Neither the changes on the political scene following the 1992
elections, nor the breakup of Czechoslovakia and the creation of
an independent Slovak Republic have caused a substantial shift in
the prioritization of national problems as perceived by the
public. According to a March 1993 survey, the public considered
the most serious problems facing the country to be the standard
of living, unemployment, health care, crime, and social security.
A November 1994 survey found the same issues, though in a
slightly different order.
Table 3
Public Opinion Survey: Perceived Problems in Slovakia and
Czech Republic (% of Total Responses)
| |
Slovakia |
Czech Republic |
| Health Care |
66 |
44 |
| Unemployment |
45 |
14 |
| Standard of living |
41 |
31 |
| Crime, personal safety |
37 |
66 |
| Pensions, social security |
29 |
28 |
| Education |
22 |
15 |
| Stability of the currency |
12 |
7 |
| Environment |
8 |
24 |
| Morals |
7 |
19 |
| Legal environment for private sector |
7 |
9 |
| Privatization |
4 |
4 |
| Respect for the Constitution |
4 |
8 |
| Gypsy minority |
4 |
9 |
| Political culture |
3 |
4 |
| Status of women in society |
2 |
2 |
| Integration into the European Union |
2 |
2 |
Source: FOCUS, Bratislava, and STEM, Prague (November 1994).
The differences between survey responses in Slovakia and the
Czech Republic reflect differences in the economic, social, and
political developments in both republics. For example, the
unemployment rate, which in December 1994 stood at 3.2 percent in
the Czech Republic, had risen to 14.8 percent in Slovakia.
However, survey findings indicate that these differences must
also be understood in terms of the differences in values and in
the perceptions of the transformation in both countries.
In any case, the public seems to be more concerned with social
issues and less concerned with the rationale and the
circumstances of economic transition. For people living in a free
market economy, this might seem contradictory. However, the
general public in Slovakia and in other former Communist
countries in transition are not aware of the interaction between
social problems and the economic situation. An understanding of
the impact which privatization, foreign investment,
small-enterprise development, currency stability, tax legislation
and inflation have on social conditions is not widespread.
The problems of unemployment and low living standards are
perceived as issues to be dealt with by the state and therefore
to be resolved by politicians. The public lacks a clear
appreciation of the relationship between the state and the
process of transition to a free market. During election campaigns
politicians fuel misperceptions by promising "the quick
fix."
|
