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MarxistMan
2nd March 2011, 05:24
Poll Finds 82% of Venezuelans are Very Happy or Happy





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http://venezuelanalysis.com/print/6032


Mrida, March 1st 2011 (Venezuelanalysis.com) 82% of Venezuelans say they are happy, according to the latest polls by Social Investigation Group XXI (GIS). The study, which also examined Venezuelans values in relation to gender difference, geographic mobility, community and participation, work, and religion aimed to examine the relationships between politics, culture, and social values in Venezuela.

Personal Satisfaction and Social Perception of Happiness
According to the GIS study, titled, Tastes and Desires of the Venezuelan Population: A Study of the Sociology of Preferences, on a scale of 1 to 10, where 10 is very happy, 82% of respondents said they were very happy or happy with an answer of 7 to 10. 13% responded with 5-6, and 4% between 4 and 1.

Responding to the question, We have all done things in our lives that make us feel proud, thinking about the things that you have done throughout your life, which things make you especially proud?, 44% responded my children, 15% academic achievement and 11% other.

In terms of what would make respondents feel proud of their children, if they have them or hypothetically, 44% said academic success, 25% said that they are a good person who makes others happy, and only 7% said economic success.

After other aspects of life, lack of material well being, and unemployment ranked the highest (with 17% and 14% respectively) for peoples perception of what makes other people most unhappy. After that were insecurity, family problems, and physical illness at 9%, 8%, and 7%, respectively.

95% of respondents said that they would provide economic help to their family if they were able to - the response with the highest percentage of yes responses. Other things people would do if able to were; set up their own business or company (88%), study more or start studying (78%), donate to the church (74%), buy a car (69%), provide financial assistance to a project (64%), travel overseas (62%), dress in brand name clothing (36%), improve an aspect of their body (34%), and stop working (12%) altogether.

Geographic Mobility: the Reality and Aspirations
42% of respondents had moved at some point in their lives. Of those, 55% had moved just once, and only 7% had moved more than five times.
The main reasons nominated by respondents for moving were, first, for study (53%), then work (34%), then for reasons of security (31%), then family reasons (21%), and to have more opportunities (15%).
When told to imagine that they could take vacations anywhere, 71% of respondents selected a tourist location within Venezuela. Of the total answers, 27% said they would like to travel to the famous Margarita Island, or Los Roques, and 14% selected the Andean city of Merida, while just 3% said they would stay in their current location.

Those who said they would travel overseas, after other, the highest response, with 5%, was a city in the United States, and other that, Europe.

Gender Differences
67% of respondents said that yes, there are important differences between the character of men and women.

In terms of what Venezuelans believe are the typical characteristics of men that differentiate them from women, other was the most common response, with 29%, then they are physically stronger at 21%, they are more violent with 11% and they are more impulsive at 8%.

The same question, applied to perceptions of women, other was also the most popular answer (19%), then they are more responsible in the family at 14%, and they are more affectionate at 13%.

On the issue of equality in the home and family life, 57% of respondents believed that men and women have equal rights, and 33% believed that women have more rights. 8% believed that men have more rights in the home. The genders switched when asked about obligations, with 28% believing men have more obligations in the home, 25% saying women have more obligations, and 46% saying it was equal.

Regarding rights at work, 62% believe there are equal rights, and 30% thought men have more rights, while 6% thought women have more rights. The figures were similar for obligations in the workplace; with 32% believing men have more obligations and 9% believing women have more.
Most Venezuelans, if they had to work under the leadership of another person, would rather work under a man, although the percentages were close, with 37% preferring to work under a man, 33% not minding, and 28% preferring a woman. The percentages were similarly close when respondents hypothetically had to choose a gender to hire, with 31% saying they did not mind, 28% choosing men, and 27.5% choosing women.
Finally, in this section, respondents had to say if certain situations were blameworthy. The most reprehensible situation, in terms of respondents answering yes its blameworthy is a 17-year-old deciding to abort, at 73%. 70% felt the same of violence between couples, 69% thought a man living off the labour of his wife was reprehensible, while only 22% thought it was a problem if a woman lives off the labour of her husband.
56% thought it wrong that a woman abandon her husband and children if he is beating her, while just 26% thought it was wrong for a man to leave his wife and children if his wife was beating him. Of the 56%, more were men, and more came from the poorer economic classes. 53% thought sexual relations between the same gender were wrong.

Community and Participation: Motivations and Desires
Why people participate in community activities, the survey asked. 61% said peoples main motivations were to improve the conditions of life of the people living in the community, while14% said it was for personal benefit or for the benefit of their family.

In response to the question, Do you think that participating in community activities, in general, is something that benefits or is detrimental to those participating?, 84% said they thought it was a benefit.

In terms of what reasons respondents thought people have for not participating in community activities, after other with 23%, the highest was because the people who do participate are a closed group who dont want others to enter it with 21% and then because theres no point, nothing is achieved with 19%. Lack of time was next, at 13%.

Work and Social Mobility
If Venezuelans had enough money to leave their jobs or choose to change, 78% would still work in what they do, 12% would change jobs, and 9% would stop working.

Next, respondents had to imagine that they were the head of a company with a lot of money and many workers. 66% said yes, they would respect maternity leave, 49% said yes, they would give work to their family and friends who needed it, and 48% said they would buy a new car.

79% of respondents, if they were unemployed and in a situation of grave difficulty, would ask a relative to find them work for the government.

Religion
71% of Venezuelans categorise themselves as Catholic, 17% as Evangelical or another type of Christianity, 6% as agnostic, 2% as another religion, and 2% as atheist.

However, in terms of specific beliefs, 48% said they did not believe in the Pope, 46% dont believe in hell, 37% dont believe in resurrection, 11% said they didnt believe in heaven, 6% didnt believe in the bible, and 3% didnt believe in Jesus Christ.

The GIS study was based on 2500 interviews distributed proportionally across the country, with a margin of error of +/- 2.5%, and was carried out from 26 January to 2 February this year.

50.2% of interviewees were women, and there was a fair distribution across the different age groups and economic classes.

GIS is widely regarded as allied to the Chavez government. Its results tend to slightly favour the Chavez government, but are never very inflated or far off, and its election result predictions are often the closest compared to other Venezuelan poll companies.
See also:


01/02/2011: Poll Finds 80% of Venezuelans Value President Chavez's Response to Flood Emergency (http://venezuelanalysis.com/news/5970) [3]
15/05/2009: Polls Show Economic Optimism and Strong Support for Venezuelan President (http://venezuelanalysis.com/news/4448)[4]
16/05/2005: Chavez Promises New Venezuelan Education Model to Combat Imperialist Values (http://venezuelanalysis.com/news/1128) [5]









Source URL (retrieved on 01/03/2011 - 11:49pm): http://venezuelanalysis.com/news/6032
Links:

[1] http://venezuelanalysis.com/printmail/6032
[2] http://venezuelanalysis.com/print/6032
[3] http://venezuelanalysis.com/news/5970
[4] http://venezuelanalysis.com/news/4448
[5] http://venezuelanalysis.com/news/1128



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norwegianwood90
2nd March 2011, 05:40
Venezuela is certainly better than many other countries. However, I don't think it's exactly an ideal system. We have to start somewhere, I guess...

Fulanito de Tal
2nd March 2011, 05:40
Democracy in Venezuela is dangerous to the US social order.

9
2nd March 2011, 05:44
there is no 'socialism' in venezuela...

Blackscare
2nd March 2011, 05:49
there is no 'socialism' in venezuela...

Thank you for the thoughtful analysis.

I'm sure the venezualen poor share your view.

9
2nd March 2011, 06:14
Thank you for the thoughtful analysis.
oh, it wasn't intended to be an 'analysis'; i was just correcting the error in the OP's thread title.

i also wasn't aware that there were even any leftists who claim venezuela is 'socialist' to begin with. i mean, i know that there are some who make a lot of noise about the "bolivarian revolution" and how chavez is 'leading the masses toward socialism' or whatev - which, to be honest, is equally ridiculous - but as far as i know, its the first time i've actually seen or heard anyone claim that venezuela already is 'socialist'...


I'm sure the venezualen poor share your view.it makes no difference to me.

Amphictyonis
2nd March 2011, 06:39
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Socialism_in_One_Country

No! (to the above theory) :) It would be nice if possible though. Private property/capitalism still exists in Venezuela anyhow. Venezuela could go socialist if the rest of South America severed its connection to western capitalism and set up some sort of trade with Iran while utilizing 'The Bank Of The West" for building infrastructure/industry and attaining resources because Venezuela's oil supply isn't enough to carry Venezuela let alone the entirety of South America.

Anyway, why do you think Obama added more military bases in Columbia? In case by some miracle Venezuela does in fact have the chance to go socialist US troops will stop it from happening. The cold war isnt over you know...at least not the policy of containment.

Sinister Cultural Marxist
2nd March 2011, 07:36
Venezuela is more a Caudillo of the Proletariat than a fully-fledged Socialism.
It's a good thing that Venezuelans prefer Social Democracy to old-style Capitalism, but there's still some way before they call themselves "Socialist". First off all, I won't consider them a "Socialist" state until the people understand that they don't need a President to steer their political system, or a majority-private economy. Until then, it's "Socialist" in the same way that China or Vietnam are, just with more social democratic pretense.

Vladimir Innit Lenin
2nd March 2011, 10:00
This shows that even through teh ballot box and parliament, and even under Capitalistic systems, a leftist leader pushed by class conscious masses can - for a time - achieve great things and make a massive difference to the lives of working people (something that people on here seem to forget in their strive for power).

However, the key is that Venezuela is not Marxist - yet-, and has a lot of work to do before it has made itself a post-Capitalist society.

Sir Comradical
2nd March 2011, 10:22
Too bad it's not actually socialism. Redistributive capitalism yes, socialism no.