system is needed Overall, there is somewhat less support for
reforming health care systems than for making significant reforms to
political or economic systems. Still, roughly half or more in seven nations
think the health care system needs major changes or needs to be completely
reformed, and in the U.S. and Greece, roughly three-in-four express this
view.
Majorities among supporters of both major
American political parties believe the health care system needs at least
major changes. Still, the desire for change is stronger among Democrats (39%
want complete reform and 47% want major changes) than among Republicans (20%
complete reform, 43% major changes). Views are more positive elsewhere,
especially in Belgium, Singapore and Taiwan, where one-in-five or more say
their health care system doesn’t need to be changed. Older people in Canada, Australia, New
Zealand and South Korea are more likely to say their health care system needs
significant reform, while in the U.S., younger people are more likely to say
this. Wide range of views on how democracy is
functioning A median of 57% across 17 publics say they
are satisfied with the way their democracy is working. But while views of
democracy are relatively positive overall, assessments vary across the
advanced economies surveyed.
Only 41% of Americans are satisfied with
the way democracy is working in their country. (The survey was conducted in
early February 2021, roughly a month after supporters of former President
Donald Trump stormed the U.S. Capitol.) In Europe, large majorities in Sweden and
Germany are satisfied with the way their democracy is functioning, including
roughly a quarter in each country who are very satisfied. Ratings are also positive in the
Netherlands, where Prime Minister Mark Rutte won
his fourth election as the survey was fielding. On the other end of the spectrum, only
around a third are content with their democracy in Spain, Italy and Greece.
In these three countries, as well as France, at least a quarter say they
are not at all satisfied
with how their democracy is working. Assessments of democracy are generally
positive across most of the Asia-Pacific region. Satisfaction is particularly
high in Singapore and New Zealand, where roughly a quarter are very
satisfied. But more than half in Australia, Taiwan and South Korea also rate
their democracies positively. Japan is an outlier in the region, with only
38% providing a positive assessment. It is worth noting that previous Pew
Research Center surveys have generally found more
negative views of democratic
functioning. This is due, in part, to discontent in many countries in
Africa, Latin America and the Middle East, where the coronavirus has
halted face-to-face
data collection, meaning no recent comparative data on these attitudes
are available. In North America, Europe and the
Asia-Pacific region, views of democracy have not changed much since the last
time this question was asked in 2019, though slightly larger shares in
Australia, Sweden and Greece are now satisfied. The UK is the only country
where positive ratings have increased substantially since 2019, rising from
31% to 60%. Across every public surveyed, people are
much more likely to be satisfied with the way democracy is working if they
support the party in power, say the current economic situation is good and
think their society is more united now than it was before the coronavirus
outbreak. Most say their government respects people’s
personal freedoms
The COVID-19 pandemic has raised concerns
among many about the potential for governments to use the crisis to acquire
more power over their citizens, at the expense of civil liberties.
Among the advanced economies surveyed, though, half or more say their
government respects the personal freedoms of its people. Still, sizable
shares of the publics in many nations say their government does not respect
such freedoms, including roughly four-in-ten or more in six countries.
Respondents in the Asia-Pacific region say their government respects freedoms
at slightly higher rates than those in European countries polled – a median
of 73% versus just 62%, respectively. Three-quarters of Canadians agree that
their government respects individual liberties, while 63% of Americans hold
this view. Across Europe, people tend to say that
their governments respect the personal freedoms of their people. In Sweden,
84% say their government respects personal freedoms, and roughly seven-in-ten
agree in the Netherlands, Germany and the UK. Smaller majorities in Italy,
Belgium, Spain and France say this, as well. In Greece, however, views are
almost equally divided between those who think the government respects
personal freedoms and those who think it does not. Across the Asia-Pacific region, majorities
say their government respects individual liberties. Roughly eight-in-ten in
New Zealand say this, with roughly seven-in-ten or more saying the same of
their government in Singapore, Taiwan and Australia. Two-thirds of Korean respondents
also say their government respects freedoms, while roughly six-in-ten of
Japanese say the same.
Over the last decade, the share saying
their government does not respect
personal freedoms has increased in France. When the question was first asked in
2008, just 22% of French adults said this about their government. In the time
since, that share has nearly doubled, with 41% now agreeing that their
government does not respect personal freedoms. Trend data on this question is
not available in the other places surveyed. In some countries, those with more
education are more likely to say their government respects personal freedoms.
For instance, in Germany, 83% of those with a postsecondary degree say this
of the German government, while just 62% of those without a postsecondary
degree agree. A similar difference prevails in Belgium (75% of those with a
postsecondary degree vs. 54% of those without one). There are double-digit
differences based on education on this subject in the U.S., Italy, Japan,
Sweden, South Korea and Spain, as well. Views on respect for freedoms also varies
by income in some places. In South Korea, roughly three-quarters of those
with higher incomes say their government respects freedoms, while just 60% of
those with lower incomes agree. There is a similar split in Italy, where 68%
of those with higher incomes and just 55% of lower-income adults say that the
Italian government respects people’s individual liberties.
Those who support the party currently in
power are far more likely to say their government respects freedoms than
those who do not support the governing party in all the publics where this
analysis is possible (party support was not asked in South Korea; for more on
how governing party is defined, see Appendix
B). The difference is largest in Greece: 85% of respondents who say they
feel closest to New Democracy (ND) also attest that their government respects
personal freedoms. Among those who do not feel closest to ND, just about a
third say this. There are similar, sizable differences between supporters and
non-supporters of En Marche in France, Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) in
Taiwan and the coalition between United Left, Spanish Socialist Workers’
Party (PSOE) and Podemos in Spain. In Europe, those with favorable views of
some right-wing populist parties are less likely to say the government
respects their people’s personal freedoms (for more on how populist parties
are defined, see Appendix
C). The largest gap in views is in Germany, where three-quarters of those
with an unfavorable view of Alternative for Germany (AfD) say the German
government respects individual liberties. In contrast, only four-in-ten of
those with a favorable view of AfD perceive the government in this way. There
are similar differences between those with favorable and unfavorable views of
the Sweden Democrats, Forum for Democracy (FvD) and Party for Freedom (PVV)
in the Netherlands, and Vox in Spain.
People are much more likely to rate their
democracy positively if they think their government respects the personal
freedoms of its people, compared with those who say their government does not
respect freedoms. In Sweden, for example, 90% of people who
say their government respects personal freedoms are pleased with how
democracy is working in their country. Among those who think the government
does not respect the freedoms of its citizens, only 21% are satisfied.
Similar differences of roughly 50 percentage points or more can be seen in
nine other publics. (PEW) OCTOBER 21, 2021 713-43-23/Polls More Than Two In Five Consumers Aged 18-24 From Around The World Say
Video Games Are As Culturally Important
It’s a statistic that demonstrates the dominance of video games in
society today: More than two in five consumers aged 18-24 from around the
world say video games are as culturally important — if not more
important — than music. That’s according to a global survey conducted by YouGov in 17
global markets that gauges the cultural significance of video games in
2021. The survey also found this younger cohort believes the
importance of video games in pop culture is greater than it was before the
start of the COVID-19 pandemic. This suggests our increased affinity for
video games in the era of isolation will have a lasting and sustained impact
on media consumption around the world. As video games continue to bend existing genres and create new
ones, three out of five of these young consumers feel there’s something in
the video game universe for everyone. According to the survey, nowhere are these feelings more
prevalent than in urban Mexico and the United Arab Emirates. In Mexico 68% of
adults in general say video games are more culturally important than before
the pandemic and 57% say there’s something in the video game universe for
everyone. Close to two in five Mexican adults also feel video games are as
important to culture as music (39%). In the UAE, half of adults say video games are more important
than they were pre-pandemic (52%), 44% say they are as important as music to
pop culture and 55% say there’s something for everyone in the video game
universe. These attitudes are not as widely held in the US or Europe but
are still somewhat prevalent. A quarter of Americans say video games are more
important now than they were two years ago (27%) and are as important as
music to pop culture (24%). Two in five say there’s something for everyone in
the current video game market. Similar figures emerge out of Europe. A third of Europeans say the
importance of video games has increased during the COVID era (33%), a quarter
say gaming is as culturally important as music – if not more (25%), and
more than two in five say there’s something for everyone (45%). (YouGov UK) October 22, 2021 |
Young
people are worried about their future...
Time Spent
on Social Media 3 Hours 19 Minutes A Day
Whatsapp
and Instagram Applications Used by Almost Every Young People
Sidar
Gedik, CEO of Ipsos Turkey, made evaluations about the data; One of the most
popular topics about teenagers for adults is their relationship with their
parents. It has been written, drawn and talked about the tensions experienced
in this relationship for generations. “Young people today” were constantly
scrutinized. In the last few decades we have been calling generations by
letters, ironically we are also in the letter Z, I hope we are not at the end
of the human race! (Fortunately, I think we're starting fresh with generation
alpha!)
