Unemployment Rises as “Most Talked-About” Problem: Global Poll

Backgrounder: Region-by-Region Results

North America

Most talked-about global issueAs in 2010, the most talked-about global issue among Americans in 2011 is the state of the global economy. It is spontaneously mentioned by 43 per cent¹ of respondents, far more than any other problem. Climate change remains an important topic, ranking third in the list of the most talked-about problems (down from second in 2010), with 22 per cent. Issues involving war and armed conflict, and terrorism, are the other major topics of discussion in the US (24% and 19%, respectively).
Most important problem facing the world—unpromptedThe problems Americans report discussing most frequently are aligned with what they believe to be the most important problems facing the world. The economy is considered the most important world problem for almost four in ten respondents (38%)—this is an increase since 2010, when it was mentioned by 27 per cent. Economic problems also top the list of top-of-mind world problems. Americans report that terrorism/war is the second most important problem facing the world, spontaneously mentioned by 12 per cent of respondents—far behind the economy.
Most serious global problem—promptedWhen prompted to rate the seriousness of a series of 14 global problems, Americans mention the state of the global economy as the most serious global problem. Three in four (75%) say it is a very serious problem. This is the second highest rating across all 23 countries surveyed, and is similar to last year’s proportion (72%), when this was already Americans’ top concern. Extreme poverty is the second most serious problem (68% consider it to be “very serious”), followed by war and armed conflict (65%). Concern about corruption has waned a bit since last year among Americans: the issue now ranks seventh out of 14 global problems (60%, down from 68%—ranked second—in 2010).
¹The percentages reported reflect combined mentions, as respondents were allowed to give four answers to this question.

Latin America

Most talked-about global issueIn Latin America, crime/violence/security is a very hot topic of discussion across almost all the countries surveyed in the region. It tops the list of the most talked-about global issue in three of the six countries, being spontaneously mentioned by 45 per cent of Mexicans, 29 per cent of Ecuadorians—where it was already the most frequently discussed issue in 2010—and 27 per cent of Brazilians. Crime is also a frequent topic of discussion in Peru, where it was discussed by 39 per cent of respondents—the second most talked-about issue (after corruption), and in Panama, where 17 per cent of respondents cited it, ranking it third in the list, after the rising cost of food and energy (27%) and climate change (18%).
Corruption is another important topic of discussion in most Latin American countries. Besides Peru, where it tops the list (41%), it is a common theme that is ranked in the top four most frequently discussed issues in Brazil (21%, ranked second), Ecuador (13%, ranked third), Mexico (30%, ranked fourth), and Panama (15%, rank fourth).
Chile is the only country in the region where respondents do not talk much about these two issues. Chileans are more likely to talk about extreme poverty, discussed in the past month by 31 per cent of them. Issues related to the environment are frequently discussed in Chile: climate change and environmental problems are respectively the second and third most talked-about issues. Extreme poverty and climate change are also commonly discussed elsewhere in Latin America. Both issues are in the top four in most countries, except for climate change in Mexico (ranked sixth), and extreme poverty in Panama (ranked fifth).
Most important problem facing the world—unpromptedThere is a relatively good match between the issues Latin American respondents say they talk about most frequently and the ones they consider to be most important. As in 2010, crime/violence/security is considered the most important world problem in Mexico and Brazil, spontaneously mentioned by 31 and 29 per cent, respectively. It is also the main top-of-mind problem in Panama (27%), and the second most important issue in Ecuador (14%). For Peruvians, the top-of-mind world problem continues to be poverty/homelessness in 2011, mentioned by 21 per cent of respondents. In Chile, three issues are considered to be equally pressing for the world: climate change, the environment, and poverty/homelessness, each mentioned by 14 per cent.
Most serious global problem—promptedRatings of the seriousness of 14 global problems give results that are quite similar to last year’s. In Brazil, as in 2010, the problem of extreme poverty is considered to be the most serious, with an overwhelming proportion of 95 per cent of Brazilians rating it as “very serious.” Extreme poverty is also the top concern in Panama, cited as “very serious” by 79 per cent of respondents. This has also become the most important problem in 2011 in Mexico, tied with environment/pollution (both with 74% reporting it to be “very serious”). In Peru, extreme poverty ties with environment/pollution and corruption (all at 85%). Corruption continues to be rated as the most serious global problem in Ecuador (86%), while environment/pollution has remained the top concern for Chileans (83%).

Europe

Most talked-about global issueThe most frequently discussed topics vary considerably across the European countries surveyed. As in 2010, the most talked-about global issue among French respondents in 2011 is the state of the global economy. It is spontaneously mentioned by 35 per cent of them. The involvement of France in the Libyan civil war seems to have had influenced peoples’ discussions, as seen in the proportion reporting that they talked about war and armed conflict: at 28 per cent, this is the second most talked-about global issue in France.
In the UK, which was also part of the NATO intervention in Libya, war / armed conflict tops the list of most frequently discussed issues, equal to climate change (both 20%). The state of the global economy (19%), and extreme poverty (18%) are also important topics discussed in the UK.
Extreme poverty is also an important issue in Germany. It is spontaneously mentioned by 22 per cent of respondents, equal with climate change. Environmental problems (21%) and terrorism (20%) are respectively the third and fourth most talked-about global issues among Germans. In Spain, unemployment is the most prominent topic of discussion, mentioned by 54 per cent of Spaniards. The second most talked-about issue is political problems—Spain is the only country surveyed in Europe where a significant proportion report discussing this topic (40%).
At the periphery of the EU, the rising cost of food/energy, as well as terrorism, are the most talked-about global issues among Russians, each mentioned by 28 per cent. Turks are more interested in discussing corruption (34%) and unemployment (33%).
Most important problem facing the world—unpromptedEuropeans have differing views when it comes to describing the most important problems facing the world. In France and Turkey, the first top-of-mind world problem is the environment, mentioned by 20 and 16 per cent of respondents respectively. This was already the most important problem according to the French in 2010. Respondents in the UK are more sensitive to economic problems, which were already their top preoccupation last year (22%, down from 27% in 2010), while Spaniards’ concern matches their reported main topic of discussion: unemployment is spontaneously mentioned as the most important problem by 36 per cent of them (up 20 points since 2010). Russians and Germans have similar views, as the top-of-mind world problem in both countries is terrorism/war, mentioned by 41 and 22 per cent respectively. This has increased by a tremendous 29 per cent in Russia since 2010, and has remained stable in Germany when it was already reported as the most important problem, equally with the environment.
Most serious global problem-promptedWhen it comes to rating the seriousness of a series of 14 global problems, views are more diverse, at least within the EU countries. Extreme poverty is considered as the most serious problem in France (with 76% considering it “very serious”), Spain (72%, down 9 points since 2010), and the UK (71%)—as was already the case in 2010. In Germany, poverty has become the top concern in 2011, following a 7-point increase since last year (67%, up from 60% in 2010). In Turkey, terrorism continues to be rated as the most serious global problem (73%), and it has become the top preoccupation in Russians’ minds as well (77%, up 11 points since 2010).

Africa

Most talked-about global issueCorruption is a very prominent discussion among Africans in general, ranked among the top three most talked-about global issues in each of the four African countries surveyed. It tops the list in Nigeria and Egypt, mentioned spontaneously by 61 and 37 per cent respectively. It was also the most frequent topic of discussion in Nigeria in 2010. Corruption is the second most talked-about problem in Kenya (41%), and the third in Ghana (27%).
In Egypt, people’s discussions have been strongly influenced by the events of the Arab Spring. The second most talked-about problem is crime/violence/security, mentioned by 30 per cent of respondents. Political problems and internal stability/conflicts, which combine to a total of 44 per cent, also reflect the impact of the popular upheavals that have been affecting the Middle East and Maghreb regions.
Other commonly discussed topics in Africa relate to the economy and to development issues. The rising cost of food/energy is the most talked-about global issue in Kenya, mentioned by 42 per cent of respondents. Kenyans also frequently discuss extreme poverty (37%) and unemployment (29%). Unemployment has been discussed by 35 per cent of Nigerians and Ghanaians—and is the second most talked-about problem in these countries. Extreme poverty is mentioned by 27 per cent of Nigerians (the third most talked-about problem), and 19 per cent of Ghanaians (the fourth most talked-about problem). Ghana is the only country where education tops the list of the most talked-about global issues (37%), but this issue is ranked in the top five most frequently discussed issues in the three other African countries surveyed as well.
Most important problem facing the world—unpromptedWhen asked to name the issue they consider the most important problem facing the world, unemployment tops the list in three out the four African countries surveyed. It is spontaneously mentioned by 14 per cent of Egyptians, 15 per cent of Nigerians, and 27 per cent of Ghanaians. In Nigeria and Ghana, joblessness was already seen as the most important world problem in 2010. For Kenyans, the top-of-mind world problem is hunger / food problems, mentioned by 35 per cent.
Most serious global problem—promptedWhen prompted to rate the seriousness of a series of 14 global problems, corruption continues to stand out as the most serious issue in Egypt, Nigeria, and Ghana, as was the case in 2010. In Egypt, over eight in ten (82%) rate it as a very serious problem. Seventy-eight per cent of Nigerian respondents, and 64 per cent in Ghana, consider corruption to be “very serious.” Kenyans are more concerned about the rising cost of food/energy, rated as the most serious problem by 69 per cent, ahead of extreme poverty (64%) and corruption (60%).

Asia

Most talked-about global issueIn India and Indonesia, corruption has remained the most frequently discussed problem in 2011, as it was in 2010. In India, it is cited by 59 per cent of the population, and tops the list of the most talked-about global issues. In Indonesia, 54 per cent say they have discussed this problem. Indians and Indonesians are also keen on talking about education, which is the second most discussed issue in both countries (36% and 27%, respectively).
Corruption is also a frequently discussed problem in China (14%), and in the Philippines (37%), where it is the second most discussed issue in 2011. In these two countries, however, the most important topic of discussion is the rising cost of food/energy, mentioned by 24 and 39 per cent of respondents respectively. This issue ranks second in Pakistan (42%), where the most prominent topic of discussion is still terrorism (63%), as in 2010.
In Japan, respondents are more likely to talk about economic issues, as is shown by the 16 per cent who say they discussed the state of the global economy. It is noteworthy that the Japanese are the only respondents among the countries surveyed to volunteer that they talked about the Fukushima nuclear accident. It is mentioned by 12 per cent, and is the second most discussed issue in Japan.
Most important problem facing the world—unpromptedThe primary top-of-mind world problems in almost all surveyed Asian countries are economic. In Japan, Indonesia, and China, the economy is rated to be the most important world problem, mentioned by 40 per cent of Japanese, 26 per cent of Indonesians, and 25 per cent of Chinese. This was already the top concern in Indonesia in 2010, but top concerns in Japan and in China were environmental, and those have dropped second in the list of the most important problems this year—although the environment holds a very close second in China, at 24 per cent. In India, the most important problem is unemployment (14%), while in the Philippines, the top problem remains poverty/homelessness, mentioned by 25 per cent. As in 2010, Pakistanis remain concerned about terrorism, mentioned as the most important world problem by almost one in three (28%).
Most serious global problem—promptedWhen it comes to rating the seriousness of a series of 14 global problems, corruption is considered as the most serious problem in Indonesia and India (78% and 73% rate it to be “very serious”), an increase in perceived importance since 2010. Corruption remained at the top of the list in the Philippines, equal with extreme poverty and the rising cost of food/energy (89% each). In China, the top preoccupation is environment/pollution, a problem that is rated as “very serious” by 71 per cent. In Japan, concern about the state of the global economy has surged. It is now rated as a “very serious” problem by 63 per cent of Japanese—an overwhelming 25-point increase since 2010, with the issue moving up from fifth rank. In Pakistan, 58 per cent of respondents rate human rights abuses as the most serious issue, up from third rank in 2010.

Methodology

In total 11.293 citizens in Brazil, Chile, China, Ecuador, Egypt, France, Germany, Ghana, India, Indonesia, Japan, Kenya, Mexico, Nigeria, Pakistan, Panama, Peru, the Philippines, Russia, Spain, Turkey, the United Kingdom, and the United States were interviewed face-to-face, by telephone, or online between July 3, 2011 and September 16, 2011. Polling was conducted for BBC World Service by GlobeScan and its research partners in each country.
In Brazil, China, Ecuador, Egypt, Indonesia, Panama, the Philippines, and Turkey urban samples were used. The margin of error per country ranges from +/- 2.8 to 6.2 per cent, 19 times out of 20.
 

1. In Brazil the survey was conducted in Belo Horizonte, Brasilia, Curitiba, Goiânia, Porto Alegre, Recife, Rio de Janeiro, Salvador, and São Paulo, representing 18 per cent of the national population.
2. In China the survey was conducted in Beijing, Beiliu, Chengdu, Dujiangyan, Fenyang, Fuyang, Guangzhou, Hangzhou, Manzhouli, Quanzhou, Qujing, Shanghai, Shenyang, Shuangcheng, Wuhan, Xi’an, Xining, and Zhengzhou, representing 45 per cent of the national adult population.
3. In Ecuador the survey was conducted in Cuenca, Guayaquil and Quito, representing 52 per cent of the urban population.
4. In Egypt the survey was conducted in Alexandria, Cairo, Giza, and Shubra El-Kheima, representing 24 per cent of the national population.
5. In Indonesia the survey was conducted in Bandung, Jakarta, Makassar, Medan, and Surabaya, representing 27 per cent of the national adult population.
6. In Panama the survey was conducted in Panamá, Chiriquí, Colón, Coclé, Veraguas, Herrera, Bocas del Toro and Los Santos, representing 70 per cent of the adult population.
7. In the Philippines the survey was conducted in the National Capital Region, representing 27 per cent of the urban adult population.
8. In Turkey the survey was conducted in Adana, Ankara, Antalya, Bursa, Diyarbakir, Erzurum, Istanbul, Izmir, Konya, Samsun, and Zonguldak, representing 56 per cent of the national adult population.

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