Anderson/Romani: Appendix 1

Appendix Table 1. Views of Social Issues in Estonia in 1996

Estonian men with higher education in Tallinn
Improvements in the past ten years:
Motivation (incentives) to do things (E)
Able to purchase things with money, availability of goods, opportunity to improve living conditions, hard currency (E)
Improvement in the economic situation (E)
Freedom to act in the economy (E)
Expanded opportunities for education, including in other countries (E,F)
Increased ability to work according to education (E)<
Improved communication with the outside world (P)
Lessened international tensions (M)
More opportunities for family travel (vacations, visiting) (F)

Comment: The improvements are seen as due to Estonian independence, the market economy, and competition

Things that were seen as worsening:
Rising level of poverty and unemployment (E)
Political situation (M)
Absence of ideas and action (F)
Concentration of economic activity around Tallinn, regional disparity (some think there was this regional disparity before, but it was not as apparent) (E)
Increasing social stratification (E)
Some lack of social security, some stress in human relations related to this (E,P)
Uncertainty related to bigger risks, including bigger political risks, including global politics (M)
Fear of losing your job (E)
Increased job competition (E)
Lack of time, affects family relations, but some think that lack of time is not a bad thing (F)
Corruption of government officials (M)
Decrease in Estonian population (M)
Job discrimination against women (P)
Crime in Tallinn (M)

Comment: It was noted that the economic situation and the chance to take advantage of economic opportunities is worse in small towns
It was noted that the possibilities are less for people without residence permits or who do not have Estonian citizenship.
It is difficult for old people
Travel restrictions are more difficult for Russians
Commented on language problem for Russians
Much of the cause for economic problems of people was seen as lack of incentive (people's own problem)

Note: Overall the economic situation seemed more a benefit than a problem. The overall concern was with economic issues

Estonian women with higher education in Tallinn
Things were targeted by this group as having improved in the past ten years:
Availability and selection of goods (E)
Rise in the standard of living (E)
Openness toward outside world (M)
Possibility of travel (P)
People are more enterprising and independent (F)
Possibility to decide freely by yourself (P)
Housing problems now solvable (E)
Work is more interesting, involving computers and such (E)
More access to information, including teachers being able to talk honestly with parents (F)
Things that were seen as worsening:
Young people have a harder time finding work after finishing school (E)
Problems for pensioners (E)
Increasing risk, lack of social security (E)
Increasing stratification, but there was disagreement as to whether it is justified (E)
Tension related to privatization and restitution (E, P)
Need to raise educational level of population, including adult education, but concern with cost, whether paid for by the state or by individual (E)
Some thought there was too little free time, but others disagreed (F?)
Inflation (E)
Need to pay for lessons for children that were free before (E)
Relationships between people have become more complicated, less friendliness, but some disagreed (F)

Comment: It was noted that much of economic problems is seen as due to people not being enterprising enough, or not being responsible enough, as a worker
Economic problems in agriculture, leading to increased alcohol consumption, especially by men
Some thought that the problems affect men more than women, especially economic problems, while family problems affect women more, but some thought there were not large differences between men and women
Some thought that the problems affected Russians more, especially due to language, but others thought it mainly depended on education, and others thought that it depended on motivation

Note: Overall, people seemed to think things were better especially in the economic area. In the area of family and personal relations, some thought things were more difficult, but there were some who disagreed at virtually every point.

Russian men with higher education in Tallinn
Things were targeted by this group as having improved in the past ten years:
Payoff and opportunity for individual initiative, although some thought there were substantial opportunities for this in the Soviet period (E)
Goods are now freely available in stores (E)
Increase in information (P)
Freedom of self-expression for all ethnic groups (P)

Things seen as worsening:
Lack of social maintenance, predatory privatization (E)
Deterioration, threat to social, political, and cultural rights of Russians (P)
Job discrimination against Russians (P)
Greater inequality in society generally (E)
Economic uncertainty about the future (E)
Spoiled relations, especially economic relations, with Russia (M)
Stress (F(?))
New forms of criminality, although crime overall was seen by some as decreasing (M)
Deterioration in moral values (F)

Note: Overall economic changes are seen as having good and bad aspects, somewhat more bad than good. Another area of strong concern is personal (P), especially in terms of discrimination against Russians

Comment: The role of the Pope in the demise of state socialism and his direction of Poles to vote for Lech Walesa was mentioned.
It was commented that women have a harder time than men.
Comment on difficult situation of retired people

Russian women with higher education in Tallinn
Things targeted as better were:
Disappearance of fear of the return of totalitarianism, individual freedom, although some said they were never in fear (P)
Opportunity for economic improvement (E)

Some thought that nothing was better

Things seen as worsening were:
The moral climate for children (F)
Financial barriers to obtaining education for children (E)
Worsening economic situation (E)
Job discrimination against Russians (P)
Uncertainty about the future (E)
Lack of social guarantees, destructive individualization (E)
Worsening human relations (F)
Increased social stratification (E)
Inflation (E)

Note: Overall, this group thought that things had gotten worse in economics, in personal situation (discrimination), and in family, such as moral climate for children

Estonian men without higher education in Tartu
Things targeted as better were:
You can function with only Estonian language now (without Russian), Estonian as official language (P)
Freedom of speech and of access to information (P)
Education is appreciated more
Freedom to travel (P)
Availability of high quality goods, and of goods generally (E)

Things seen as worsening include:
Lack of money as an impediment to travel (E)
Inflation (E)
Crime (M)
Corruption (M)
Problems of young people and people over 40 finding work (E)
Alcohol consumption, leading to crime, partly due to unemployment (?)
Human relations have become confused due to privatization and land reform (F)
Separation of state officials from common people (M)
Social stratification, but some think it is inevitable and not a problem(E)
Lack of social security (E)
Cost of medical care (E)
Lack of new traditions to replace old traditions (F)
Income decline (E)
Unemployment (E)
Regional differentiation, Tallinn more privileged than Tartu (E)
Pollution of local river (M)

Note: Overall, Personal aspects, such as prominence of Estonian language and personal freedom seen as very good. Economic situation is seen as having positive and negative aspects. Overall seems a balance between good and bad, with perhaps more good. Note that these tend to be skilled workers, but it included one unemployed person. He did not seem especially upset.

Russians seen as having language problems. Problems of Russians seen as from not knowing Estonian language. Those Russians without Estonian citizenship can travel to Russia but not to the West.
They seem to think that taking advantage of economic opportunities depends on education but also on character.
Women are thought to be more concerned with problems related to the family

Estonian women without higher education in Tartu
Things targeted as better were:
Freedom of choice (P)
Everything is possible (E)
Availability of goods (E)
Freedom of speech (P)
Freedom to travel (P)
Better foreign relations (M)
Better relations between people (F)
Democratic society (M)

Things seen as worse include:
Financial problems (E)
Increased social stratification, but some think it is justified (E)
Unemployment, especially for women over 40 and for low educated people, and for people in rural areas (E, P)
Need for adult education (E)
Cost of travel, this is seen as limiting the opportunities for travel more than they are expanded (E)
Cost of medical care (E)
Worse relations between people due to importance of money (F)
Embarrassment of people due to freedom of speech (F)
Alcohol is seen as a problem for successful businessmen and also the unemployed. Some see this as a problem mainly for men and some see it as a problem for both men and women. Also drugs and gambling. (E, F)
Crime, but some see this as improving (M)
Need to be better laws (M)
Parents not spending enough time with their children, due to need to make money (F)

Note: The personal freedom issues seem quite important to these people. Overall, the financial situation is seen as having gotten worse. They seem more concerned about the economic situation than the Tartu men but not extremely concerned.

Some think those with economic problems don't work hard enough or have the right attitude
Unemployment among Russians is seen as due to lack of Estonian language knowledge
Unskilled workers are seen as especially hard hit by the economic situation. Also, there is acknowledgment that some people cannot work.
Generally economic problems greater in rural areas

Estonian men without higher education in Tamsalu
Things targeted as better were:
Estonia being its own country (M)
Estonia having its own currency (E)
Freedom to move, possibility to move and to travel (some note the restrictions due to increased cost of travel) (P)
Easier to travel West now, more difficult to travel East
Before whether you could travel was a political question, now it is a financial question
More opportunities to use your knowledge, such as at work, but also more opportunities to fail, overall more freedom of choice (E)
Improvement in material conditions (E)
Freedom of communication with other countries (P)

Some said that nothing had gotten better

Things seen as worse:
Things have become more expensive, higher cost of living (E)
Decline in standard of living (E)
Lack of time, faster tempo of life, lack of free time (?)
Lack of freedom to travel around, due to higher costs (E)
Increasing stress of everyday life (P)
Inflation (E)
Lack of social safety net, but social security may be improving some recently (E)
Social differentiation between town and country, better in Tallinn (E)
Lack of opportunities for young people after finishing school (E)
Increased social stratification (some people thought this was good) (E)
Unemployment (E)
Alcoholism, due to unemployment (E)
Crime (but not locally) (M)

Note: Overall the economic situation is seen as having gotten much worse. The overall view is more negative than of men in Tartu. There is pride in Estonia being it's own country, but this does not seem to compensate very much for the economic problems.

Noted that the currency change may not be good for old people, who are used to rubles, also old people's living conditions have worsened.
Some think that retired people are relatively well off and exaggerate their problems
Also people with poor health are worse off.
Job problems are seen as more serious for women, getting and new job more difficult, fired more easily and lower wages
Problems of non-Estonians are seen to stem from not knowing Estonian language
Note that women get lower wages and are fired first

Estonian women without higher education in Tamsalu
Things targeted as better were:
More honest education for children (P)
More autonomy in work (P,E)
Life more interesting (P)
Availability of goods (E)
Improvement in standard of living (E)
Improvement in water system of village (E,M)
Better possibilities to travel (P)
Better information in media (P)

Things seen as worse:
Increase in the cost of living, inflation (E)
Cost of lessons for children (E)
Increased social stratification, but some thought it was inevitable, and some thought it had always existed but was not talked about (E)
Unemployment (E)
Regional differentiation, better situation in cities (E)

Note: Economic problems are viewed as serious, but the overall standard of living is seen as improving, partially through infrastructural improvements in the town. There seemed to be substantial value placed on personal aspects such as more freedom and work becoming more interesting. Unemployment was seen as the main economic problem. They seem to have a more positive view than men in the same town.

Cost of living seen to affect mainly those living in small places, some young people, and some retired, but there were divergent opinions about the young and the retired
Unemployment is seen as affecting women more than men, and women are paid less than men

Russian men without higher education in Narva
Things seen as improving:
Rising standard of living, some disagreement (E)
Feeling of freedom (some disagreement with this), possibility for self-expression (P)
Improvement in quality of education and possibility of (foreign) education (E)
Absence of shortages and lines for shops (E)

Things seen as worsening:
Feeling of uncertainty and lack of social and legal protection (E, P)
Lack of social security (E)
Crime (M)
Breaking of family ties with relatives living outside of Estonia, especially in Russia (F)
Growth of poverty, growth of social stratification (E)
Inflation (E)
Legislation and worsening of the relationship of government toward the population (M)
Social and political divisions between citizens and non-citizens (P)
Corruption (M)
Need for more and better Estonian language instruction for Russians (P)
Problems with Russian border guards (M)

Note: This group seem concerned with the negative and positive aspects of economic change and increased stratification. They seemed to come out somewhat on the positive side of economic change, including seeing overall improvements in education, despite complaints about teaching of Estonian language in Russian schools. They are concerned about the position of Russians and see negative consequences for family relations of this. They do not see it simply as a question of Russians learning Estonian language, although they see knowledge of Estonian language as important.

They comment that women have a harder time than men
Estonians have more security than Russians, partly or mainly due to having a blue passport, partly signifying command of Estonian language
They see the life situation and wages of Russians in Tallinn as much better than that of Russians in Narva.

Russian women without higher education in Narva
Things targeted as better were:
The wide availability of goods to buy, no shortages (E)
The possibility to realize one's abilities, for self and for children (P, F)
Better possibilities for children (F)
Freedom of speech (but some noted that if you express your opinion and your employer does not like your opinion, you may be fired) (P)
Possibility to obtain information (P)
Boys are not in danger when they go for their military service (some disagreement about this) (M, F)

Things seen as worsening:
Material problems, in general and in costs for camps and other activities and opportunities for children (E)
Growth in unemployment, including for young people (E)
Age discrimination against unemployed older people (in 40s) (P)
Falling of living standards (E)
Increased inequality in society (E)
Parents spending less time with their children (F)
Citizenship problems for Russians (P)
Difficulty of older Russians learning Estonian language (P)
Unavailability or poor quality of Estonian language teaching in (some) Russian schools (P)
Ideals from childhood have vanished, values have changed, new values have not replaced the old values, necessity to be pushy to get ahead (F)
Lack of social safety net (E)
Isolation because of the new borders, difficulties of getting a visa to go to Russia, high cost of tickets to cultural events (F)
Uncertainty about the future (E)

Note: They seem to see the world similarly to the men from Narva, with somewhat more concern about worse moral values of the young. They also see both sides of the economic situation, but seem to come out somewhat on the positive side. They seem to see the worst economic problem as unemployment.

Russian men without higher education in Sillimae
Things seen as improving:
Possibility to spend money on what you want (availability of goods) (E)
People thinking about their destiny (P)
Opportunity for more information (P)
Relations with leadership more informal, but some disagree (F)
Freedom to express yourself (F)
Opportunity to travel to the West (P)

Things seen as worsening:
Crime, although some think it is decreasing (M)
Lower standard of living (E)
Increased stratification (E)
Low purchasing power (E)
Danger from crime if you are well-off (?)
Corruption (M)
Decline in social security (E)
Low pay and unemployment , but some think the unemployed are lazy(E)
More difficult to travel to Russia (M)
Estonian government does not care about the Russians (M, P)
Environment (M)

Note: There was concern with the economy, and the main problem seemed to be low pay rather than unemployment. There was satisfaction with new freedoms, and there seemed less salience of discrimination against Russians than among the focus groups in Narva. There was concern with the environment, but a sense of frustration as to what to do about it. There also was concern about crime. Overall, the pattern of concerns seemed more similar to those in 1991 than among other focus groups.

Some thought that the issue for Russians was citizenship, while others thought it was Estonian language. There was mentioned that there are free Estonian language classes for the unemployed.

Russian women without higher education in Sillimae
Things seen as improving:
Availability of goods in shops (E)
Opportunity to get housing (E)
Travel to foreign countries (West) (P)
Better social services for the unemployed (E)
More information (F)
Better attitude of children toward studying languages, more encouragement from parents (F)
More choice in the medical system (E)

Things seen as worsening:
Unemployment (E)
Worry about (economic) future of children (E)
Fear of losing your job (E)
Cost of schooling (E)
Alcohol among men from economic situation (E)
Worse supplies at work (E)
Problems communicating with relatives in Russia (F)
Drug addiction among teenagers, related to lower prices for drugs and due to economic despair (F,E)
Declining moral values of young people (F)
Lack of social organizations for young people and children (F)
Crime (M)
Environment, but is not seen as so bad by some people (M)

Note: The economic situation is seen as much more bad than good, but there are seen to be substantial social improvements in freedom and in some social interactions. Knowledge of Estonian language is seen as very important for young people. Language knowledge is seen as more important than citizenship for jobs.

The situation in Estonia is seen as better for ethnic Estonians.
Pensioners are seen as having very little money, retirement age is 45.