New Delhi: A new survey conducted by US think tank Pew Research Center has found that 7 in 10 people across 19 advanced economies consider voting “very important” to become a good member of society.
Apart from voting, taking steps to reduce climate change and getting a Covid-19 vaccine were also seen as “imperative” to being considered responsible citizens. The survey was conducted from February to June this year among 24,525 adults.
A majority of respondents also said participating in religious activities was not central to good citizenship. Of the 16 per cent who thought it was important, many were from Malaysia, Singapore and Poland.
As many as 73 per cent respondents, most of them from Sweden, Canada and South Korea, considered voting “very important”. In contrast, people from nations such as Poland, Belgium and Israel, which have witnessed political instability and international interference in domestic politics, thought voting was “less important” to be upstanding members of society.
The survey also found that people who supported the ruling party were more likely to see voting as a crucial element than those who did not.
People who thought their political systems allowed them an opportunity to influence politics also thought voting was important. In France, 84 per cent of participants who believed they had political efficacy considered voting very important, while 75 per cent thought their votes did not impact the government.
Also read: What does the world think of China? Pew survey says 68% in 19 nations not Beijing fans
Battling climate change
Six out of 10 respondents said taking steps to combat global climate change was important to be seen as a good member of society. It also found that women were more likely than men to act on reducing the effects of environmental damage.
In Australia, where climate change is seen as a major challenge, 74 per cent respondents were willing to act on making choices to limit environmental damage. In comparison, respondents in countries like the US (32 per cent) and Israel (24 per cent) did not consider acting on climate change as important.
In two-thirds of surveyed countries, those on the ideological Left were more likely to believe that taking steps to battle climate change was important than those on the ideological Right. This difference was the greatest in the US, with 66 per cent of liberals considering climate-related decisions very important, compared to 19 per cent conservatives.
Getting Covid-19 vaccine, being informed about current affairs
A large majority, 8 in 10 people, surveyed thought taking the vaccine against Covid-19 was important to become a good citizen of society. Respondents above 50 years were more likely than younger people to consider vaccination as a crucial element to be a good member of society, found the study.
In the US, 82 per cent of adults of 50 years and above thought vaccination was important, while 64 per cent of those between 30 and 49 years, and 47 per cent of adults under 30 supported getting vaccinated against Covid.
The survey also found that in Canada, Greece, Italy, Spain, Australia and South Korea, women were more likely than men to think a good citizen should be informed about current affairs. Three-quarters of adults in every country surveyed noted that following domestic politics was important to be a good member of society.
Participating in protests was another factor for being considered good citizens, especially in countries like Canada where adults under 30 (41 per cent) are roughly twice as likely as those who are 50 and above (22 per cent) to consider demonstrations important.
Also read: Unfavourable views of China at ‘historic high’, global attitudes to Xi worsening, says Pew report