phosphorusPublic preference affects public policy-this is the meaning of democracy as a whole. Or at least part of a focus group. But it turns out that the policy/preference relationship is two-way: government policies also affect our preferences.This is the conclusion New research Investigate the willingness of Germans to be vaccinated.
Germans were asked how likely they are to agree to be vaccinated under different government methods. And, obviously, if vaccination is optional rather than mandatory, they will come forward more aggressively. This difference reflects their response to government methods, rather than any different information about vaccine benefits or risks. The willingness to be stabbed is also related to trust in public institutions-so the NHS vaccine success is more than just inserting needles.
Fascinatingly, the study found that, although there is almost no difference between young Germans, older East Germans (at least 20 years old when the Berlin Wall fell) were significantly less averse to coercive policies than West Germans. The author believes that the experience of living under a controlling regime shaped preferences and made older East Germans more willing to accept controlling policies.
Now, I don’t think the 18-month pandemic lockdown has made all of us dictators.And then a new one Ipsosson Survey Show that nearly one-fifth of the people support a permanent curfew at 10 pm after Covid. So maybe I should be more worried that we have become interested in Big Brother country, after all.
