WASHINGTON, June 3, 2011 /PRNewswire/ -- In a rapidly
diversifying America, whites and minorities share many common views
about what it takes to succeed in today's economy and a cultural
optimism about the progress America has made in expanding
opportunity for people of all ethnic and racial backgrounds.
However, they diverge in revealing ways about the role of
government, the opportunities they see for the next generation, and
the consequences of demographic change, according to poll results
announced today by The Allstate Corporation (NYSE: ALL) and
National Journal.
With the U.S. population projected to become "majority-minority"
by 2042, the ninth quarterly Allstate-National Journal
Heartland Monitor Poll examined questions of economic opportunity
and beliefs about the future of America across a spectrum of racial
and ethnic groups.
The poll results show significant agreement about economic
opportunity and the path to success in America. Most Americans
believe the U.S. has made real progress on economic opportunity,
with 55% saying the country is doing a better job now at creating
equal opportunity across ethnic and racial lines than when they
were younger. By a 2-1 margin, Americans believe that our free
market economy is successful at creating more opportunity than
problems. Across all backgrounds, education was considered the most
important factor for success in America, followed by the state of
the economy and an individual's own skills, while only 2% of
respondents believed it was a person's racial or ethnic
background.
The results also show that Americans of all backgrounds believe
that economic divides between rich and poor are the most
significant contributor to disagreements on important issues – a
greater wedge than ethnic, racial, or cultural divides.
"Our survey uncovers that a more diverse America is a more
hopeful America – one that sees opportunities available to all,
regardless of race or ethnic background," said Thomas J. Wilson, Allstate chairman,
president and chief executive officer. "This optimism in the
American dream is further illustrated by the belief that education,
individual initiative and hard work are the keys to success. The
poll reveals there is common ground as we work to harness the power
of our diverse nation to make us all stronger and more successful.
Americans of all backgrounds believe disagreements in this country
on important issues are driven more by income differences than any
other difference, including ethnic or cultural divides."
However, the survey points out notable divides in three areas:
Americans' opinions on the role of government in fostering economic
opportunity, the opportunities they foresee for the next
generation, and the potential costs and benefits of the demographic
change sweeping America. While a plurality of white respondents
(42%) said they believe "government is the problem" for our
economic environment, only 25% of Hispanics, 17% of
African-Americans, and 16% of Asians hold that view. There is a
significant partisan divide here as well, with 58% of Republicans
saying government is the problem, compared to 36% of independents
and 18% of Democrats.
Despite optimism about their own opportunities, a large majority
of Americans are concerned for the next generation, with only 33%
saying they believe today's children will have more opportunity to
get ahead. Whites (24%) and Asians (37%) are significantly less
likely to be optimistic for today's children, while
African-Americans (57%) and Hispanics (56%) are more hopeful.
"This poll offers many reasons for optimism that more diversity
in America is not guaranteed to produce greater division, but it
also underscores the risk that racial and ethnic divisions could
reinforce the ideological and partisan splits we're already
experiencing," said Ronald
Brownstein, Editorial Director of National Journal
Group.
Key findings from the ninth Allstate-National Journal
Heartland Monitor Poll (PDF) include:
1) Americans share optimism about opportunity for
themselves and the progress America has made on equal opportunity
for all people. They are less optimistic for the next generation,
and there are considerable differences by race and
ethnicity.
- Most Americans believe they have about the same or more
opportunity to get ahead than their parents had, with 44% saying
they have more opportunity, 24% saying it's about the same, and 29%
saying they have less opportunity.
- African-Americans (69% see more opportunity), Hispanics (62%),
and Asians (67%) are particularly optimistic about their
opportunities compared to their parents.
- White Americans are less optimistic, with only 36% saying they
have more opportunity than their parents did.
- Most Americans (55%) believe the country is providing more
opportunity for people of all racial and ethnic backgrounds than
when they were younger, while 30% say it is about the same, and
only 14% say it is providing less.
- Americans are less optimistic about opportunities for the next
generation, with only 33% believing that today's children will have
more opportunity to get ahead. This continues a pattern from
previous Heartland Monitor polls.
- African-Americans (57% see more opportunity) and Hispanics
(56%) are more optimistic for the next generation than are Asians
(37%) and whites (24%).
- When asked to choose the most important factor in determining a
person's ability to get ahead, Americans cite education most often
(39%), followed by the state of the economy (23%), a person's own
skills (22%), and a person's income level (9%). Only 2% of
respondents chose a person's ethnic or racial background as the
most important factor.
- Hispanics (53% education) and African-Americans (51%) were most
likely to choose education, while whites were more closely divided
between education (34%), economic conditions (28%), and a person's
own skills (23%).
2) Americans of all backgrounds believe that the country's
free market system works to create opportunity. Views on the role
of government are more divergent, and show division along racial
and ethnic lines, as well as partisan ones.
- A strong majority of Americans express support for the free
market economy, with 62% who say that, left to itself, the free
market creates more opportunities than problems, while just 32%
believe that it creates more problems than opportunities.
- Whites (63%-31%), Hispanics (61%-30%) and Asians (61%-28%) are
consistent in this belief, while African-Americans (49%-43%) are
more split.
- Partisan differences are more dramatic, between Republicans
(79% more opportunities than problems), independents (59%), and
Democrats (52%).
- On the role of government in the economy, Americans are split
among those who believe that "government is the problem" (36%),
those who believe government should play an active role in the
economy but are skeptical about its effectiveness (34%), and those
who believe the government must play an active role (27%).
- A plurality of whites (42%) say government is the problem,
compared to only 25% of Hispanics, 17% of African-Americans, and
16% of Asians.
- People of color are more likely to unreservedly endorse an
active role, including 42% of African-Americans, 37% of Hispanics,
and 36% of Asians.
- Partisan differences also show up dramatically, with 58% of
Republicans saying government is the problem, compared to 36% of
independents and only 18% of Democrats. White Republicans (64%) are
especially wary.
- When asked which institution in society does the most to
improve their lives, 31% of Americans say small businesses, 22% say
community and nonprofit organizations, 14% say the government, 12%
say big companies and 12% say religious institutions.
- African-Americans (22%), Hispanics (22%), and Asians (23%) are
twice as likely as whites (11%) to say government does the
most.
3) Americans of all backgrounds believe disagreements in this
country on important issues are driven more by income differences
than any other difference, including ethnic or cultural
divides.
- Across all racial and ethnic lines, economic differences
between rich and poor were consistently rated more important than
political, cultural, generational, ethnic and racial, or religious
differences as a factor contributing to Americans' disagreements
about important issues. A total of 57% rated economic differences
at the high end of the scale, indicating they contribute "a great
deal" to disagreements about important issues, while fewer than 46%
assigned the same importance to cultural, ethnic/racial,
generational or religious differences. The only factor that
approached economic differences in importance was political
differences, rated at the high end of the scale by 51% of
respondents.
- Hispanics rated cultural differences between native-born
Americans and immigrants more important than other groups (57%
chose the high end of the scale, versus 45% for all groups
combined). African-Americans rated ethnic and racial differences
more important than other groups (54% chose the high end of the
scale, versus 35% for all groups). However, both Hispanics and
African-Americans still rated those two factors well below economic
differences in importance.
4) Americans are deeply ambivalent about the rapidly changing
demographic face of the country and its impact on American culture
and politics.
- When informed that the U.S. is expected to have a
"majority-minority" population by 2042, a full 50% of Americans
agreed with the idea that the demographic trends are troubling
because the population change is happening too quickly and changing
the character and values of the U.S. during a time of economic
crisis.
- Majorities of whites (53%) and African-Americans (51%) took
this position.
- Among whites, older (56%), less-educated (58%), lower-income
(56%), and Republican (59%) respondents were most likely to hold
this view.
- Among African-Americans, younger (55%), less-educated (56%) and
lower-income (56%) respondents were most likely to hold this
view.
- The alternative view – that the trends reflect a positive
American tradition of welcoming all backgrounds and that immigrant
and minority populations contribute to America's position as the
world's largest economy – was agreed with by 42% of respondents,
including 60% of Hispanics and 62% of Asians.
- A majority of Americans believe increased diversity will lead
to both more racial tolerance (85%) and more racial tension (67%),
as well as more success for minority-owned businesses (84%), more
income inequality (64%), fewer skilled workers (62%), and fewer
people upholding America's cultural heritage (63%).
- While 41% of Americans overall say racial and ethnic minorities
have about the right amount of influence in the political process,
people of color widely agree that they have too little, including
60% of African-Americans, 51% of Hispanics, and 53% of Asians.
5) Americans remain pessimistic about the direction of the
country, but President Obama's approval rating has improved
slightly since the last poll. Opinions of the President and the
country's direction show sharp racial and ethnic divides.
- Americans are still pessimistic about the direction of the
country, with 58% saying it is on the wrong track, down only
slightly from 60% in the March 2011
Heartland Monitor poll.
- While 66% of whites say the country is on the wrong track, 57%
of African-Americans say it is headed in the right direction.
- President Obama's approval (50%) and disapproval (42%) numbers
have improved slightly since March, when they were 49%-44%.
- Whites (43% approve) are much less likely to approve of the
president's job performance than Hispanics (65%), Asians (70%), or
African-Americans (90%).
- Whites (34% Obama, 54% someone else) are the only group who
would not vote to re-elect President Obama today. Obama wins with
Asians (49%-25%), Hispanics (52%-36%), and African-Americans
(89%-5%).
- Ethnic and racial minorities are also much more likely to
believe the country's economy will improve over the next 12 months,
including 86% of African-Americans, 80% of Asians, and 74% of
Hispanics, compared to just 54% of whites.
Notes to Editors
Survey Methodology
A nationally representative survey of American adults
conducted May 18-23, 2011, among
N=1,427 American adults age 18+. Respondents were reached via
landline and cell phone. The survey included extra interviews in
order to reach a significant number of African-Americans (N=305),
Hispanics (N=304 total interviews), and Asians (N=110).
Hispanic respondents were given the option to take the survey
in English or Spanish.
The data for the total American public represents all
interviews conducted, weighted to N=1,000 interviews to match the
demographic profile and geographic distribution of the country.
For purposes of this analysis, "white" adults refers to
non-Hispanic whites, while "African-American/Black" adults refers
to non-Hispanic African-American/Blacks. "Hispanics"
self-identified as being of Hispanic, Latino, or Spanish descent,
regardless of racial background.
About Allstate
The Allstate Corporation (NYSE: ALL) is the nation's largest
publicly held personal lines insurer known for its "You're In Good
Hands With Allstate®" slogan. Now celebrating its 80th anniversary
as an insurer, Allstate is reinventing protection and retirement to
help nearly 16 million households insure what they have today and
better prepare for tomorrow. Consumers access Allstate insurance
products (auto, home, life and retirement) and services through
Allstate agencies, independent agencies, and Allstate exclusive
financial representatives in the U.S. and Canada, as well as via www.allstate.com and
1-800 Allstate®. For an overview of the other Allstate-National
Journal Heartland Monitor Polls, visit
http://www.allstate.com/heartland-monitor. Additional information
is available at www.storiesfromtheheartland.com.
About National Journal Group
Since 1969, National Journal Group has provided insight for
insiders through nonpartisan reporting on current political and
policy issues as well as tools professionals need to do their jobs
well. National Journal Group properties include National
Journal, National Journal Daily, NationalJournal.com,
The Hotline, The Almanac of American Politics and Global
Security Newswire.
About FD
One of the most highly regarded consultancies in the
communications industry, FD employs more than 750 staff and advises
more than 1,000 clients worldwide through its hub offices in
London and New York, as well as its network of wholly
owned offices in Bahrain,
Beijing, Bogota, Boston, Brussels, Cape
Town, Chicago, Dubai, Dublin, Frankfurt, Hong
Kong, Johannesburg,
Los Angeles, Manchester, Melbourne, Moscow, Panama City, Paris, San
Francisco, Shanghai,
Sydney and Washington, DC. With a 20-year history
of advising clients in both the private and public sectors, FD's
services include financial public relations, capital markets
communications, public affairs, crisis and issues management and
corporate, business-to-business and business-to-consumer
communications. FD is also a market leader in M&A
advisory work. FD is structured around specialist sector
teams operating on an international basis, covering consumer
industries, financial services, basic industries, business
services, life sciences & healthcare, media, real estate,
technology and telecommunications. FD is a division of FTI
Consulting Inc. (NYSE: FCN), the global business advisory firm.
For more information, please visit www.fd.com.
SOURCE The Allstate Corporation