Abstract copyright UK Data Service and data collection copyright owner.
The purpose of this study was to relate and compare attitudes towards municipal politics and civic life amongst the population as a whole and various local elites (local politicians, party activists, voluntary group leaders) in a small town (Maldon) and a medium-sized town (Colchester).
Main Topics:
Attitudinal/Behavioural Questions Party membership/subscription. Political support, participation, activity and voting pattern. Interest in national, international and educational affairs. Interest in council, feelings about community. Respondents were asked to rate council issues in order of importance (e.g. housing, traffic, education). Frequency of discussion of local matters (who with), participation in politics during previous two or three years, attendance at local political meetings, nature of issues discussed, issue participation, problems raised at Town Hall, friendship with Town Hall officials, contact with councillors, parents' participation, identification of single decision maker in local politics, opinion of councillors/officials. Perceived differences between newcomers and locals, satisfaction with personal efficacy, self-ascribed class. Opinions on: nationalisation, Britain's ties with America, Britain giving up Empire, capital punishment, power of big business/trade unions, preference for modern/traditional things, choice between reducing taxes or spending more on social services. Respondent was asked to agree/disagree with a number of statements about: national and local government and politics, teaching methods and education. Sympathies in strikes, assessment of local schools policy, respondent's definition of `comprehensive'. Experience of contact with and attitude to coloured people and immigrants. Background Variables Age, sex, marital status, age finished full-time education, number of children, type of accommodation, occupation, type of school attended, place of birth, religious affiliation, church attendance. Sex, education and employment status of children. First job after leaving school, mother's occupation prior to marriage, father's occupation when respondent 15 years old, membership of organisations and trade unions. Daily/weekly newspaper read (national and local), radical - conservative index, citizen duty index.
No information recorded
Face-to-face interview
