Study title

This survey is the Swedish part of the 1996 'International Social Survey Program'. Citizens' opinions were elicited on the function of their national governments and on what governments should and should not be doing. Respondents were asked whether they approved of economic policies such as wage and price controls, job creation programs, including public work projects, support for ailing private industries, and the forced reduction in the industrial work week, as well as conservative measures, such as reductions in government spending and business regulations. Government spending was another topic, with respondents questioned as to their support for greater spending on the environment, health care, police and law enforcement, education, military and defence, culture and the arts, old age pensions, unemployment benefits, and housing for the poor. A number of questions dealt with respondents' attitudes regarding democracy, political power, and protest. Respondents were asked for their views on the rule of law when it is in conflict with private conscience, various forms of anti-government protest (public meetings, protest marches and demonstrations, nationwide strikes), whether the right to protest should be afforded to those who advocate the overthrow of the government by revolution, and the conflict between security needs and privacy rights. Other questions focused on the role of elections in democracies, including whether voters understand political issues, whether elections force governments to confront pressing political issues, whether certain institutions (unions, government, business and industry) have too much power in affecting election results, whether politicians really try to keep their election promises, whether civil servants can be trusted to work in the public´s interest, and whether various industries (power companies, hospitals, banks) are better off being run by the private sector or by the government. Opinions were also elicited as to whether...