GALLUP NEWS SERVICE
PRINCETON, NJ -- The dramatic fall of the Berlin Wall 10 years ago has had both positive and negative consequences, according to a new Gallup poll of the American public. Americans agree that the dramatic events leading up to the reunification of Germany ended up being positive for Germany and for the United States, but that these events have been much less positive for Russia and the other nations of Eastern Europe.
The events of 10 years ago are given midrange importance by Americans in the context of a scale that asked those responding to a new poll to rate a number of the century's most important events. About half, 48%, of the American public says the fall of the Berlin Wall in 1989 was one of the most important events of the century, about the same rating given the breakup of the Soviet Union that occurred shortly thereafter. This rating of the importance of the Berlin Wall is lower than the importance attached to other events of the century, including World War II, the Nazi Holocaust during World War II, dropping the atomic bomb, and women gaining the right to vote in the United States in 1920 -- all of which are seen as the most important events of the century by two-thirds or more of Americans.
Collapse of Berlin Wall Positive for U.S. and Germany, Less So for Russia
Have the last 10 years proved to be as promising as might have been imagined as the wall came down in 1989? For Germany and the United States, the American public's answer is yes. Over eight out of ten Americans interviewed in the weekend poll say that both Germany and the United States have been better off since the Berlin Wall fell. The view is much more mixed concerning Russia, however. Only 50% of Americans say that Russia is better off, while 40% say that things have actually gotten worse for Russia since the dramatic event.
There are other signs in the poll suggesting that Americans recognize that not all has gone as well as might be imagined for Eastern Europe since the Berlin Wall fell. In December of 1989, right as the events in Berlin were unfolding, the public was asked if they felt that the economic well-being of Eastern European countries would improve or get worse as a result. At that time 71% said they felt the economy in Eastern Europe would get better. Now, looking back over the past ten years, only 48% of the public says the economic well-being of these nations has in reality gotten better, with almost as many -- 43% -- saying it has gotten worse.
Ten years ago, 46% of Americans said they felt that social problems like poverty, hunger and alcoholism would increase after the wall fell, while 35% said they would decrease. Now, looking back, 65% of Americans say such problems have increased.
There has been less change in terms of the dimension of political freedom. Eighty-eight percent of Americans 10 years ago said they felt the people in Eastern Europe would have more freedom as a result of the fall of the wall. Now, 10 years later, that number remains high, at 78%.
Image of Germany Very Positive, Russia Much Less So
Germany as a country maintains a very positive image in the eyes of Americans, with 77% saying they have a favorable image of the country, compared to only 18% who have a negative image. This can be compared to Russia, which has a favorable image among only 38% of the public, while 58% of Americans give it an unfavorable image rating.
Survey Methods
The results below are based on telephone interviews with a randomly selected national sample of 1,011 adults, 18 years and older, conducted November 4-7, 1999. For results based on this sample, one can say with 95 percent confidence that the maximum error attributable to sampling and other random effects is plus or minus 3 percentage points. In addition to sampling error, question wording and practical difficulties in conducting surveys can introduce error or bias into the findings of public opinion polls.
Since the Berlin Wall separating East and West Germany fell ten years ago, do you think each of the following countries is better off or worse off? How about ... (ROTATE)?
| Better off | Worse off | SAME (vol.) | No opinion | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| A. Germany | 82% | 11 | 2 | 5 |
| B. Russia | 50% | 40 | 4 | 6 |
| C. The United States | 82% | 9 | 6 | 3 |
Now I'd like you to think about the changes that have taken place in Eastern Europe over the last ten years. First, do you think the economic well-being of people living in these countries has improved, or gotten worse?
| Dec 7-10 1989 (‡) |
Nov 4-7 1999 |
|
|---|---|---|
| Improved | 71% | 48% |
| Gotten worse | 22 | 43 |
| REMAINED THE SAME (vol.) | 1 | 3 |
| No opinion | 6 | 6 |
| 100% | 100% |
(‡) Do you think the economic well-being of people living in these [Eastern European] countries will improve or get worse?
Next, do you think the people in Eastern Europe have more political freedom or less political freedom than ten years ago?
| Dec 7-10 1989 (*) |
Nov 4-7 1999 |
|
|---|---|---|
| More freedom | 88% | 78% |
| Less freedom | 7 | 16 |
| REMAINED THE SAME (vol.) | 1 | 2 |
| No opinion | 4 | 4 |
| 100% | 100% |
(*) 1989: Will people in Eastern Europe have more political freedom or less political freedom than they do now?
Next, do you think social problems like poverty, hunger and alcoholism have increased or decreased in Eastern Europe as a result of the changes which have taken place over the last ten years?
| Dec 7-10 1989 (^) |
Nov 4-7 1999 |
|
|---|---|---|
| Increased | 46% | 65% |
| Decreased | 35 | 19 |
| REMAINED THE SAME (vol.) | 7 | 4 |
| No opinion | 12 | 12 |
| 100% | 100% |
(^) 1989: Do you think social problems like poverty, hunger and alcoholism will increase or decrease in Eastern Europe as a result of the changes which have taken place over the last ten years?
(vol.) volunteered response