Afrobarometer : Round I Survey of South Africa, July-August 2000

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Summary

This survey is part of a series of studies designed to assess attitudes about democracy, markets, and civil society in African nations, and to track the evolution of such attitudes in those nations...

This survey is part of a series of studies designed to assess attitudes about democracy, markets, and civil society in African nations, and to track the evolution of such attitudes in those nations over time. This particular survey was concerned with the attitudes and opinions of the citizens of South Africa. Respondents were asked to rate South African President Mbeki and his administrations' overall performance and to state the most important issue facing the nation. Opinions were gathered on the role of the government in improving the economy, whether corruption existed in local and national government, whether government officials were responsive to problems of the general population, and whether local government officials, the police, the courts, the overall criminal justice system, the South African Defense Force, the media, the Independent Electoral Commission, and the South African Broadcasting Corporation could be trusted. Respondents were polled on their knowledge of government officials, their level of personal involvement in political, governmental, and community affairs, the inclusiveness of the government, and what their reactions would be to executive branch-sponsored government-imposed restrictions or prohibitions on the media, the judicial system, and parliament. Economic questions addressed the past, present, and future of the country's and the respondent's economic condition, whether great income disparities are fair, and whether encouraging people to start small businesses would create more jobs. Societal questions addressed how much trust could be placed in others, whether it is wise to plan ahead, whether everyone should be responsible for themselves and their own success or failure, what characteristics respondents used to identify themselves, whether it was easy to obtain assistance with securing food, water, schooling, and medical services, and by what methods respondents secured food, water, news, information, and medical services. Respondents were also asked whether they had checked with other adults in their household to answer questions. Background variables include age, language spoken most at home, education, current employment status, employment status over the last 12 months, employment history, family financial situation over the last 12 months, monetary support system, whether a close friend or relative had died from AIDS, language used in interview, sex, ethnicity, type of physical disability, if any, type of housing, location of interview (inside, outside, or both), and respondent's attitude during interview.Cf: http://doi.org/10.3886/ICPSR03934.v1

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