Economical

In November 2008, Public Opinion Research Centre enquired about social policy. People were asked, how much do they think the government cares about the social situation of citizens, and how much the citizens care about it themselves. Czechs also should express their view about government spending on unemployment, housing, health care, child allowances, retirement pensions, disability benefits, schools and education.

In November 2008, Czech population was asked about some instruments of family policy. First, there was a general question to what extent the government cares about families with small children. Second, people should say, which of the family policy instruments they appreciate. In fact, all instruments were supported, but most of the people agreed with flexible working time or part-time job for parents of small children, with tax cut for these people and marriage loan.

From all social conditions included in the survey people evaluate mostly positively only the accessibility of education (80 % positively, 13 % critically) and the health care (63 % : 35 %). All other monitored areas of social conditions - i.e. a chance to get a flat (24 % positively, 73 % critically), financial situation to start a family with children (24 % : 72 %), social security for the elderly (14 % : 76 %), life conditions for the handicapped (18 % : 68 %) and a chance to get a job (44 % : 53 %) - are evaluated largely critically.

In October survey CVVM SOÚ AV ČR examined how Czech citizens see the financial situation of their households. They evaluated whether it is difficult to manage with their earnings, but also talked about attitudinal feeling of poverty. 6 % of citizens indicated their household to be rich, whilst 28 % consider it to be poor. Almost two thirds of respondents (65 %) regard their household as neither rich nor poor.

In its regular survey ‘Our society’ in June 2008 the Public Opinion Research Centre focused on the reputation of 26 selected occupations. The most prestigious occupation according to the opinion of the Czech population is a medicine doctor, followed by a scholar, a university educator and a teacher on basic school. Among the most prestigious occupations we can find a nurse as well.

In June 2008 CVVM investigated, how Czech citizens evaluate material living conditions of their households and economic situation in our country, as well. Survey on this theme was also carried out in Poland, Hungary and Slovakia.

In June survey CVVM investigated opinions of Czech citizens on the level of unemployment in Czech Republic. Then respondents evaluated situation on labor-market in the place of their living and we also wanted to know their behavior in the course of finding of new job in the case of unemployment.

In April survey CVVM SOÚ AV ČR examined how Czech citizens see the financial situation of their households. They evaluated whether it is difficult to manage with their earnings, but also talked about attitudinal feeling of poverty. The survey also investigated whether it is difficult to meet some life requirements such as foodstuff, clothes and shoes, housing, water and energy, furniture, common non-food products, cultural and sport activities, health care and education.

9 % of citizens regard taxation on high-income earners as high, 20 % say it is adequate and 61 % think it is low. Taxation on average-income earners is considered to be high by 47 % of respondents, adequate by 42 % and low by 4 % of citizens. Taxation on low-income earners was supposed to be high by 72 %, adequate by 18 % and low by 3 %. 75 % of respondents think that tax rate should be higher for high-income earners than for low-income earners.

Government expenditure on social policy in general and in partial areas is evaluated as rather low than high. The exception is unemployment benefit, where number of those who consider government expenditure as low (27 %) is comparable to number of those who suppose it to be high (27 %) or who find it adequate (33 %). According to 32 % of respondents the government takes care of social situation in appropriate way while 58 % of respondents find the government's focus on social situation of citizens too low and 4 % of respondents suppose it to be exaggerated.