Gallup - 27.09.2011
The percentage of Greeks who rate their lives so poorly that they are considered "suffering" has more than tripled to 24% in 2011, from 7% in 2007. Greeks are more likely to be suffering than "thriving," a reality uncommon in the developed world
Gallup classifies respondents' wellbeing as "thriving," "struggling," or "suffering," according to how they rate their current and future lives on a ladder scale with steps numbered from 0 to 10 based on the Cantril Self-Anchoring Striving Scale. Greeks' current level of wellbeing is low compared with levels in other developed countries, where thriving is typically much higher than suffering. The results from Greece are based on surveys conducted in the country in April and May immediately preceding the start of major riots and protests against the government's austerity measures.
Greeks' current life evaluation -- with 14% thriving, 62% struggling, and 24% suffering -- is also low compared with ratings in other European countries surveyed so far in 2011. More Greeks are now classified as suffering than those living in several other European nations, including those in other countries hard hit by the financial and economic crisis such as Ireland and Italy. Suffering is higher only in Hungary (29%), Romania (30%), and Bulgaria (42%), and thriving is significantly lower only in Bulgaria.
Greeks' depressed wellbeing reflects the effect of three years of economic unease on the country's population. The Greek government over this period has passed a series of ever-expanding austerity measures to manage its debt crisis. The severe budget cuts, tax increases, and the loss of public-sector jobs and government services have shaken Greek society and fueled continuous public protests.
Greeks Expect Things to Be Worse in Five Years
Unlike respondents in most European countries, and other countries around the world, Greeks are more likely to expect their lives in five years to be worse than their current lives. Greeks' current and future life ratings have declined each year since 2007. In their average predicted life evaluation, Greeks' ratings are not only among the lowest ratings in Europe, but also among the lowest in the world based on the data available so far from 2011.
Implications
Although Greeks felt the effect of the economic crisis in 2009 and rated their present and future lives worse than in 2007, a majority of Greeks still believed that their situation would improve in the next five years. By 2010, however, as the extent of the financial and economic crisis became clearer and the effects of restructuring more widely felt, Greeks' expectations for improvement in the near future had faded. Greeks are even more pessimistic in 2011, so much so that their wellbeing is lower than the wellbeing of residents living in most countries in Europe and is now on par with the wellbeing of residents living in far less-developed nations.
Gallup has also found more sharply negative life evaluations in other countries where revolts took place, suggesting that these evaluations are a sign that should not be ignored. Greek leaders must work to restore public optimism and confidence to avoid even more serious problems.
Gallup classifies respondents' wellbeing as "thriving," "struggling," or "suffering," according to how they rate their current and future lives on a ladder scale with steps numbered from 0 to 10 based on the Cantril Self-Anchoring Striving Scale. Greeks' current level of wellbeing is low compared with levels in other developed countries, where thriving is typically much higher than suffering. The results from Greece are based on surveys conducted in the country in April and May immediately preceding the start of major riots and protests against the government's austerity measures.
Greeks' current life evaluation -- with 14% thriving, 62% struggling, and 24% suffering -- is also low compared with ratings in other European countries surveyed so far in 2011. More Greeks are now classified as suffering than those living in several other European nations, including those in other countries hard hit by the financial and economic crisis such as Ireland and Italy. Suffering is higher only in Hungary (29%), Romania (30%), and Bulgaria (42%), and thriving is significantly lower only in Bulgaria.
Greeks' depressed wellbeing reflects the effect of three years of economic unease on the country's population. The Greek government over this period has passed a series of ever-expanding austerity measures to manage its debt crisis. The severe budget cuts, tax increases, and the loss of public-sector jobs and government services have shaken Greek society and fueled continuous public protests.
Greeks Expect Things to Be Worse in Five Years
Unlike respondents in most European countries, and other countries around the world, Greeks are more likely to expect their lives in five years to be worse than their current lives. Greeks' current and future life ratings have declined each year since 2007. In their average predicted life evaluation, Greeks' ratings are not only among the lowest ratings in Europe, but also among the lowest in the world based on the data available so far from 2011.
Implications
Although Greeks felt the effect of the economic crisis in 2009 and rated their present and future lives worse than in 2007, a majority of Greeks still believed that their situation would improve in the next five years. By 2010, however, as the extent of the financial and economic crisis became clearer and the effects of restructuring more widely felt, Greeks' expectations for improvement in the near future had faded. Greeks are even more pessimistic in 2011, so much so that their wellbeing is lower than the wellbeing of residents living in most countries in Europe and is now on par with the wellbeing of residents living in far less-developed nations.
Gallup has also found more sharply negative life evaluations in other countries where revolts took place, suggesting that these evaluations are a sign that should not be ignored. Greek leaders must work to restore public optimism and confidence to avoid even more serious problems.
Δεν υπάρχουν σχόλια:
Δημοσίευση σχολίου