The Political Culture of Democracy in the Americas, 2012: Towards Equality of Opportunity Edited By: Mitchell A. Seligson, Ph.D. Director, Latin American Public Opinion Project Centennial Professor, Department of Political Science, Vanderbilt University Amy Erica Smith, Ph.D. Assistant Professor, Department of Political Science, Iowa State University Elizabeth J. Zechmeister, Ph.D. Associate Director, Latin American Public Opinion Project Associate Professor, Department of Political Science, 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. Table of Contents, Tables and Figures Table of Contents Tables ....................................................................................................................................................... vi Figures ..................................................................................................................................................... vi Preface ..................................................................................................................................................... xi Prologue: Background to the Study .................................................................................................... xiii Acknowledgements ............................................................................................................................. xxiii Executive Summary ........................................................................................................................... xxvii Technical Note ...................................................................................................................................... xxx Understanding Figures in this Study ............................................................................................... xxxv 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 the Americas: A View from the AmericasBarometer ...................................................................................... 11 Who Reports Discrimination? ............................................................................... 28 Public Opinion on Racial and Gender Inequality ................................................. 32 IV. Public Opinion on Policy Proposals for Greater Equality in the Americas ................ 36 Conditional Cash Transfer and Public Assistance Programs ............................... 38 Affirmative Action .................................................................................................. 41 V. Conclusions ................................................................................................................... 42 Special Report Box 1: Educational Achievement and Skin Color .................................... 44 Special Report Box 2: Economic Crisis, Skin Color, and Household Wealth .................. 45 Special Report Box 3: Support for Interethnic Marriage ................................................... 46 Chapter Two: Equality of Political Participation in the Americas ................................................... 47 I. Introduction .................................................................................................................... 47 II. Participation in the Americas in 2012 ........................................................................... 50 Turnout .................................................................................................................. 50 Beyond Turnout ..................................................................................................... 54 III. Public Opinion on Opportunities and Discriminatory Attitudes ................................. 66 Public Opinion towards Political Leadership by Women ..................................... 67 Public Opinion towards Leadership by Those from Marginalized Racial/Ethnic Groups ................................................................................................................... 73 Public Opinion towards Political Leadership by Homosexuals ............................ 75 Public Opinion towards Political Leadership by Individuals who are Disabled .. 77 iii Political Culture of Democracy, 2012 IV. Public Opinion on Policy Proposals ............................................................................ 79 Gender Quotas ....................................................................................................... 79 Compulsory Voting ................................................................................................ 82 Reduction in Economic and Social Inequality ....................................................... 82 V. Conclusion .................................................................................................................... 82 Special Report Box 4: Political Participation and Gender ................................................. 84 Special Report Box 5: Gender Quotas and Women’s Political Participation .................... 85 Special Report Box 6: Compulsory Voting and Inequalities in Political Participation ..... 86 Chapter Three: The Effect of Unequal Opportunities and Discrimination on Political Legitimacy and Engagement ................................................................................................................ 87 I. Introduction .................................................................................................................... 87 II. Victimization by Discrimination ................................................................................... 90 III. Inequality, Efficacy, and Perceptions of Representation ............................................. 98 IV. System Support and Engagement with Democracy .................................................. 107 V. Protest Participation .................................................................................................... 110 VI. Conclusions ............................................................................................................... 113 Special Report Box 7: Political Knowledge and the Urban-Rural Divide ...................... 115 Special Report Box 8: Discrimination and System Support ............................................ 116 Special Report Box 9: Support for Democracy and Electoral Information ..................... 117 Part II: Governance, Political Engagement and Civil Society in the Americas............................ 119 Part Two Introduction ........................................................................................................................ 121 Chapter Four: Questions of Performance: Economics, Corruption, Crime, and Life Satisfaction in the Americas ............................................................................................................... 125 I. Introduction .................................................................................................................. 125 II. Evaluations of the Most Important Problems Facing Countries in the Americas ....... 126 The Economy ....................................................................................................... 131 Crime ................................................................................................................... 137 Corruption ........................................................................................................... 148 III. Life Satisfaction ......................................................................................................... 157 IV. Conclusion ................................................................................................................. 162 Chapter Five: Local Government ...................................................................................................... 165 I. Introduction .................................................................................................................. 165 II. Local Government, Participation, Institutional Trust, and Democracy ...................... 166 III. Local Level Participation ........................................................................................... 168 Local Meeting Attendance ................................................................................... 169 Demand-Making on Local Government .............................................................. 171 IV. Satisfaction with and Trust in Local Government ..................................................... 176 Satisfaction with Local Services .......................................................................... 176 iv Table of Contents, Tables and Figures Trust in Local Government .................................................................................. 184 V. Conclusion .................................................................................................................