“Germans do not want an abundance of wealth, but material, mental and social security.”
Around 49 percent of the Germans consider themselves to be particularly wealthy. Five years ago, this rate was 42 percent. Currently, 42 percent are not afraid of the future. For 70 percent of the respondents, a secure income is important, for two thirds of the citizens a secure job. These and more results are shown in the National Prosperity Index, which is published by the futurologist Prof. Horst W. Opaschowski together with the Social Research Institute Ipsos. Between 2012 and 2017, around 40,000 people in Germany were interviewed for the study.
“There are no economic reasons that are likely to give rise to fears about the future,” said Horst W. Opaschowski. According to the respondents, most of the people concerned have been terrorist attacks and the refugee crisis over the past five years.
Safety is more important than freedom
A clear trend since 2012 is also that respondents consider travel and property ownership to be more important. 71 percent of respondents associate prosperity with ownership of property. Good medical care also plays a much more important role in the definition of prosperity than in 2012, and this could have a comprehensible effect in an ageing society. The right to freedom of speech, on the other hand, is only important for a third. Is this related to the fact that one has it and therefore does not miss it?
Overall, respondents are satisfied with the economic situation in the country. “Germans do not want abundance, but material, mental and social security,” said Horst W. Opaschowski.
Financial worries a subject for 80 percent of the Germans
But there are still some improvements to be made. According to their own opinion, two out of six German citizens are not doing badly, but they could be doing better, says the futurologist, who has been a member of the supervisory board of Industrie-Contact (IC) for many years. According to the prosperity index, one-sixth of the population sees itself as being at a lower level of prosperity. In addition, 80 percent of the Germans don’t want to be bothered by financial worries. This is not the case with half of them in reality, Opaschowski said.
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