Germans view unification positively but feel the East has been left behind | Pew Research Center

October 9, 2019

1. Political and economic changes since the fall of communism

Germans view unification positively but feel the East has been left behind

Germans view unification positively but feel the East has been left behind

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Germans view unification positively but feel the East has been left behind

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1. Political and economic changes since the fall of communism
Young people see benefits of changes to health care system since 1989/1991
Perceptions about changing standard of living differ by income level
Large increase in people saying the standard of living has improved after 1989/1991 changes
Many say education, standard of living and national pride have improved in post-communist era, worry about effects on law and order, health care and family values
People who lived under communism more convinced ordinary people did not benefit from societal changes
Those with higher incomes more likely to say ordinary people benefited from changes since end of communism
Increased optimism that changes in 1989/1991 benefited ordinary people
Most see politicians and business people benefiting from changes since end of communism, more so than ordinary people
Germans view unification positively but feel the East has been left behind
Most Russians see great misfortune in dissolution of Soviet Union
Mixed views on whether the economic situation changed for the better after communism
People with more education favor shift to a market economy
Young people are more likely to approve of movement to a capitalist economy than older generations
In some countries, support for the transition to a multiparty system and a free-market economy has rebounded, although support in Russia has declined
Generally, Central and Eastern Europeans approve of shift to multiparty system and a free market economy
Those in West and East Germany differ on whether some changes to society and culture were good
Except in Russia, uptick in those saying economic situation is better than under communism