ATTITUDES TOWARDS JEWS IN ARGENTINA Anti-Defamation League (ADL), New York Delegation of Argentinean Jewish Associations (DAIA), Buenos Aires September 2011 Gino Germani Research Institute Social Science Department University of Buenos Aires (UBA)
The general objective was to evaluate the presence of anti-semitic attitudes among the Argentinean population 2
METHODOLOGY A quantitative methodology was used, nationwide, according to the following criteria: Sample Type of interviewees: people between 18 and 65 years of age, males and females, of BC or D socio-economical level. Geographical Coverage: Metropolitan Area of Buenos Aires (AMBA), Rosario, Córdoba, Mendoza, Corrientes-Resistencia, Tucumán and Neuquén. Type of sample: Probabilistic and stratified by sex and age combined with a non-probabilistic by sex and age quotas. Size: 1510 cases. Sampling error: 2,6% Statistical significance: 95,5% Number of cases according to segmentation: Location Sex Age AMBA: 764 Women: 787 18 to 29: 532 Rosario: 201 Men: 723 30 to 49: 609 Córdoba: 201 50 to 65: 369 Mendoza: 110 Corrientes-Resistencia: 103 Tucumán: 81 Neuquén: 50 3
The fieldwork was done between October 8 and November 12, 2010. The interviews were done face to face, individually, with a structured entry instrument and combining two methodologies for the selection of the interviewees: 1. For the probabilistic sample, we used the home interview by drawing lots for blocks and choosing homes at random (28% of the sample). 2. Since that methodology had better success probabilities in urban areas with predominance of middle/lower and lower class, the field survey was completed with a coincidental methodology applied in places with a higher concentration of population and maximum geographical dispersion (nonprobabilistic sampling, 72% of the sample). 4
1. ATTITUDES TOWARDS JEWS 5
Jews are more loyal to Israel than to this country 8% 9% 26% Strongly Agree Partially Agree 10% Do not Agree or Disagree 21% 26% Partially Disagree Strongly Disagree Don t Know / No Answer 6
Jews are mainly interested in doing well in business and earning money 4% 1%2% Strongly Agree 11% 31% 51% Partially Agree Do not Agree or Disagree Partially Disagree Strongly Disagree Don t Know / No Answer 7
Jews have too much power in the business world 5% 4% 5% Strongly Agree 18% 34% 34% Partially Agree Do not Agree or Disagree Partially Disagree Strongly Disagree Don t Know / No Answer Sample: All interviewees 8
Jews have too much power in the international financial markets 6 % 4 % 7% 30 % Strongly Agree Partially Agree 18% 35% Do not Agree or Disagree Partially Disagree Strongly Disagree Don t Know / No Answer Sample: All interviewees 9
Jews talk too much about what happened to them in the Holocaust Strongly Agree 8% 7% 27% 9% 22% 27% Partially Agree Do not Agree or Disagree Partially Disagree Strongly Disagree Don t Know / No Answer Sample: All interviewees 10
Jews are to blame for Christ s death Strongly Agree 33% 18% 11% 9% 11% 18% Partially Agree Do not Agree or Disagree Partially Disagree Strongly Disagree Don t Know / No Answer 11
At least half of the interviewees agree that the Jews -as a group- have the following features: 1. More loyal to Israel than to Argentina (52%) 2. Their main interests are doing well in business and earning money (82%) 3. Have too much power in the business world (68%) 4. Have too much power in the international financial markets (65%) 5. Speak too much about what happened to them in the Holocaust (49%) 12
This depiction of the Jews indicates a certain stigmatization, defining them as: Not very loyal to the country they live in Giving priority to doing good business With a higher economical power than expected or desirable (too much power) With an ethnocentric discourse centered on the Holocaust (they speak too much) 13
The image of the Jews in time (%) 6% 4% 17% Better Same Worse 73 % Don t Know / No Answer 73% of the interviewees answered that their perception about the Jews has remained the same over time 14
Causes for the violent acts against Jews (%) 21% 13% 66% Anti-Jewish Sentiment Anti-Israel Sentiment Don t Know / No Answer 15
Causes for the violent acts against Jews Violent acts against Jews are motivated more by anti-jewish sentiment than negative attitudes towards Israel. 16
2. JEWS AND ARGENTINA 17
Do you think the Argentinean government guarantees the safety of its Jewish citizens? (%) 29% 18% 30% Yes, Completely 23% Yes, but it should do more No, Not at all Don t Know / No Answer 18
3. JEWS AND THE OUTSIDE WORLD 19
Is your opinion about the Jews influenced by the measures taken by the State of Israel? (%) 17% 14% Yes 69% No Don t Know / No Answer 20
Jewish Degree of Responsibility for the International Economic Crisis (%) Don t Know / No Answer 16% None 43% Very Little 25% Partial 14% Complete 2% 21
Jewish Degree of Responsibility for the International Economic Crisis 40% of the interviewees consider (with varying degrees of responsibility) that the Jews are to blame for the current economic world crisis. Although the responsibility for the world crisis could be attributed to the countries or international companies, coinciding with what we have said, for every 4 out of 10 interviewees the responsible individual is, in this case, the Jew. 22