Authors

• Jääsaari, Johanna (University of Helsinki. Department of Political Science)
• Martikainen, Tuomo (University of Helsinki. Department of Political Science)

Keywords

Finnishness, attitudes, businesses, decision making, economic policy, elections, immigrants, political participation, political parties, politicians, politics, social status, social welfare philosophy, urban population, voting, young adults

Abstract

The survey charted young adults' attitudes towards politics, their opinions on the principal matters in politics, and their views on the current political questions.

The respondents' interest in politics was queried, as well as how much they thought politics influences various things, and to what extent they trust in decision-makers' ability to solve young people's problems. Some questions covered how firm the respondents considered their political views and party preference to be. The respondents were asked to place different political parties and themselves on the left-right axis. They indicated whether it was easy for them to choose between political parties, what is their attitude towards given parties, and on what basis they select their party. In addition, the respondents were given a list of various things (e.g. Finnishness, scientific achievements of the Finns, Finnish social security and health care system) and asked to choose which items on the list make them feel proud about Finland. They were also presented with a set of attitudinal statements on topics such as voting, entrepreneurship, the Government, Parliament, social differences, political parties, politicians, unemployment, welfare state, law, refugees, immigrants, development aid, nuclear power, the EC, income taxation, and traditional Finnish values. In relation to voting and elections, the respondents' views were probed on what basis election candidates were assessed, how citizens should relate to elections and voting, what kind of voting habits the respondents' parents had, whether the respondents had used their right to vote, whether they were going to use that right in the future, and whether our political system works or not.

Background variables included the respondent's gender, municipality of residence, age, marital status, number of children, type of accommodation, socio-economic status, education level, mother tongue, parents' and spouse's occupation and education level, membership in various organisations or associations (e.g. sports clubs, youth organisations, student associations), place of birth, annual gross income, and annual household gross income. Those who were employed were asked about their occupational status, students were asked about their educational institution and main subject, and those who were unemployed were in turn asked about the duration of unemployment during the past two years and occupational status before unemployment. In addition, views were queried on how important it is to work hard and to get by on the salary one receives from work. Further background variables investigated when R had moved to the capital area, from where R had moved, whether R would like to have a life that resembles that of R's parents' in the future, to what extent R follows different things on the media (e.g. technology, public figures, science), how much R spent money on various things on a monthly average (e.g. movies, food, clothes), whether R exercised regularly, which TV or radio channels R usually follow at home, how often R does various things (e.g. meets friends, visits the library, goes to a discotheque), and where R would like to travel to. Finally, views were charted on which party R would vote for in parliamentary elections, and which party R voted for in the 1987 municipal elections.