Gloomy views on country’s economic conditions

Liberians generally hold gloomy views of the direction of the country, the country’s economic conditions, and their personal living conditions, says a new Afrobarometer survey just .released in Monrovia.

Afrobarometer is a pan-African, nonpartisan survey research network that provides reliable data on African experiences and evaluations of democracy, governance, and quality of life.

The report says eight in 10 citizens (80%) say the country is going in “the wrong direction,” almost double the proportion recorded in 2012 (Figure 1).

Fewer than half (45%) describe their personal living conditions as “fairly good” or “very good,” representing a 6-percentage-point decline since 2012 (Figure 2). Only a quarter (24%) say the country’s economic conditions are “fairly good” or “very good.” Although this represents a significant decline (18 percentage points) since 2012, positive views of the country’s economic conditions have increased after a low of 11% in 2018.

As might be expected, negative assessments of the country’s overall direction and economic conditions increase with individuals’ experience of poverty (Figure 3). These views are equally widespread among all age groups. Women (83%) and rural residents (82%) are more pessimistic about the direction of the country than men (78%) and urban residents (78%). The perception that the country is heading in the wrong direction is widespread among all educational levels but slightly higher among citizens with at most primary schooling (83%-84%).

However, when it comes to views on the country’s economic conditions, those with no formal education are least gloomy about the country’s economic conditions (61%).

The report, which was authored by Oscar Bloh, Aaron Weah and Josephine    Appiah-Nyamekye Sanny, reached the following findings.

Key findings

• Eight in 10 Liberians (80%) say the country is going in “the wrong direction,” almost double the proportion recorded in 2012.
• Fewer than half (45%) of Liberians describe their personal living conditions as “fairly good” or “very good.” Only a quarter (24%) describe the country’s economic condition as good.
• Almost three-quarters (72%) of citizens say the level of corruption in the country increased “somewhat” or “a lot” during the previous year.
• Even though a large majority (67%) of citizens describe Liberia as a “full democracy” or a “democracy with minor problems,” almost as many (61%) say they are “not very satisfied” or “not at all satisfied” with the way democracy works in Liberia.
• Despite their dissatisfaction with democracy and the economy, almost three-quarters

(73%) of Liberians say citizens should be required to get permission from the government before organizing a protest.

• A majority (58%) of Liberians say the police often use excessive force when responding to protests, but about the same proportion (55%) say protests are too disruptive and should be avoided.
  • Half (50%) say public protests are an effective way to influence political leaders and policies, but almost as many (46%) disagree.
  • Only four in 10 (41%) “agree” or “strongly agree” that protesters in Liberia are generally peaceful and law-abiding. o Almost six in 10 (56%) say police and protesters are equally to blame for violence that ensues during public protests.