Images of the World in the Year 2000; Finland, 1968

Abstract copyright UK Data Service and data collection copyright owner.This inquiry into the views of the year 2000 held by the younger generation took place under the auspices of the European Coordination Centre for Research and Documentation in the Social Sciences, established at Vienna, which was founded by UNESCO and which is a division of the International Social Science Council at Paris. The technical coordination was in the hands of the International Peace Research Institute, Oslo, under the direction of Johan Galtung. The objective of the inquiry was to examine attitudes of people in the age group 15 - 40 years towards various aspects of the future, with particular reference to war, peace and disarmament. The great attractiveness of such an inquiry lies in comparing the results of countries with very different political and philosophical backgrounds. Eleven countries are covered by this study.Main Topics: Attitudinal/Behavioural Questions Respondent's future-consciousness is assessed in terms of his thinking about the future of the world and of his country, his perception of the year 2000 as the near or distant future, his talking, seeing, hearing and reading about the future. Respondent predictions: what he considers will be the main differences between life today and life in the year 2000 (particularly what he feels would be the best and worst things that could happen). Employing a 9-point scale (i.e. 'best' - 'worst' possible life) the respondent is requested to indicate where he would place himself: a) at the present time, b) five years ago, c) five years from now, d) in the year 2000. Using the same procedure he is asked to assess future trends of his country and of the world. More specifically, the respondent is asked to predict social trends in his country covering topics such as: happiness and work satisfaction, leisure, unemployment, religion, kinship and marriage, material wealth, spiritual contentment, sexual freedom, mental illness, use of narcotics and drugs, crime, social differentiation, the role of women, the role of young people, city dwelling and manual work. It is recorded whether, in most cases, the respondent's hopes coincide with his predictions. Respondent predictions of the possibilities of science in the year 2000 are ascertained. Namely, whether it will be possible: to predetermine the sex and major personality feature of one's child, to cure dangerous diseases (e.g. cancer), to predetermine the weather, to travel to other planets. The respondent is again asked to state whether his hopes coincide with his predictions. War, armament and disarmament: respondent assessments of world trends in this area are recorded. In addition, he is asked to assess the probable effects of a third world war on his native country, and to state his opinion on how such a war is most likely to break out (i.e. by accident, by extension of a limited conflict or by one big power attacking another big power). Any value, goal or ideal the respondent believes could justify a war with nuclear weapons/without nuclear weapons is noted. A list of 25 ideas on how world peace might be obtained is included and respondents are asked to state whether they agree or disagree with each statement (e.g. 'to obtain peace, hunger and poverty must be abolished all over the world', 'to obtain peace, we must have general and complete disarmament as soon as possible', etc.). Information also includes whether the respondent thinks that peace can be realised by the year 2000 and whether he believes he can contribute anything himself to the realisation of this proposal; what he believes is most likely to happen in the relations between capitalist and socialist countries, between rich and poor countries and between different races. Finally, respondent's knowledge of the membership of NATO and the Warsaw Pact is tested. Opinion is ascertained on a number of items tapping the personality of the respondent (e.g. dogmatism). Social satisfaction of the respondent is measured in regard to income, job, influence on public affairs, living in his country, whether the respondent believes he has control over his future and, if so, how he feels he should direct this future. He is also asked to comparatively evaluate certain activities and views of the younger and older generations. Background Variables Age, sex, marital status, education, occupational details, work satisfaction (ideal occupation is noted), personal monthly income quartile, satisfaction with income received, occupation of head of household (where different), total monthly income quartile of household, household composition, area of residence (i.e. density of population, geographical region - where available), whether respondent practises religion or considers himself to be a `believer', parental household composition, father's occupational details, whether mother worked outside the home, area of childhood residence (i.e. density of population, geographical region - where available), age at which respondent moved away from parental home, and finally, details of the respondent's organisational membership is given.