Economic System Needs ‘Major Changes’: Global Poll
Backgrounder: Country-by-Country Results
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THE AMERICAS Brazil Brazilians share the global view that the current economic crisis indicates major changes are needed in the international economic system, and they are among the publics that agree major changes should occur in their own economy as well. While a majority of Brazilians believe they have been negatively affected by the downtown in the global economy, they are among the most optimistic that their situation will improve within a year.
Canada Canadians agree with the global view that major changes are needed in the international economic system, as well as believing that such changes are needed in the Canadian economy. Canadians are one of seven countries with a majority saying they have not been negatively affected by the downturn in the global economy, and unlike most other countries polled, only half of Canadians say they have been negatively affected by rising food costs. Very few say they have felt negative effects from a shortage of available financial credit.
Chile Chileans broadly agree that the current economic crisis warrants major changes in both the international economic system and their own economy. A majority of Chileans also believe they have been negatively affected both by the economic downturn and the rising cost of food, however, a modest number believe their economic situation will improve within the next year.
Central America Central Americans widely believe that major changes in the international and local economic systems are needed to deal with the current economic crisis, and the majority has felt negatively affected by the global downturn. However, people living in Central America are more optimistic about how long it will take their economic situations to improve than most other countries polled, with a significant number believing their situation will improve within six months.
Mexico Mexicans express relatively modest agreement that major changes are necessary in the international economic system in comparison to other publics polled. They are one of just a few countries where even more of the public say the current crisis indicates changes are needed in their own economic system. Mexicans who have been negatively affected by the crisis are the most pessimistic out of all publics that their situation will improve in the near future. Since mid-2008, Mexico has seen the most dramatic increase out of all countries polled in those who feel they have been negatively affected by the shortage of financial credit for mortgages and other loans.
United States Americans agree with the largely held global view that major changes are needed in the international economic situation, but an even greater number believe major changes are also needed in their own country’s economy. Majorities say they have been negatively affected by rising food prices and the global economic downturn, but those Americans negatively affected are split on whether their situation will improve in the immediate future or whether improvements will only occur in the longer term.
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EUROPE France The French have among the largest majorities out of all countries polled agreeing that the current economic crisis indicates major changes are needed in the international economic system. And nearly as many believe major changes should occur in their own economy as well. Although relatively small numbers in France say they have been negatively affected by the global economic downturn and the shortage of financial credit and loans, those who have been affected are more pessimistic that their situation will improve in the immediate future.
Germany Germans agree with the global consensus that major changes in the international and national economic systems are needed to deal with the current economic crisis. The majority of Germans say they have not personally felt negative effects from the global economic downturn or the shortage of available financial credit. Yet, those who have felt the negative effects are more pessimistic that their situation will improve in the near future than those in other countries polled.
Italy Italians share the global view that major changes are needed in the international economic system due to the current economic crisis, as well as the view that changes are also needed in their own country’s economy. Those Italians who have been negatively affected by recent economic developments are somewhat less confident than those in most other countries that their situation will improve in the near future, with most saying it will take two years or longer.
Portugal Portugal has the largest majority out of all countries polled that feel the current economic crisis points to the need for major changes in the international economic system, and the second-largest majority that see a need for major changes in their own country’s economy.
Russia Compared to the other publics polled, Russians offer only modest support for the view that the financial crisis indicates the need for major changes in both the international economic system and its own national economy. Relatively few Russians also say they have experienced negative effects from recent economic developments. Rising food prices are an exception to this pattern for Russians, where they are largely in line with the rest of the world in feeling negative effects.
Spain Spaniards are among the publics that most widely agree the current crisis indicates the need for major changes in the international economic system and in their own country’s economy. Among European publics polled, Spain has one of the largest numbers saying that the shortage of financial credit for loans has negatively affected them, although a majority of Spaniards still believe they have not experienced negative effects from this development.
United Kingdom Britons widely agree with the global consensus that the current economic crisis points to the need for major changes in the international economic system and a similar percentage of Britons support major changes in their country’s economy to address the crisis. Although a majority say they have been negatively affected by the global economic downturn and rising food prices, the United Kingdom is one of two countries with the largest majority saying that the shortage of financial credit has not negatively affected them or their families.
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THE MIDDLE EAST Egypt Egyptians broadly agree with most other countries polled that the current economic crisis indicates major changes are needed in the international economic system, and they are among the publics that widely agree major changes should occur in their own economy as well. Egyptians have the largest majority saying they have been negatively affected by rising food prices and the shortage of financial credit for mortgages and loans out of all publics polled.
Turkey Large majorities of Turks agree with the global consensus that the current economic crisis indicates the international economic system needs major changes and also that their own country’s economy is in need of such changes. Turkey has seen the most significant improvement in those saying that the shortage of financial credit for mortgages and other loans has negatively affected them or their families, although a growing number report that they have been negatively affected by rising food costs.
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AFRICA Ghana Ghanaians widely support the idea that the current economic crisis indicates major changes are needed in the international economic system and they are among the publics that agree major changes should occur in their own economy as well. Although the majority of respondents feel personally affected by the economic downturn, they are among the most optimistic out of all countries polled that their economic situation will improve in the immediate future.
Kenya Kenyans widely agree with the global consensus that major changes are needed in the international economic system, and they are one of the few countries where an even larger majority see a need for major changes in their own economy. Kenya has the largest majority that feel they have been negatively affected by the downturn in the global economy.
Nigeria Nigeria expresses modest agreement with the global consensus that the current economic crisis points to the need for major changes in the international economic system; however, their demand for changes on the national level is similar to most other publics polled. A large majority of Nigerians have felt negatively affected by recent economic developments, but they are among the most optimistic that their situation will improve in the near future compared to other countries polled.
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ASIA-PACIFIC Australia Australians broadly agree with the global consensus that major changes are needed in the international economic system, however, they less widely demand major changes within their own economy than most other countries polled. Australians also perceive less negative effects on their own families from the shortage of financial credit and the downturn in the global economy than publics in most other countries polled, although they feel just as negatively affected by rising food prices.
China The Chinese agree with the global consensus that the economic crisis points to the need for major changes in the international economic system, as well as in their own economy. Although relatively fewer people in China say they have experienced negative effects from recent economic developments in comparison to other countries polled, growing numbers say they have been negatively affected compared to mid-2008. The Chinese who have been negatively affected, are also among the most optimistic that their situation will improve in the immediate future.
India A plurality of Indians agree on the need for major changes in the international economic system. Indians also show modest support for major changes in their own economy. Indians who believe that they have been negatively affected by the recent economic developments are somewhat confident that their situation will improve in the near future, with half saying that it will take a year or less.
Indonesia Indonesians widely believe that major changes are necessary in the international economic system, yet they are one of only a few countries with an even larger majority believing that the current crisis indicates the need for major changes in their own economy. Indonesians who say they have been negatively affected by the economic developments are the most optimistic out of those in any country polled that their situation will improve in the immediate future.
Japan The Japanese are the only public divided on whether the current economic crisis shows a need for major changes or minor changes in the international economic system and they are the only public out of all countries polled that has a majority saying only minor changes are needed in their own economy. Those who have been negatively affected by the global economic downturn are also the most pessimistic that their situation will improve in the near future, with most saying it will take two years or longer.
The Philippines The Philippines has the second largest majority that agrees that major changes to the international economic system are needed as a result of the worldwide financial crisis and they have the largest majority that say the crisis indicates the need for major changes in the Filipino economy. While a relatively large number of Filipinos, relative to other countries, say they have been affected by recent economic developments, a large majority of these remain optimistic that their situation will improve in near future.
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