A two-thirds majority of citizens (67 %) believe that tensions between Czechs and foreigners are very or relatively high. This proportion is significantly higher than in previous years. A three-fifths majority perceive strong conflicts between company management and employees (62 %) and between rich and poor (61 %). Slightly over half of the population (55 %) believes that there are strong conflicts between people of different political opinions. People less frequently perceive conflicts between the young and old (38 %) and, even less so, between urban and rural areas (27 %). The findings for these two groups remain unchanged, (with the exception of tensions between Czechs and foreigners, mentioned above).
The survey cited here was conducted by the STEM non-profit institute (www.stem.cz) on a representative sample of the Czech population aged 18 and over from 16 to 23 March 2016. Respondents were selected using a quota sampling method, with some 1,050 people taking part in the survey.
The existence of conflicts and tensions between social groups is inherent in society and is a prerequisite for its development. In certain periods and situations such tensions can escalate and lead to conflict. When such a situation arises, the catalyst can be economic or political change in society, but it can also be some development on a wider, European scale. Therefore, given the impact of the current refugee crisis on Czech society, among other factors, now is an interesting time to focus our attention in this survey on how Czech citizens perceive the existence of conflicts between social groups in this country.
Source: STEM, Trends 3/2016, 1050 respondents aged 18 +
A two-thirds majority of citizens believe that there are strong conflicts between Czechs and foreigners in this country. This proportion points to a significant change in public opinion – in previous years the Czech population was divided into two equal camps, with half of the population believing that there were strong or relatively strong conflicts between Czechs and foreigners and the other half believing, by contrast, that such conflicts were not very strong or that there was little conflict. We can therefore see how the situation in Europe in connection with the refugee crisis and the terrorist attacks on European cities also influences public opinion in our country. The impact of these two factors is evident not only in public perceptions of conflicts between Czechs and foreigners, but also in a lower acceptance of foreign ethnicities in our society.
A three-fifths majority of citizens also perceive conflict in the socio-economic and socio- professional spheres – on one hand, among company management and employees, on the other, between rich and poor. Slightly over half of the population perceives strong conflicts between people of different political opinions (55 %). Citizens believe somewhat less frequently that there are strong conflicts between the young and old (38 %) and – of the options given – they least frequently perceive conflict between urban and rural areas (27 %).
Apart from the above-mentioned change in attitudes regarding tension between Czechs and foreigners, there have been no substantial changes in the level of conflict between the different groups since our last survey conducted three years ago. A comparison with the data from previous years merely points to a trend which has seen a slight decrease in the proportion of people who consider there to be strong conflicts between the rich and poor.
Source: STEM, Trends 5/2011, 4/2012, 4/2013, 3/2016
Note: The 2011 survey did not include the public’s views on conflict between Czechs and foreigners.
Younger people, the less-educated and left-wing citizens are slightly more often inclined to believe that there are strong conflicts between Czechs and foreigners. That said, the proportion of those who described the level of conflict as strong has increased to a similar extent across all socio-demographic groups in society.
Source: STEM, Trends 3/2016, 1050 respondents aged 18 +
*Secondary School Leaving Certificate, equiv. A Levels in the UK,
High School Diploma in the US
Perceptions of conflict between social groups are relatively universal, and therefore there is no fundamental difference in how it is perceived by members of the various social groups in society. The survey found, however, that there are certain differences in the extent to which such conflicts are perceived depending on the socio-demographic, socio-economic and socio-professional characteristics of the respondents. The more negative the subjective assessment of their household financial situation provided by respondents, the more likely they were to perceive conflicts between rich and poor. This by no means implies that the majority of people who are financially well off does not perceive strong conflicts between the rich and poor – this opinion is also most widely held among this group.
Source: STEM, Trends 3/2016, 1050 respondents aged 18 +
The unemployed, a group which is generally categorically critical of developments in society, most often perceive conflicts between management and employees to be strong. The survey found that white-collar workers also more frequently believe there to be conflicts between management and employees. By contrast, experts and those in management positions less frequently perceive conflict between management and employees, but nonetheless, over half of this group perceive strong conflicts between the two groups.
Source: STEM, Trends 3/2016, 1050 respondents aged 18 +
(Note: The answers provided by the economically inactive are not included in the graph. Given their low representation in the survey, figures for the unemployed and those in management positions are only approximate).
People who are 60 years and over perceive conflicts between old and young people somewhat more often than younger citizens – almost half of this group regard them as strong. Younger age groups are considerably less likely to perceive such conflict.
Source: STEM, Trends 3/2016, 1050 respondents aged 18 +
Political affiliation itself does not have any significant impact on how respondents perceive conflict between people of different political opinions.
Residents of the smallest towns and villages more often believe that there are strong conflicts between urban and rural areas, while residents of towns with a population of 5,000 to 20,000 inhabitants are less likely to perceive conflicts.
Source: STEM, Trends 3/2016, 1050 respondents aged 18 +