Table 1: Popular Attitudes to Democracy,

 Selected African Countries, 1999-2000

(percentages of national samples, including “don’t knows”)

 

 

 

 

Botswana

(n = 1200)

 

Ghana

(n = 2004)

 

Malawi

(n = 1208)

 

Namibia

(n = 1183)

 

Nigeria

(n = 3603)

 

Zimbabwe

(n = 1200)

 

KNOWLEDGE OF DEMOCRACY.

What, if anything, do you understand by the word “democracy”?

(percentage of respondents able to supply a meaning)

 

 

69

 

 

72

 

 

88

 

 

65

 

 

77

 

 

70

 

SUPPORT FOR DEMOCRACY.

Democracy is preferable to any other kind of government.

In certain situations, a non-democratic government can be preferable.

For someone like me, it doesn’t matter what form of government we have.

(percentage choosing these options)

 

 

82

 7

6

 

 

76

 9

14

 

 

66

22

11

 

 

57

12

12

 

 

81

  9

10

 

 

71

11

13

 

 

REJECTION OF NON-DEMOCRATIC ALTERNATIVES.

Military rule.

One party state.

Traditional leaders.

All alternatives

(percentage disapproving these alternatives)

 

 

85

78

74

61

 

 

89

80

74

52

 

 

82

77

71

53

 

 

59

63

55

36

 

 

90

88

-

76

 

 

79

74

63

49

 

EXTENT OF DEMOCRACY.

(Our country is) Completely democratic

Democratic, but with minor problems

Democratic, but with major problems

Not a democracy

(percentage choosing these options)

 

 

46

36

  8

  5

 

 

(    )

(69)

(    )

12

 

 

34

28

23

12

 

 

30

42

15

  3

 

 

17

33

46

  1

 

 

9

18

17

38

 

SATISFACTION WITH DEMOCRACY.

Overall, how satisfied are you with the way democracy works

 in (your country)?

(percentage saying “fairly” or “very” satisfied)

 

 

75

 

 

54

 

 

 

57

 

 

63

 

 

84

 

 

 

18

 

 

 

 

Table 2: The Relationship between Support for Democracy

 and Satisfaction with Democracy

(percentages of national samples, without “don’t knows”)1

 

 

 

 

Support Democracy

 

Support Any Alternative Regime2

 

Pearson

     r

 

 

 

 Satisfied with Democracy

 

Unsatisfied with Democracy

 

 Satisfied with Democracy

 

Unsatisfied with Democracy

 

Malawi

 

53

 

22

 

13

 

13

 

.337***

 

Namibia

 

54

 

18

 

17

 

11

 

.181***

 

Ghana

 

53

 

26

 

10

 

11

 

.170***

 

Botswana

 

70

 

17

 

7

 

6

 

.136***

 

Nigeria

 

72

 

11

 

14

 

6

 

.133***

 

Zimbabwe

 

15

 

59

 

8

 

17

 

-.142***

 

All

 

58

 

21

 

12

 

10

 

.14 9***

 

*** p = <.001

 

1.  Figures may not agree with Table 1 because “don’t knows” are removed in Table 2.  Row percentages may not add up exactly to 100 due to rounding.

 

2.  Includes those who support non-democratic alternatives and those for whom the type of regime “does not matter”.

 

 

Table 3: Popular Attitudes to Markets,

 Selected African Countries, 1999-2000

(percentages of national samples, including “don’t knows”)

 

 

 

 

 

Ghana

 

Malawi

 

Nigeria

 

Zimbabwe

 

KNOWLEDGE OF ADJUSTMENT.

Have you ever heard about the government’s (insert the name of the country’s)

structural adjustment program?

(percentage of respondents saying “yes”)

 

 

42

 

 

51

 

 

40

 

 

85

 

RESPONSIBILITY FOR WELL-BEING

A.  People should look after themselves and be responsible for their own success in life.

B.  The government should bear the main responsibility for ensuring the well-being of people.

(percentage who agree “somewhat” or “strongly”)

 

 

56

44

 

 

73

25

 

 

42

56

 

 

37

59

 

SUPPORT USER FEES.

A.  It is better to raise educational/health standards*, even if we have to pay fees

B.  It is better to have free schooling/health care* for our children, even if the quality  is low.

(percentage who agree “somewhat” or “strongly”)

 

 

72

28

 

 

48

44

 

 

69

27

 

 

58

34

 

SUPPORT INSTITUTIONAL REFORM .

A.  The government cannot afford so many public employees and should lay some of them off.

B.  All civil servants should keep their jobs, even if paying their salaries is costly to the country.

(percentage who agree “somewhat” or “strongly”)

 

 

28

72

 

 

 

21

73

 

 

19

73

 

 

51

41

 

PERCEIVED EQUITY EFFECTS OF ADJUSTMENT.

The government’s economic policies have helped most people; only a few have suffered.

The government’s economic policies have hurt most people and only benefitted a few

(percentage who agree “somewhat” or “strongly”)

 

 

32

68

 

 

11

32

 

 

34

60

 

 

7

78

 

SATISFACTION WITH ADJUSTMENT.

How satisfied are you with the (insert the name of the country’s)

 structural adjustment program?

(percentage of knowledgeable respondents saying “somewhat” or “very” satisfied)

 

 

34

 

 

19

 

 

16

 

 

4

 

* The question referred to education services in Ghana and Nigeria and health services in Malawi and Nigeria.

 

 

 

 

 

Table 4: The Relationship between Satisfaction with Democracy

 and Satisfaction with Adjustment

(percentages of national samples, without “don’t knows”)

 

 

 

 

Satisfied with Democracy

 

Unsatisfied with Democracy

 

Pearson

     r

 

 

 

 Satisfied with SAP

 

Unsatisfied with SAP

 

 Satisfied with SAP

 

Unsatisfied with SAP

 

Malawi

 

23

 

29

 

4

 

44

 

.432***

 

Ghana

 

33

 

32

 

7

 

29

 

.381***

 

Zimbabwe

 

  2

 

20

 

2

 

76

 

.228***

 

Nigeria

 

16

 

67

 

2

 

15

 

.077**

 

All

 

17

 

42

 

3

 

38

 

.322***

 

**   <.01

*** <.001

 

1.  Figures may not agree with Tables 1 and 3 because “don’t knows” are removed in Table 4.  Row percentages may not add up exactly to 100 due to rounding.