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Yugoslav Successor States Barometer 1998 Questionnaire - F.R. Yugoslavia, Serbia, Montenegro

1. Have you or anyone in your household been unemployed at some time in the last year?
Yes, self
Yes, other member of family
No one

IF YES, self or family member:
2. How many weeks were you unemployed?
1 to 3 weeks
4 weeks
5 to 6 weeks
7 to 12 weeks
13 to 26 weeks
27 to 52 weeks

3. If your household was very short of money, is there a friend or relative from whom it could borrow as much as a week's wages or a week's pension?
Definitely
Probably
Probably not
Definitely not

4. What is your current employment situation?
Full-time employed
Part-time employed
Pensioner and employed
Self-employed
Pensioner, not employed
Unemployed, no state benefit
Unemployed, receiving state
benefit
No job, other income maintenance
grant (eg, invalid, maternity)
Not employed (eg, housewife,
student)

IF EMPLOYED:
5. What type of employer do you have?
Government, budgetary agency
State enterprise
State enterprise now privatized
New private enter., never state

6. Do you get enough money from your regular job to buy what you really need?
Definitely enough
Just enough
Not quite enough
Definitely not enough

7. Do you or anyone in your family have a second job to earn some money?
Yes, self
Other member of the family
No one does

8. Do you find that people you know ask your opinion about political affairs?
Often
Sometimes
Seldom
Never

9. Which activity on this card is the most important for the standard of living of you and your family?
Growing own food
Repairing house
What we get as favours
What we get with help
of friends, relatives
Getting foreign money
Earnings of second job
Incidental earnings
Earnings of regular job
Pension, unemp. benefit
Benefits at place of work
Don’t know

10. Which of these activities is second most important ?
Growing own food
Repairing house
What we get as favours
What we get with help
of friends, relatives
Getting foreign money
Earnings of second job
Incidental earnings
Earnings of regular job
Pension, unemp. benefit
Benefits at place of work
Don’t know

11. In the past year, has your household:
Saved money
Just got by
Spent some savings
Borrowed money
Spent savings and borrowed

Sometimes people have to do without things that people usually have. In the past year has your household had to do without any of the following:
12a. Food
Often
Sometimes
Rarely
Never
12b. Heating, electricity
Often
Sometimes
Rarely
Never

12c. Clothes you really need
Often
Sometimes
Rarely
Never


13. How long do you think it will be before you have reached a standard of living with which you are content?
Already content
1-2 years
3-5 years
6-10 years
More than 10 years
Never
Don’t know

14. How long do you think it will take the government to sort out the economic problems of this country?
Already resolved
1-2 years
3-5 years
6-10 years
More than 10 years
Never
Don’t know

Here is a scale for ranking how the economy works: the top, plus 100, is the best; the bottom, minus 100, the worst.
15. Where on this scale (SHOW CARD) would you put the Socialist economy before the revolution of 1989?

16. Where on this scale would you put our current economic system?

17. Where would you put our economic system in five years?

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

19. When you compare the overall economic situation of your household before the big changes in the economy, nine years ago, would you say that in the past it was:
Much better
A little better
About the same
A little worse
A lot worse

20. What do you think the economic situation of your household will be in five years?
Much better
A little better
About the same
A little worse
A lot worse

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.
21. Where on this scale (SHOW CARD) would you put the former Communist regime?

22. Where on this scale would you put our current system of governing with free elections and many parties?

23. Where on this scale would you put our system of governing five years in the future?


Our present system of government is not the only one that this country has had. Some people say that we would be better off if the country was governed differently. What do you think? Please tell me for each point whether you strongly agree, somewhat agree, somewhat disagree or strongly disagree.
24a. We should return to Communist rule
Strongly agree
Somewhat agree
Somewhat disagree
Strongly disagree

24b. The army should govern the country
Strongly agree
Somewhat agree
Somewhat disagree
Strongly disagree

24c. Best to get rid of Parliament and elections and have a strong leader who can quickly decide everything
Strongly agree
Somewhat agree
Somewhat disagree
Strongly disagree

24d. A return to a monarchy would be better
Strongly agree
Somewhat agree
Somewhat disagree
Strongly disagree

Please think of the difference between the old system of government under the Communists and our present democratic system. I will read out a series of statements on this card. Please tell me for each point whether you think our present political system, by comparison with the Communists, is much better, somewhat better, equal, somewhat worse, much worse?
25a. Everybody is free to say what he or she thinks
Much better now
Somewhat better
Equal
Somewhat worse
Much worse now

25b. People can join any organization they want
Much better now
Somewhat better
Equal
Somewhat worse
Much worse now

25c. People can travel and live wherever they want
Much better now
Somewhat better
Equal
Somewhat worse
Much worse now

25d. Ordinary people can influence what government does
Much better now
Somewhat better
Equal
Somewhat worse
Much worse now

25e. People can live without fear of unlawful arrest
Much better now
Somewhat better
Equal
Somewhat worse
Much worse now

25f. Each person can decide whether or not to take an interest in politics
Much better now
Somewhat better
Equal
Somewhat worse
Much worse now

25g. Everybody is treated equally and fairly by the government
Much better now
Somewhat better
Equal
Somewhat worse
Much worse now

25h. Everybody is free to decide whether or not to practice a religion
Much better now
Somewhat better
Equal
Somewhat worse
Much worse now

26. By comparison with the former Communist regime, would you say that the level of corruption and taking bribes has:
Increased a lot
Increased a little
Remained much the same
Decreased a little
Decreased a lot

There are many different institutions in this country, for example, government, courts, police, civil servants. Please show me on this 7-point scale, where 1 represents no trust and 7 great trust, how great is your personal trust in each of these institutions:
27a. Parties

27b. Courts

27c. Police

27d. Civil Servants

27e. Government

27f. Military

27g. Parliament

27h. Churches

27j. Trade unions

27k. Television, Radio

27l. Press, Newspapers

27m. Private enterprise

27n. President of this country

27p. Prime Minister of this country

27q. Most people you meet


Do you think any of these poses a big threat, some threat, a little threat or no threat to peace and security in this society ?
28a. Russia
Big threat
Some threat
Little threat
No threat at all

28b. Germany
Big threat
Some threat
Little threat
No threat at all


28c. USA
Big threat
Some threat
Little threat
No threat at all

28d. Neighbouring countries
Big threat
Some threat
Little threat
No threat at all

28e. Ethnic groups, minorities in our country
Big threat
Some threat
Little threat
No threat at all

28f. Immigrants, refugees from other societies
Big threat
Some threat
Little threat
No threat at all

29. 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?
Very likely
Maybe
Not very likely
Not at all likely

30. If Parliament was closed down and parties abolished, would you:
Definitely approve
Somewhat approve
Somewhat disapprove
Definitely disapprove

31. To which religious group do you belong?
Roman Catholic
Uniate Catholic
Protestant
Orthodox
Jewish
Muslim
Other
Not a believer
Refused

32. How often do you attend religious services?
At least every week
About once a month
A few times a year
Once a year
Less often
Never
Not a believer, refused

33. Were you or any other person in your family formerly a member of the Communist Party or one of the organisations closely associated with it?
Yes, self
Yes, other members of family
No

With which of the following do you most closely identify yourself? And with which do you identify with second?
34a. Europe
34b. Country
34c. Region
34d. Local community, city where I live
34e. Other
34f. Don’t know

On this card you will find a series of contrasting statements. For each, please choose one and say whether you definitely or somewhat agree with it.
35a. It will take years for government to deal with the problems inherited from the Communists OR Our new system of government ought to be able to deal with problems right now, regardless of who caused them.
Take years to deal with
Deal with right now

35b. Rising prices are the biggest threat to my family OR Unemployment is the biggest threat for my family.
Rising prices
Unemployment

35c. Incomes should be made more equal so there are no big differences in income OR Individual achievement should determine how much people are paid; more successful should be paid more.
Incomes more equal
Success paid more

35d. Individuals should be responsible for their own welfare OR The state should be responsible for everyone’s economic security.
Individuals responsible
State responsible

35e. State ownership is the best way to run an enterprise OR An enterprise is best run by private entrepreneurs.
State ownership
Private entrepreneurs

35f. It is better to have lots of goods in the shops even if the prices are much higher OR It is better when prices are kept low by the state even though there are often few goods in the shops.
High prices, many goods
Low prices, few goods

35g. Our country should develop like West European countries OR Our country should develop in keeping with our national traditions and values.
West European countries
National traditions

36a. Which of these do you think is the best source of information about the way this country is governed?
What I see and hear from
people I know
Newspapers
Television
Don't know, none of these

36b. For forty years we had a different system of government and people have different views about it. Which of these statements comes closest to expressing what you think?
A good way of running things
Even though it had faults
it was tolerable
It wasn’t any good but there was nothing ordinary
people could do about it
It was bad, and I was wanting it
to go away someday

37. If our country were to join the European Union in the future, would you feel strongly in favour, somewhat in favour, somewhat opposed or strongly opposed?
Strongly in favour
Somewhat in favour
Somewhat opposed
Strongly opposed

What do you think are the most likely consequences, if our country should enter the European Union. For each point, do you think EU membership will have positive effects, negative effects, bring no changes, or don't you know.
38a. Political stability
Positive effects
Negative effects
No changes
Don't know

38b. Consumer prices
Positive effects
Negative effects
No changes
Don't know

38c. Economic development
Positive effects
Negative effects
No changes
Don't know

38d. My personal income
Positive effects
Negative effects
No changes
Don't know

38e. Reducing unemployment
Positive effects
Negative effects
No changes
Don't know

39. What do you think about Austria’s position regarding the EU membership of our country?
Austria will support
Austria will hinder
Austria will play no role at all
Don't know

40. In the European Union all citizens of a member country have the right to work in the other member countries. If our country should become a member of the EU, will you or another member of your family:
40a. Go abroad to work for some weeks or months
Yes, definitely
Maybe
Probably not
No
Don't know

40b. Work abroad for some years
Yes, definitely
Maybe
Probably not
No
Don't know

40c. Emigrate and live permanently in another country
Yes, definitely
Maybe
Probably not
No
Don't know

41. Respondent or family member plans to:
Look for work abroad, emigrate
No plans to go abroad

IF ANY PLANS TO GO ABROAD:
42a. And in which country would you like to work?
Germany
France
Great Britain
Austria
Scandinavia
Other EU countries
USA, Australia, New Zealand
Other countries

42b. And which country would you emigrate to?
Germany
France
Great Britain
Austria
Scandinavia
Other EU countries
USA, Australia, New Zealand
Other countries

43. As you might know, 15 states of Western Europe together form the European Union. Are your impressions of the aims and activities of the European Union generally:
Very positive
Fairly positive
Fairly negative
Very negative
Don't know

44. Are you proud to be a citizen of this country?
Very proud
Somewhat proud
Not very proud
Not at all proud
Don't know

65. Do you think that a NATO membership of this country is:
Very good thing
Somewhat good
Not so good
Very bad thing
Don't know

SOCIO-DEMOGRAPHIC

S7. Does your household have any of the following: (% saying yes)
S7a Colour television
S7e Video recorder
S7l Phone
S7o Car

Plus standard demographic variables, eg. age, gender, education


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