CHANGES IN PUBLIC OPINION ON THE UNEMPLOYED The Case of The Netherlands

In this paper we present the results of a longitudinal study in public opinion on unemployed people during the period 1975–87. The study relates to 1) opinions on the extent to which social security laws are abused, 2) the degree of condemnation of such abuse, and 3) the image projected on the unemployed. In the years up to 1980 public opinion was rather negative, but a striking improvement accompanied the marked increase in unemployment rates during the early 1980s. As unemployment dropped during the second half of the 1980s public opinion regarding the unemployed seemed to deteriorate again.... Mehr ...