The Worldviews of the Iraqi Public toward Religion, Politics, Gender, and Coalition Forces: Findings of Values Survey, November-December, 2004 Mansoor Moaddel (PI) Ronald Inglehart (Co-PI) Mark Tessler (Co-PI)
Table 1: The Regional Distribution of the Sample Region Size Percent Baghdad 484 20.8 Basrah 149 6.4 Tekrit 155 6.7 Nasirria 101 4.3 Umara 111 4.8 Hilla 107 4.6 Najaf 107 4.6 Diwania 103 4.4 Kut 102 4.4 Karbala 104 4.5 Ramadi 118 5.1 Samawa 114 4.9 Baquba 120 5.2 Kirkuk 114 4.9 Sulaimania 185 8.0 Erbil 151 6.5 Total 2325 100.0
Table 2: Religion-ethnic distribution Religion-Ethnicity Size Percent of total Percent valid Sunni-Kurd 342 14.7 16.6 Shi'i-Arab 1262 54.3 61.0 Sunni-Arab 466 20.0 22.5 Total 2070 89.0 100.0 Other: Muslim-Arab, Turk, Christian 255 11.0 Total 2325 100.0
The Iraqi Worldviews in a Comparative Perspective: Religiosity, Gender, and Democracy
Figure 1: Participation in religious services Once a week or more Percent 50% 45% 40% 35% 30% 25% 20% 15% 10% 5% 0% 44% 45% 42% 33% 27% 27% Saudi Arabia Iraq Iran Jordan Egypt USA
Figure 2: Self-described religiosity Describe self as a religious person 120% 100% 80% 84% 82% 85% 98% 81% Percent 60% 62% 40% 20% 0% Saudi Arabia Iraq Iran Jordan Egypt USA
Figure 3: Religious versus national identity Above all I am a Muslim versus country nationalist Percent 90% 80% 70% 60% 50% 40% 30% 20% 10% 0% 79% 75% 72% 63% 61% 34% 23% 17% 15% 10% Saudi Arabia Iraq Iran Jordan Egypt Muslim Nationalist
Figure 4: When jobs are scarce, men should have more rights to a job Men more rights to a job Percent agree 100% 90% 80% 70% 60% 50% 40% 30% 68% 76% 69% 80% 90% 20% 10% 10% 0% Saudi Arabia Iraq Iran Jordan Egypt USA
Figure 5: Men make better political leaders than women do Men better political leaders 100% 90% 87% 86% 84% 80% 72% Percent agree 70% 60% 50% 40% 30% 60% 22% 20% 10% 0% Saudi Arabia Iraq Iran Jordan Egypt USA
Figure 6: University education is more important for boys than for girls University education for boys 70% 60% 59% Percent agree 50% 40% 30% 20% 44% 37% 38% 31% 10% 7% 0% Saudi Arabia Iraq Iran Jordan Egypt USA
Figure 7: Polygamy and wife obedience Percent agree 100% 90% 80% 70% 60% 50% 40% 30% 20% 10% 0% 88% 81% 74% 78% 52% 45% 46% 19% 11% 9% Saudi Arabia Iraq Iran Jordan Egypt Polygamy Wife must obey her husband
Figure 8: Basis of marriage: parental approval vs. love 80% 70% 71% Percent agree 60% 50% 40% 30% 20% 50% 48% 26% 41% 49% 10% 0% Saudi Arabia Iraq Iran Parental approval Love
Figure 9: Democracy is the best form of government Percent agree 100 90 80 70 60 50 40 30 20 10 0 99 85 90 88 71 69 Saudi Arabia Iraq Iran Jordan Egypt USA
Figure 10: Western cultural invasion is a very serious problem 100 90 85 Strongly agree 80 70 60 50 40 30 70 68 55 64 20 10 0 Saudi Arabia Iraq Iran Jordan Egypt
Variations among Iraqis in terms of Religion and Ethnicity: Sunni- Kurd, Shi i-arab, and Sunni- Arab
Table 3: Marriage and Gender Relations Kurds Shi'is Sunnis Love as basis of marriage 55% 21% 26% Men better pol leaders (disagree) 27.6% 6.7% 5.1% Univ ed for boys (disagree) 78.1 50.1 43.5 Polygamy (disagree) 70.7 48.5 48.6 Wife obedience (disagree) 29 8.6 6.7 Her decision to dress (agree) 49.1 10.6 12.7
Table 4: Considers unacceptable as neighbors (%) Country Sunni-Kurd Shi i-arab Sunni-Arab Total American 50 91 94 85 French 45 91 89 83 British 47 92 95 85 Jews 34 94 94 84 Christians 47 37 31 37 Iranian 49 49 70 54 Kuwaiti 46 46 58 49 Turk 34 68 52 59 Jordanian 44 48 26 42
Table 5: Percent having very much or much trust (no trust at all) Sunni-Kurd Shi'i-Arab Sunni-Arab Total Religious institutions 60 81 72 76 Iraqi military 47 66 26 54 Iraqi TV 51 58 35 52 Other TV 45 18 31 26 Interim govt 58 43 10 38 American forces 62 (14) 4 (80) 2 (87) 13 (71) Arab league 11 11 5 10 UN 37 10 4 13
Figure 11: percent expressing a great deal of trust in the Shi is 100 90 80 70 60 50 40 30 20 10 0 86 33 12 Kurd Shi i Sunni
Figure 12: percent expressing a great deal of trust in the Sunnis 80 70 68 60 50 40 30 20 10 33 41 0 Kurd Shi i Sunni
Figure 13: Percent expressing a great deal of trust in the Kurds 100 90 80 70 60 50 40 30 20 10 0 96 32 26 Kurd Shi i Sunni
Figure 14: Form of government 100 % very or somewhat good 90 80 70 60 50 40 30 20 10 82 80 35 12 14 66 27 67 46 17 77 56 0 Sunni-Kurd Shi'i-Arab Sunni-Arab Total Strong leader Democratic system Islamic govt-ulama absolute power
Figure 15: Characteristics of a good government 70 60 62 53 60 56 %very important 50 40 30 20 40 30 31 32 10 0 Sunni-Kurd Shi'i-Arab Sunni-Arab Total implement laws according to people's wishes Islamic laws only
Figure 16: Iraq would be a better society, if Strongly agree 100 90 80 70 60 50 40 30 20 10 79 33 27 54 64 22 83 85 64 53 21 23 7 5 10 79 0 Sunni-Kurd Shi'i-Arab Sunni-Arab Total More respect for women Adopts American model Religion and politics separated Iraqis were non-sectarian
Figure 17: Assessment of outcomes 90 Strongly agree 80 70 60 50 40 30 20 10 23 63 47 34 37 18 16 10 64 10 72 42 5 72 3 58 22 15 61 13 0 Sunni-Kurd Shi'i-Arab Sunni-Arab Total Ex-Iraqi politicians too much power Dissolving the army beneficial US forces in big cities good for security De-baathification harmful artificial sectarianism
Figure 18: Iraq is better off with or without Saddam 100 90 91 84 Percent agree 80 70 60 50 40 30 20 10 0 71 48 21 21 14 8 3 2 4 Sunni-Kurd Shi'i-Arab Sunni-Arab Total 10 Iraq better off without Saddam Iraq better off with Saddam Not sure
Table 6: Consider an obstacle for the formation of an independent and prosperous Iraq (% a great deal) Sunni-Kurd Shi'i-Arab Sunni-Arab Total Saddam loyalists 88 70 20 62 Shi'is a great deal of power 52 7 21 18 Kurdsa great deal of power 12 20 33 21 Sunnis a great deal of power 30 19 14 20 American domination continues 26 81 85 73 Religious leaders 57 16 24 24 Civil war 80 88 90 87 Losing cultural identity 49 84 83 78 US cultural influences increase 48 83 84 77 Crime 81 89 91 88 Foreign fighters 73 86 73 81 Iran too much influence 85 82 87 84
Table 7: How long the U.S. should remain in Iraq? Sunni-Kurd Shi'i-Arab Sunni-Arab Total Leave now 8 26 73 34 Leave after the elections 13 42 18 32 Stay one year from now 3 4 1 3 Stay more than one year 4 2 1 2 Leave after the settlement of security 24 21 4 18 Do not leave 25 1 0 5 Difficult to express any opinion 15 2 1 4
Figure 19: Percent saying they will not vote in national assembly elections 90 80 70 60 50 40 30 20 10 0 84 47 11 Kurds Shi'is Sunnis
Table 8: Most important problem facing you and your family Sunni-Kurd Shi'i-Arab Sunni-Arab Total Absence of security 18 75 75 66 Lack of job 39 8 3 12 Lack of necessities 9 5 3 5 Foreign occupation 1 7 15 8 Terrorism and political violence 14 3 2 5 Absence of freedom 4 1 1 2
Table 9: Second most important problem facing you and your family Sunni-Kurd Shi'i-Arab Sunni-Arab Total Absence of security 4 11 13 10 Lack of job 18 18 9 16 Lack of necessities 19 11 8 12 Foreign occupation 4 27 50 29 Terrorism and political violence 15 26 13 21 Absence of freedom 10 4 6 6