Political Culture in the Dominican Republic
Jana Morgan, University of Tennessee Rosario Espinal, Temple University
Barómetro de las Américas: Dominican Republic
Dominican survey Dates: 1-22 June 2006 Goals of the sample:
•Nationally representative •Urban and Rural
•Employed and Unemployed •Women and Men •All Economic and Educational Levels
Final Sample
1519 respondents
• • • • 511 in the metropolitan district (33.6%) 500 in the north (32.9%) 221 in the east (14.5%) 287 in the south (18.9%)
Tolerance and System Support
Political Tolerance
In the Dominican Republic, the average score on the political tolerance scale is 58.9, one of the highest among the countries that participated in the LAPOP study.
Political tolerance is strongest in terms of support for dissidents’ right to protest. Men are more tolerant than women. Political tolerance increases as people obtain more education. Tolerance also increases with age.
Political Tolerance: Rights of Regime Opponents
100 80
61 63
55
58
60
40
20
0
To Vote
To Protest
To Be a Candidate
To Give Speeches
Note: Scales from 0 to 100. 0 indicates strong disapproval, and 100 means strong support for the rights of regime opponents. Together these four items comprise the political tolerance scale. Source: LAPOP 2006
Tolerance in Comparative Perspective
Jamaica Costa Rica Haití R. Dominicana Chile México El Salvador Perú Nicaragua Guatemala Colombia Panamá Ecuador Honduras Bolivia
62.2 62.1 58.9 56.3 56.2 55.8 53.6 53.5 52.7 51.8 48 46.8 46.2 43.9 72.7
2006
0
20
40
60
80
100
The political tolerance scale was constructed from four questions about the rights of political dissidents to vote, protest, be candidates for public office, and to give speeches.
Source: LAPOP 2006
Political Tolerance by Education
100 80
59
70
60
55
56
40
20
0 Ninguna Primaria Secundaria Universitaria
Source: LAPOP 2006
Support for the Political System
For all components of the support for the political system scale, levels of support increased from 2004 to 2006. The increase was particularly significant in the case of support for political institutions.
The scale component with the lowest average score was the question that asked respondents whether the system protected citizens’ basic rights.
Political System Support
Proud to live in the Dominican political system Support for the Dominican political system Respect for political institutions
36 39 57 43
65 62
73
Citizens' basic rights are protected
46 42
47
Trust that the courts produce just decisions 0 20 40
60
80
100
2006
2004
Components of the political system support scale. All the components range from 0 to 100. O means none, and 100 means a lot. Together these questions for the scale.
Sources: DEMOS 2004 and LAPOP 2006
Support for the Political System in Comparative Perspective
Costa Rica México R. Dominicana Colombia El Salvador Honduras Chile Guatemala Bolivia Jamaica Panamá Nicaragua Perú Haití Ecuador
64 60.8 57.6 57 55.4 55 53.2 52.2 51.5 48.9 46.6 45.3 43.9 41.6 37.4
0
25
50
75
100
The scale of system support ranges from 0 to 100. It is the average of five questions: pride in the Dominican system, support for the Dominican system, respect for the country’s political institutions, protection for basic rights, and confidence in courts. Source: LAPOP 2006
Factors that Explain System Support
At higher levels of education, respondents were less supportive of the system. People with more economic resources express greater support for the system. Members of President Fernández’s PLD were more supportive of the political system than those who supported other political parties or were without political affiliation.
Trust in Institutions
Trust
in
in social institutions is greater than trust political institutions.
in political institutions icreased between 2004 and 2006. only institution with lower levels of trust in 2006 than in 2004 is the justice system.
The The
Confidence
Dominican Republic has one of the highest general levels of trust in government of all LAPOP countries.
Trust in Social Institutions
Media
4.9
5.2
2004 Catholic Church
5.2 5.4
2006
Evangelical Churches
4.0 4.6
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
Source: DEMOS 2004 and LAPOP 2006
Trust in Public Institutions
President Congress Judiciary Municipality Electoral Tribunal Armed Forces Police Political Parties 1 2
2.3 3.0 3.2 3.8 2.4 5.4
2.7
4.2
4.5 3.1
4.6
3.5
3.8 3.3 4.9
3.1
3
2006 2004
4
5
6
7
Source: DEMOS 2004 and LAPOP 2006
Elections and Political Parties
Political Parties
Respondents tended to disagree that democracy was possible without political parties
sympathy for political parties has declined in the past 12 years, sympathy remains high compared to other countries.
Greater
Although
education produces a slight tendency toward sympathizing with a political party as does residence in urban areas.
The
majority of Dominican respondents identified more with the right side of the political spectrum and rejected populism.
100
Can Democracy Exist without Political Parties?
80
60
36
55% clearly disagrees
40
20
11
8
13
7
11
15
0
1
Disagree
Source: LAPOP 2006
2
3
4
5
6
7
Agree
Can democracy exist without Parties? Comparative Perspective
Guatemala Ecuador Colombia Chile México Nicaragua El Salvador Perú Panamá R. Dominicana Honduras Jamaica Costa Rica 1
Disagree
4.1 4 4 4 4 3.8 3.7 3.4 3.4 3.4 3.3 4.6 4.5
2
3
4
5
6
7
Agree
Source: LAPOP 2006
Sympathy for a Political Party
100
80
70
71 63 63 60
60
40
20
0 1994 1997 2001 2004 2006
Source: DEMOS 1994-2004 and LAPOP 2006
Partisan Sympathy in Comparative Perspective
R. Dominicana Nicaragua México Jamaica Honduras Costa Rica El Salvador Perú Colombia Chile Panamá Guatemala 0
Source: LAPOP 2006
60.4 49.8 49.2 47.1 44.2 36.2 31.3 29.9 28.6 25.6 20.8 14.7
20
40
60
80
100
Left-Right Ideology
100 90 80 70 60 50 40 30 20 10 0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10
Left=27% Right=73%
Left
Question: According to your understanding of the terms left and right, from the political perspective where would you place yourself on this scale?
Right
Source: LAPOP 2006
Left-Right Ideology by Country
R. Dominicana Honduras Colombia Jamaica México Costa Rica El Salvador Ecuador Perú Guatemala Bolivia Nicaragua Chile Panamá
6.6 6.2 6 6 5.9 5.7 5.6 5.6 5.5 5.3 5.3 5.3 5.1 7.2
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
The numbers in the bars reflect each country’s average placement on the left-right ideology scale, where one equals left and ten equals right. Source: LAPOP 2006
Participation by Type of Organization
100 80 56 60
40 17.8 12.4 20
0 Civic Participation Political Participation Religious Participation
Religious participation is measured with attendance at religious meetings. Political participation is measured with attendance at political party meetings. Civic participation is measured using five questions about participation in neighborhood improvement committees, women’s associations, professional, commercial or peasant associations, parent associations, and unions. Each scale ranges from 0 to 100. Source: LAPOP 2006
Women and Politics
Changes in Attitudes about Women
One of the most important changes over the last decade in the Dominican Republic concerns attitudes about women’s participation in politics.
a slight decline in support in 2004, overall we have observed an increase in support for women in politics.
Support
Despite
for more egalitarian household decisionmaking has increased unchecked over the past 12 years.
We
also observe ample support for women’s pariticipation in the workforce.
Attitudes about Women in Politics
100
Disagree that politics is for men
80
Women should participate more
60
Women should participate the same as men
40
Women candidates inspire the same confidence as men Women have the same governing capacity as men
20
0 1994 1997 2001 2004 2006
Source: DEMOS 1994-2004 and LAPOP 2006
Who should make important household decisions?
100 80
Both
60
40
The Man
20
The Woman
0 1994 1997 2001 2004 2006
Source: DEMOS 1994-2004 and LAPOP 2006
Women should only work when the man’s income in not adequate 0%
18%
Si No
82%
Source: DEMOS 1994-2004 and LAPOP 2006
Migration
Haitian and Dominican Migration
A slight majority oppose the government giving undocumented Haitians work permits and oppose citizenship rights for Dominican-born children of Haitians.
20%
of respondents indicated that they receive remittances.
The
desire to leave the DR to live abroad, is highest among those with a secondary education.
The
desire to go live abroad decreases with age.
Rights of Haitians
Que el gobierno otorgue permiso de trabajo a los indocumentados Que los hijos de haitianos nacidos en R.D. sean ciudadanos dominicanos
100 80 60 40 20 0 1
1-3= 56% in disagreement 1-3= 53% in disagreement
2
3
4
5
6
7
Agree
Disagree
Source: LAPOP 2006
Dominicans who Receive Remittances from Abroad
100 80
60
40 19.6 20 24.4 20 19.5 10.5
0 Total Santo Domingo North East South
Source: LAPOP 2006
Desire or Intent to Live Abroad by Education
100 80
60
48.3
40
33.6 29
20
17.1
0 None Primary Secondary University
Source: LAPOP 2006
Pride in Being Dominican
R. Dominicana Costa Rica Ecuador México El Salvador Colombia Honduras Jamaica Chile Perú Bolivia Nicaragua Guatemala Panamá 0
Fuente: Encuesta LAPOP 2006
97.4 97 95.1 93.9 93.5 93.3 93.2 91.5 87.7 87.3 86.7 84.9 83.9 82.9
20
40
60
80
100