Scientific Journal "Sociology: Theory, Methods, Marketing"
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Determinants of citizens' attitude to the Ukrainian government: a sociological analysis
stmm. 2020 (4): 133-146
DOI https://doi.org/10.15407/sociology2020.04.133
OLEKSANDR RAKHMANOV,
Doctor of Sciences in Sociology, Docent, Leading Research Fellow at the Department of Social and Political Processes, Institute of Sociology, National Academy of Sciences of Ukraine (12, Shovkovychna St., Kyiv, 01021)
kneu_1906@ukr.net
https://orcid.org/0000-0001-8884-5515
The article considers the perception of citizens of the government of Ukraine depending on the institutional forms of its formation. Citizens 'attitudes toward government are individuals' reactions to government policies and the activities of its leaders. The formation of these reactions occurs by comparing one's own expectations about the government's activities with the perception of the results of these activities. The dynamics of the influence of socio-economic, value-ideological and structural factors on the assessment of government activities was analyzed on the basis of empirical data from the five waves of the European Social Research (ESS) and the 2020 monitoring study of the Institute of Sociology of the National Academy of Sciences of Ukraine. the dynamics of the influence of socio-economic, value-ideological and structural factors on the assessment of power was analyzed. It was found that in the case of forming the government through a coalition of political forces in the parliament, citizens' perception of government activities is largely determined by their ideological beliefs. In particular, in relation to both governments of Yulia Tymoshenko, more satisfaction was observed among people who position themselves on the right ideological flank. On the other hand, in relation to the government of Viktor Yanukovych, more satisfaction was observed among people positioning themselves on the ideological left flank. In contrast to this, when the government is formed on the initiative of the presidential administration, government policy is perceived by the population through the prism of their structural and socio-economic interests. Satisfaction with the activities of the second Mykola Azarov’s Government and the Denys Shmyhal’s Government was mostly conditioned by an income and financial situation of the respondens. The results of the study generally supported the assumption that the turnover of government and the institutional form of government is reflected in the attitude of citizens to the activities of governments.
Keywords: assessment of citizens of government activities, institutional forms of government formation, Ukraine
References
Citrin, J., Muste, C. (1999). Trust in government. In Measures of social psychological attitudes: Vol. 2. Measures of political attitudes (pp. 465–532). San Diego, CA: Academic Press.
Golovakha, E., Gorbachyk, A. (2014). Trends in Social Changes in Ukraine and Europe: Outcomes of European Social Survey 2005–2007–2009–2011–2013. [In Ukrainian]. Kyiv: Institute of Sociology of NAS of Ukraine. [= Головаха, Горбачик 2014]
Gorbachyk, A.P., Salnikova, S.A. (2008). Analysis of sociological research data by means of SPSS. Tutorial. [In Ukrainian]. Lutsk: Vezha. [= Горбачик, Сальнікова, 2008]
Jacoby, W.G. (1994). Public Attitudes toward Government Spending. American Journal of Political Science, 38 (2), 336–361. https://doi.org/10.2307/2111407
Lipset, S.M., Rokkan, S. (1985). Cleavage Structures, Party Systems, and Voter Alignments. In S.M. Lipset (ed.), Consensus and Conflict: Essays in Political Sociology (pp. 113–185). New Brunswick: Transaction Publishers. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-531-90400-9_68
Martyniuk, I. (2004). The Crisis of Trust to the Authorities as a Permanent State of Public Consciousness. [In Ukrainian]. In V.Vorona, M.Shulga (Eds.), Ukrainian Society 1992–2010. Monitoring of social changes (pp. 254–262). Kyiv: Institute of Sociology of the NAS of Ukraine. [= Мартинюк 2004]
Reznik, O. (2012). Government reforms in the mass consciousness of Ukrainian citizens. [In Ukrainian]. Sociology: theory, methods, marketing, 2, 151–163. [= Резнік 2012]
Reznik, O.S., Kozlovskiy, O.R. (2020). Methodological aspects of research on the determinants of citizens’ attitudes towards state power. [In Ukrainian]. Ukrainian socìum, 2 (73), 46–58. https://doi.org/10.15407/socium2020.02.046 [= Резнік, Козловський 2020]
Sociological Group «Rating» (2019). Socio-political sentiments of the population. December 2019. [In Ukrainian]. Retrieved from: http://ratinggroup.ua/files/ratinggroup/reg_files/... [= Соціологічна група «Рейтинг» 2019]
The Democratic Initiatives Foundation (2001). Public opinion about the Viktor Yushchenko's government (according to a March 2001 poll). [In Ukrainian]. Retrieved from: https://dif.org.ua/article/gromadska-dumka-pro-ury... [= Фонд «Демократичні ініціативи» 2001]
The KIIS (2015). Socio-political situation in Ukraine: July 2015. Retrieved from :http://www.kiis.com.ua/?lang=ukr&cat=reports&id=540&page=1. [= КМІС 2015]
The KIIS (2019). Attitudes of Ukrainians towards politicians, assessment of government activities and current events. [In Ukrainian]. Retrieved from: https://www.kiis.com.ua/?lang=ukr&cat=reports&id=8... [= КМІС 2019]
The KIIS (2020). Assessment of the authorities and reaction to current events: February 2020. [In Ukrainian]. Retrieved from: https://www.kiis.com.ua/?lang=ukr&cat=reports&id=9... [= КМІС 2020]
The Razumkov Centre (2020). Citizens’ assessment of the situation in the country, a level of trust in the executive and law enforcement agencies, the assessment of the Government’s activities (February 2020, sociology). [In Ukrainian]. Retrieved from: http://razumkov.org.ua/napriamky/sotsiologichni-do... [= Центр Разумкова 2020]
TNS Ukraine (2016). V. Groysman as Prime Minister: the first assessments of the new government from Ukrainians. [In Ukrainian]. Retrieved from: https://tns-ua.com/news/v-groysman-na-posadi-prem-... [= TNS Україна 2016]
Van Ryzin, G.G. (2007). Pieces of a puzzle: Linking government performance, citizen satisfaction, and trust. Public Performance & Management Review, 30 (4), 521–535. https://doi.org/10.2753/pmr1530-9576300403
Vyshniak, O. (2010). Trust in Political Institutions: Concepts, Indicators and Trends in Change. [In Ukrainian]. In: V. Vorona, M. Shulga (Eds.), Ukrainian Society 1992–2010. Sociological monitoring (pp. 24–39). Kyiv: Institute of Sociology of the NAS of Ukraine. [= Вишняк 2010]
Weatherford, M.S. (1987). How Does Government Performance Influence Political Support? Political Behavior, 9 (1), 5–28. https://doi.org/10.1007/bf00987276
Weber, P., Steinmetz, H., Kabst, R. (2017). Trust in Politicians and Satisfaction with Government — A Reciprocal Causation Approach for European Countries. Journal of Civil Society, 13 (4), 392–405. https://doi.org/10.1080/17448689.2017.1385160
Received 26.10.2020
Determinants of citizens' attitude to the Ukrainian government: a sociological analysis
stmm. 2020 (4): 133-146
DOI https://doi.org/10.15407/sociology2020.04.133
OLEKSANDR RAKHMANOV,
Doctor of Sciences in Sociology, Docent, Leading Research Fellow at the Department of Social and Political Processes, Institute of Sociology, National Academy of Sciences of Ukraine (12, Shovkovychna St., Kyiv, 01021)
kneu_1906@ukr.net
https://orcid.org/0000-0001-8884-5515
The article considers the perception of citizens of the government of Ukraine depending on the institutional forms of its formation. Citizens 'attitudes toward government are individuals' reactions to government policies and the activities of its leaders. The formation of these reactions occurs by comparing one's own expectations about the government's activities with the perception of the results of these activities. The dynamics of the influence of socio-economic, value-ideological and structural factors on the assessment of government activities was analyzed on the basis of empirical data from the five waves of the European Social Research (ESS) and the 2020 monitoring study of the Institute of Sociology of the National Academy of Sciences of Ukraine. the dynamics of the influence of socio-economic, value-ideological and structural factors on the assessment of power was analyzed. It was found that in the case of forming the government through a coalition of political forces in the parliament, citizens' perception of government activities is largely determined by their ideological beliefs. In particular, in relation to both governments of Yulia Tymoshenko, more satisfaction was observed among people who position themselves on the right ideological flank. On the other hand, in relation to the government of Viktor Yanukovych, more satisfaction was observed among people positioning themselves on the ideological left flank. In contrast to this, when the government is formed on the initiative of the presidential administration, government policy is perceived by the population through the prism of their structural and socio-economic interests. Satisfaction with the activities of the second Mykola Azarov’s Government and the Denys Shmyhal’s Government was mostly conditioned by an income and financial situation of the respondens. The results of the study generally supported the assumption that the turnover of government and the institutional form of government is reflected in the attitude of citizens to the activities of governments.
Keywords: assessment of citizens of government activities, institutional forms of government formation, Ukraine
References
Citrin, J., Muste, C. (1999). Trust in government. In Measures of social psychological attitudes: Vol. 2. Measures of political attitudes (pp. 465–532). San Diego, CA: Academic Press.
Golovakha, E., Gorbachyk, A. (2014). Trends in Social Changes in Ukraine and Europe: Outcomes of European Social Survey 2005–2007–2009–2011–2013. [In Ukrainian]. Kyiv: Institute of Sociology of NAS of Ukraine. [= Головаха, Горбачик 2014]
Gorbachyk, A.P., Salnikova, S.A. (2008). Analysis of sociological research data by means of SPSS. Tutorial. [In Ukrainian]. Lutsk: Vezha. [= Горбачик, Сальнікова, 2008]
Jacoby, W.G. (1994). Public Attitudes toward Government Spending. American Journal of Political Science, 38 (2), 336–361. https://doi.org/10.2307/2111407
Lipset, S.M., Rokkan, S. (1985). Cleavage Structures, Party Systems, and Voter Alignments. In S.M. Lipset (ed.), Consensus and Conflict: Essays in Political Sociology (pp. 113–185). New Brunswick: Transaction Publishers. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-531-90400-9_68
Martyniuk, I. (2004). The Crisis of Trust to the Authorities as a Permanent State of Public Consciousness. [In Ukrainian]. In V.Vorona, M.Shulga (Eds.), Ukrainian Society 1992–2010. Monitoring of social changes (pp. 254–262). Kyiv: Institute of Sociology of the NAS of Ukraine. [= Мартинюк 2004]
Reznik, O. (2012). Government reforms in the mass consciousness of Ukrainian citizens. [In Ukrainian]. Sociology: theory, methods, marketing, 2, 151–163. [= Резнік 2012]
Reznik, O.S., Kozlovskiy, O.R. (2020). Methodological aspects of research on the determinants of citizens’ attitudes towards state power. [In Ukrainian]. Ukrainian socìum, 2 (73), 46–58. https://doi.org/10.15407/socium2020.02.046 [= Резнік, Козловський 2020]
Sociological Group «Rating» (2019). Socio-political sentiments of the population. December 2019. [In Ukrainian]. Retrieved from: http://ratinggroup.ua/files/ratinggroup/reg_files/... [= Соціологічна група «Рейтинг» 2019]
The Democratic Initiatives Foundation (2001). Public opinion about the Viktor Yushchenko's government (according to a March 2001 poll). [In Ukrainian]. Retrieved from: https://dif.org.ua/article/gromadska-dumka-pro-ury... [= Фонд «Демократичні ініціативи» 2001]
The KIIS (2015). Socio-political situation in Ukraine: July 2015. Retrieved from :http://www.kiis.com.ua/?lang=ukr&cat=reports&id=540&page=1. [= КМІС 2015]
The KIIS (2019). Attitudes of Ukrainians towards politicians, assessment of government activities and current events. [In Ukrainian]. Retrieved from: https://www.kiis.com.ua/?lang=ukr&cat=reports&id=8... [= КМІС 2019]
The KIIS (2020). Assessment of the authorities and reaction to current events: February 2020. [In Ukrainian]. Retrieved from: https://www.kiis.com.ua/?lang=ukr&cat=reports&id=9... [= КМІС 2020]
The Razumkov Centre (2020). Citizens’ assessment of the situation in the country, a level of trust in the executive and law enforcement agencies, the assessment of the Government’s activities (February 2020, sociology). [In Ukrainian]. Retrieved from: http://razumkov.org.ua/napriamky/sotsiologichni-do... [= Центр Разумкова 2020]
TNS Ukraine (2016). V. Groysman as Prime Minister: the first assessments of the new government from Ukrainians. [In Ukrainian]. Retrieved from: https://tns-ua.com/news/v-groysman-na-posadi-prem-... [= TNS Україна 2016]
Van Ryzin, G.G. (2007). Pieces of a puzzle: Linking government performance, citizen satisfaction, and trust. Public Performance & Management Review, 30 (4), 521–535. https://doi.org/10.2753/pmr1530-9576300403
Vyshniak, O. (2010). Trust in Political Institutions: Concepts, Indicators and Trends in Change. [In Ukrainian]. In: V. Vorona, M. Shulga (Eds.), Ukrainian Society 1992–2010. Sociological monitoring (pp. 24–39). Kyiv: Institute of Sociology of the NAS of Ukraine. [= Вишняк 2010]
Weatherford, M.S. (1987). How Does Government Performance Influence Political Support? Political Behavior, 9 (1), 5–28. https://doi.org/10.1007/bf00987276
Weber, P., Steinmetz, H., Kabst, R. (2017). Trust in Politicians and Satisfaction with Government — A Reciprocal Causation Approach for European Countries. Journal of Civil Society, 13 (4), 392–405. https://doi.org/10.1080/17448689.2017.1385160
Received 26.10.2020
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