The Political Culture of Democracy in Suriname and in the Americas, 2012

The Political Culture of Democracy in Suriname and in the Americas, 2012: Towards Equality of Opportunity By: Prof. Dr. Jack Menke Anton de Kom University of Suriname Prof. Dr. Marten Schalkwijk Anton de Kom University of Suriname Jaïr Schalkwijk Msc. Anton de Kom University of Suriname Mitchell A. Seligson, Ph.D. Scientific Coordinator and Series Editor Vanderbilt University This study was performed with support from the Program in Democracy and Governance of the United States Agency for International Development. The opinions expressed in this study are those of the authors and do not necessarily reflect the point of view of the United States Agency for International Development. June 2013 Table of Contents Table of Contents Tables .................................................................................................................................................. vii Figures .................................................................................................................................................. vii Preface .................................................................................................................................................... xi Prologue: Background to the Study .................................................................................................. xiii Acknowledgements ........................................................................................................................... xxiii Executive Summary ......................................................................................................................... xxvii Understanding Figures in this Study ............................................................................................ xxxiii Part I: Equality of Opportunity and Democracy in the Americas .................................................... 1 Chapter One: Equality of Economic and Social Opportunities in the Americas ............................. 3 I. Introduction ...................................................................................................................... 3 II. Background: Equality of Economic and Social Opportunities in the Americas ............. 5 III. Equalities in Economic and Social Opportunities in Suriname: A View from the AmericasBarometer ............................................................................................... 12 Who Reports Discrimination? ............................................................................... 24 Public Opinion on Racial and Gender Inequality ................................................. 27 IV. Public Opinion towards Common Policy Proposals ................................................... 30 Conditional Cash Transfer and Public Assistance Programs ............................... 32 Affirmative Action .................................................................................................. 37 V. Conclusion .................................................................................................................... 38 Special Report Box 1: Educational Achievement and Skin Color .................................... 40 Special Report Box 2: Economic Crisis, Skin Color, and Household Wealth .................. 41 Special Report Box 3: Support for Interethnic Marriage ................................................... 42 Chapter Two: Equality of Political Participation in the Americas .................................................. 43 I. Introduction .................................................................................................................... 43 II. Participation in the Americas in 2012 ........................................................................... 46 Turnout .................................................................................................................. 46 Beyond Turnout ..................................................................................................... 49 III. Public Opinion on Opportunities and Discriminatory Attitudes ................................. 57 Public Opinion towards Women’s Leadership ...................................................... 58 Public Opinion towards the Leadership of Marginalized Racial/Ethnic Groups . 59 Public Opinion towards the Participation of Homosexuals .................................. 61 Public Opinion towards the Participation of the Disabled ................................... 62 Page | iii The Political Culture of Democracy in the Suriname, 2012 IV. Public Opinion towards Common Policy Proposals ................................................... 63 Gender Quotas ....................................................................................................... 63 Compulsory Voting ................................................................................................ 64 Reduction in Economic and Social Inequality ....................................................... 65 V. Conclusion .................................................................................................................... 65 Special Report Box 4: Political Participation and Gender ................................................. 67 Special Report Box 5: Gender Quotas and Women’s Political Participation .................... 68 Special Report Box 6: Compulsory Voting and Inequalities in Political Participation ................................................................................................................. 69 Chapter Three: The Effect of Unequal Opportunities and Discrimination on Political Legitimacy and Engagement .................................................................................................. 71 I. Introduction .................................................................................................................... 71 II. Inequality, Efficacy, and Perceptions of Representation .............................................. 74 III. System Support and Engagement with Democracy ..................................................... 81 IV. Protest Participation ..................................................................................................... 85 V. Conclusion .................................................................................................................... 88 Special Report Box 7: Political Knowledge and the Urban-Rural Divide ........................ 89 Special Report Box 8: Discrimination and System Support .............................................. 90 Special Report Box 9: Support for Democracy and Electoral Information ....................... 91 Part II: Governance, Political Engagement, and Civil Society in the Americas ............................ 93 Chapter Four: Corruption, Crime, and Democracy ......................................................................... 95 I. Introduction .................................................................................................................... 95 II. Corruption ..................................................................................................................... 97 Perception of Corruption ....................................................................................... 99 Corruption Victimization ..................................................................................... 101 Who is Likely to be a Victim of Corruption? ....................................................... 104 III. Perceptions of Insecurity and Crime Victimization ................................................... 105 IV. Crime Victimization .................................................................................................. 108 Who is Likely to be a Victim of Crime? ............................................................... 111 V. The Impact of Crime, Insecurity and Corruption on Support for the Political System ........................................................................................................................ 113 VI. Support for the Rule of Law and the Impact of Crime and Insecurity ...................... 115 VII. Conclusion ................................................................................................................ 119 Chapter Five: Political Legitimacy and Tolerance .......................................................................... 121 I. Introduction .................................................................................................................. 121 II. Support for the Political System ................................................................................. 124 Page | iv Table of Contents III. Political Tolerance ..................................................................................................... 127 IV. Democratic Stability .................................................................................................. 131 V. Legitimacy of Other Democratic Institutions ............................................................. 136 VI. Support for Democracy ............................................................................................. 138 VII. Conclusion ................................................................................................................ 140 Chapter Six: Local Government ....................................................................................................... 141 I. Introduction .................................................................................................................

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