German Social Survey (ALLBUS), 1992 (ICPSR 34864)

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The German Social Survey monitors social trends in Germany. Major topics of the 1992 study focused on religion and world outlook, with questions on belief in God and level of religiosity. Another subject of the study was the role of marriage and the family, with an emphasis on women's responsibilities in the family in light of their professional activities. Respondents described desired characteristics for their children and specified the most important things for children to learn. The survey also collected information on respondents' political activity, including involvement in demonstrations, protests, boycotts, etc., and their views regarding citizen influence on government decisions. Respondents were asked about their participation in the last Bundestag (German parliament) elections on December 2, 1990, whom they voted for, and for whom they would vote if the elections were held on the following Sunday. Those polled expressed their views about democracy and the political system in Germany, as well as the functioning of the federal and local governments (Bundesregierung and Landesregierung). In addition to the major political themes, this study also investigated respondents' views about socialism and the need for the lustration (expurgation) of Stasi officials. Other topics of ALLBUS 1992 included AIDS, abortion, the environment, national pride, features of desired jobs, taxes, attitudes toward immigrants, and opinions about different life values (family and children, friends, job, leisure time, religion, public life, and politics). The survey also investigated the effects of German reunification. Respondents were asked whether more sacrifices were needed from former West Germans and whether more patience from former East Germans would help ease reunification strains. Respondents were asked who had benefited most from reunification so far, East Germans or West Germans. Those polled expressed their opinions about the current and future economic situation in Germany, their region, and their own household. The topic of the International Social Survey Program module in this issue, which has been included in ALLBUS since 1986, was social inequality, including income differences among various professional groups, as well as the role of government. The survey also collected information on respondents' membership in various professional and labor unions, religious groups, youth groups, etc. Demographic and other background information includes respondent's age, gender, education level, occupation, religion, nationality, marital status, left-right political self-identification, political party affiliation, personal and household income, the number of people in household, age of children in household, and region of residence.

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