Recent polls show that the most popular genres among Ukrainian readers are crime fiction (41% of respondents), historical works (36%) and love stories (27%). As Sophie Hannah, a bestselling novelist and poet, put it, many literary novels have fantastic plots, and some crime novels are as dull as a puddle in a potholed pavement – nevertheless, as a genre, crime always promises suspense and action in a way that general and literary fiction does not.
At the same time, male (20%) are far more likely than female (12%) respondents to prefer genres such as science fiction, popular science literature (16% versus 9%) and fantasy (14% vs. 9%). By contrast, women (42%) are more likely than men (6%) to have a preference for love stories and fairy tales (10% vs. 2%).
Thursday, February 27, 2020
Friday, February 14, 2020
Most Ukrainians don't trust their democracy, survey finds
Polls indicate that the citizens of Ukraine, who give preference to money over democracy, are still more than those who value democracy above grivnas. According to official figures, 47% of respondents believe that prosperity is more important than democracy, with 38% thinking the opposite.
Residents of the cities of Mariupol (22% of respondents) and Odessa (22%), as well as Nikolaev (24%), are the least supportive of democracy. A majority of Khmelnitsky and Zhitomir residents (24%) have not decided which category is more important to them.
Reportedly, dissatisfaction with democracy is rooted in the belief that democracy is not working – that it is unable or unwilling to deal with citizens’ demands and concerns. And there is evidence the dissatisfied are right: over time, politicians, parties and governments have become less responsive to a broad cross-section of Ukrainian opinion.
According to Sheri Berman, a professor of political science at Barnard College, Columbia University, democracy is, by definition, “rule by the people”. This does not require a perfect correspondence between some impossible to define “will of the people” and political outcomes, but it does require that the divergence between the two not be too great. In addition, political equality is the heart of democracy: some citizens cannot be systematically and permanently more powerful or impactful than others. It is hard to recognize much less solve large social and economic problems if politicians, parties and governments are primarily responsive to elites or narrow groups of voters, rather than broad, cross-sections of the population.
Residents of the cities of Mariupol (22% of respondents) and Odessa (22%), as well as Nikolaev (24%), are the least supportive of democracy. A majority of Khmelnitsky and Zhitomir residents (24%) have not decided which category is more important to them.
Reportedly, dissatisfaction with democracy is rooted in the belief that democracy is not working – that it is unable or unwilling to deal with citizens’ demands and concerns. And there is evidence the dissatisfied are right: over time, politicians, parties and governments have become less responsive to a broad cross-section of Ukrainian opinion.
According to Sheri Berman, a professor of political science at Barnard College, Columbia University, democracy is, by definition, “rule by the people”. This does not require a perfect correspondence between some impossible to define “will of the people” and political outcomes, but it does require that the divergence between the two not be too great. In addition, political equality is the heart of democracy: some citizens cannot be systematically and permanently more powerful or impactful than others. It is hard to recognize much less solve large social and economic problems if politicians, parties and governments are primarily responsive to elites or narrow groups of voters, rather than broad, cross-sections of the population.
Thursday, February 6, 2020
Pension spending to account for 9.8% of GDP
According to the Ministry of Social Policy of Ukraine, 25% of the population is officially employed, while 27% of Ukrainian citizens receive pensions. Over the course of last year a monthly pension increased by 16.5% and has averaged 3,830 grivnas in this cash-strapped East European country as of January 1.
Natalya Nenyuchenko, Deputy Minister of Social Policy, said pension spending accounted for 11% of GDP last year. In 2020 it is expected to make up 9.8% of GDP.
Natalya Nenyuchenko, Deputy Minister of Social Policy, said pension spending accounted for 11% of GDP last year. In 2020 it is expected to make up 9.8% of GDP.
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