Poll: 45% believe societal standards better today than before ‘89

A special poll published by the agency CVVM for the 20th anniversary of the Velvet Revolution suggests that 45% of Czechs believe that societal standards are better today than before 1989, primarily thanks to greater access to information and freedom of movement. All age groups surveyed reported similar results, though 25% of those under the age of 30 responded that they did not know. The survey also showed high faith among young people in today’s political system as compared to that of the communist regime, with only 14% responding that things were “good as they were”. Roughly a third of people aged over 30 have an ambiguous feeling about the changes since the 1980s, and almost one third of seniors aged 60 or more believe life was better before the revolution. There was vast consensus as to the significance of the Velvet Revolution, with 74% responding that the main cause was the desire for freedom over economic concerns, and almost the same number stating that the revolution is worth commemorating.