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New Europe Barometer Questionnaire, Autumn 2001

The New Europe Barometer covers post-Communist countries of Central and Eastern Europe. In autumn 2001, the following questionnaire was administered with nationwide samples in Bulgaria, the Czech Republic, Hungary, Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania, Poland, Romania, Slovakia and Slovenia. Many questions provide trend data because they have been asked in previous CSPP surveys since 1991; some questions are fresh. Results will be published at the end of this winter.       

A. POLITICS

1. Here is a scale for ranking how our system of government works. The top, plus 100, is the best; the bottom, minus 100, the worst. (SHOW CARD: Note the scale goes up/down, not across)

       a. Where on this scale would you put the former Communist regime?
       b. Where on this scale would you put our current system of governing with free elections and many parties?
       c. Where on this scale would you put our system of governing five years in the future?

2. On the whole, are you very satisfied, fairly satisfied, not very satisfied, or not at all satisfied with the way democracy works in (our country)?
       1. Very satisfied
       2. Fairly satisfied
       3. Not very satisfied
       4. Not at all satisfied
       
3. Our present system of government is not the only one that this country had. Some people say that we would be better off if the country was governed differently. What do you think? For each point please say whether you strongly agree, somewhat agree, somewhat disagree or strongly disagree.

3a. We should return to Communist rule
       1. Strongly agree
       2. Somewhat agree
       3. Somewhat disagree
       4. Strongly disagree

3b. The army should govern the country
       1. Strongly agree
       2. Somewhat agree
       3. Somewhat disagree
       4. Strongly disagree

3c. Best to get rid of Parliament and elections and have a strong leader who can quickly decide everything
       1. Strongly agree
       2. Somewhat agree
       3. Somewhat disagree
       4. Strongly disagree

3d. A unity government with only the best people should replace government by elected politicians
       1. Strongly agree
       2. Somewhat agree
       3. Somewhat disagree
       4. Strongly disagree

4. To what extent do you trust each of these political institutions to look after your interests? Please indicate on a scale with 1 for no trust at all and 7 great trust.
                                          1        2       3       4       5       6        7       
                                   No trust =1                             Great trust=7
a. Political parties
b. Courts                     
c. Police
d. Army
e. Members of Parliament
h. The Prime Minister
j. The President

5. And to what extent do you trust each of the following to look after your interests?
                                           1       2       3       4       5       6       7       
                                   No trust =1                             Great trust=7
a. Newspapers
b. Television
c. Private enterprise
d. Trade unions
e Churches
f. Most people in this country
g. Most people you know

6. How much respect is there for individual human rights nowadays in (your country)? Do you feel there is a lot of respect for individual human rights, some respect, not much respect or no respect at all?       
       1. A lot of respect
       2. Some respect
       3. Not much respect
       4. No respect at all

7. What should a person who needs a government permit do if an official says: just be patient, wait.
       1 Wait; it will come
       2. Offer a "tip" to the official to get a prompt reply.
       3. Use connections
       4. Write a letter to the head office
       5. Do what you want without a permit.
       6. Nothing can be done.

8. How widespread do you think bribe-taking and corruption are in this country?
        1. Almost no public officials are engaged in it.
        2. A few public officials are engaged in it.
        3. Most public officials are engaged in it
        4. Almost all public officials are engaged in it

9a. Some people think this country would be better governed if parliament were closed down and all parties were abolished. How likely do you think this is to happen in the next few years?
       1. Very likely
       2. Maybe
       3. Not very likely
       4. Not at all likely

9b. If Parliament was closed down and parties abolished, would you:
       1. Definitely approve
       2. Somewhat approve
       3. Somewhat disapprove
       4. Definitely disapprove

B. ECONOMY

1 Here is a scale for ranking how the economic system works: the top, plus 100, is the best; the bottom, minus 100, the worst (SHOW CARD)
       a. Where on this scale would you put the Socialist economic system before the
       revolution of 1989?
       b. Where on this scale would you put our current economic system?
       c. Where would you put our economic system in five years time?

2 As for your own household, how do you rate its economic situation today?
       1. Very satisfactory
       2. Fairly satisfactory
       3. Not very satisfactory
       4. Very unsatisfactory

3 What do you think the economic situation of your household will be in five years time?
       1. Much better
       2. A little better
       3. About the same
       4. A little worse
       5. A lot worse

4. Do you get enough money from your main source of income to buy what you really need?
       1. Definitely enough
       2. Just enough
       3. Not quite enough
       4. Definitely not enough

5. In the past year, has your household:
       1. Saved money
       2. Just got by
       3. Spent some savings
       4. Borrowed money
       5. Spent savings and borrowed money

6. Does your household have any of the following?
       a. Colour television                      1. Yes 2. No.       
       b. Video cassette recorder         1. Yes 2. No.       
       c. Car                                   1. Yes 2. No.
       d. Do you sometimes use the Internet at home, in the office, school or elsewhere?                     1. Yes 2. No.       

7. If your household was very short of money, is there a friend or relative from whom it could borrow as much as a month's wage or pension?
       1. Definitely
       2. Probably
       3. Probably not
       4. Definitely not

C. PARTIES AND VOTING

1. Which broad political outlook are you most inclined to favour? (Show card: Only one choice)
       1. Pro-market,               
       2. Social democratic              
       3. Communist                     
       4. National traditions        
       5. Environmentalist, green       
       6. Other                            
       7. None                            

2. Here are some reasons that people give about the differences between political parties in this country. Which of the following best explains these differences: (SHOW CARD)
       (Respondent can make two choices. The interviewer should note which is given first and which is the second explanation; code don't know but do not prompt)

a. Some parties believe the Communist regime did much more harm than good, while others want to preserve many of its achievements.

b. Some parties represent big cities, while others defend rural and peripheral regions.

c. Some parties want government to manage the economy, while others prefer the market.

d. Some parties represent ethnic minorities, while others oppose special policies for minorities.

e. Big personalities are the chief appeal of some parties, while others ask voters to support their political ideas.

f. Some parties promote national traditions, while others emphasize integration in Europe.


3. In this envelope is a ballot with the names of political parties. Please put a cross on the pink ballot by the name of the party that you would vote for if an election was held this week.

4. As things now stand, with which of the following do you see our country's future most closely tied up with? (Can choose more than one)
       (Show card. Reverse order of first 7 items on 50% of show cards)
       1. The United States of America
       2. The European Union
       3. Other European countries like Norway and Switzerland, outside the European Union
       4. Other Central and Eastern European countries
       5. Russia
       6. Turkey
       7. Japan/South Korea
       8. Do not read out - Germany
       9. Do not read out - None of these/Other
       10. Do not read out - We should depend on ourselves
       11. Do not read out - Don't know
       12. No answer

5.a        With which of the following do you most closely identify yourself?
.b        And which do you identify with secondly?               
                            (Two answers: code which is chosen lst, which 2nd)
       a. Local community or city in which I live
       b. Region
       c. Country
       d. Europe
       e. Other
       f. Don't know

6a(Baltics only). What is your citizenship?
       .1 Estonian/Latvian/Lithuania
       .2 Russians
       .3 Another former Soviet Republic
       .4 Other
       +(Lithuania only): Polish
        (If answers 1,2,3 or 4 GO TO 6).

       .5 It is now uncertain; I do not have a passport (GO TO 7)

6. Are you proud of your citizenship?
       1. Very proud
       2. Somewhat proud
       3. Not very proud
       4. Not at all proud
       5. Don't know

7. In the past year, have you or anyone in your family or friends been attacked or had something stolen when out on the street?
       1. Self
       2. Member of family
       3. Friend
       4. No one

8. In the past year, have you or any friends had their house broken into and something stolen?
       1. Yes, own house
       2. Yes, friend/
       3. No one.

D. STANDARD INSTITUTE DEMOGRAPHICS, including:

1. Gender
       1. Male
       2. Female

2. Age in years

3. Education
       1. Elementary or less
       2. Vocational
       3. Secondary academic
       4. University or higher

4. Economic status.

       1. Full-time employed
       2. Part-time employed
       3. Self-employed
       4. Pensioner and employed
       5. Pensioner, not employed
       6. Unemployed, no state benefit
       7. Unemployed, receiving state benefit
       8. Not working, receiving other income maintenance grant (invalid, maternity etc.)
       9. Not working (housewife, student)
       
5. Type of employer.
       1. State budgetary organization (e.g. teacher, police, hospital)
       2. State-owned enterprise
       3. Privatized enterprise
       4. Mixed state-private
       5. New private enterprise since 1991
       6. Foreign owned enterprise, joint venture
       7. Other

6. Town size
       1. Rural, village up to 5,000
       2. 5,001 to 20,000
       3. 20,001-50,000
       4. 50,001-100,000
       5. 100,001-999,999
       6. 1 million or more
       7. National capital (If not the only city in one of previous categories)

Region

Income

Nationality

Unless explicitly stated, interviewer should not offer don't know as a prompt. But if a respondent replies don't know to a question or is otherwise unable to understand or answer it, this should be explicitly recorded on the questionnaire, for example, by coding it 0.


CSPP School of Government & Public Policy U. of Strathclyde Glasgow G1 1XQ Scotland
Email: cspp@strath.ac.uk