Widespread nostalgia for the old days, with many saying things were better back in 1975
Ipsos, one of the world's leading market research companies, announces the release of a new 30-country research study. Halfway through the decade, and a quarter of the way through the 21st century, we ask people to assess how life today compares with 50 years ago. Key GB findings of the Is Life Getting Better? report include:
Given the choice, people would prefer to have been born in 1975 rather than 2025 by a margin of almost two to one. This is despite 61% of British people not having been born in 1975. Over half of Britons, 52%, say they would rather have been born then, compared with a quarter (24%) who say they prefer today.
Britain is one of the most nostalgic countries. Only France, Belgium and Mexico record greater proportions saying they’d prefer to be born in 1975.
There’s a prevailing sense that people were happier in the old days. 63% say Britain was a happier place in 1975, with just 12% feeling the mood is better right now.
Britons think the streets were safer back in 1975. Six in ten (60%) Britons say they believe things were safer fifty years ago (just 17% say things are better now). By a 44% to 16% margin, they also think that 1975 was a better time when it comes to living without fear of war or conflict.
It’s not all bad news though: 47% say healthcare is in better shape now (versus 32% who say it was better in 1975). The public is also more likely to believe that education has improved (42%) rather than deteriorated (35%).
When it comes to our standard of living, Britons are divided. 39% say things are better now, whereas 37% say that living standards were higher in the mid-1970s, despite the economic problems of the time. It's worth noting, according to Ipsos' longest standing Issues Index, that inflation was a top concern for 81% of Britons back then - an issue that, despite its resurgence, ranks much lower today at only 22%.
Commenting on the findings, Trinh Tu, UK Managing Director, Ipsos Public Affairs said:
These results reflect a widespread dissatisfaction with the current direction of our country, a persistent theme in recent years. Consequently, when we ask people to compare present times with the past, they perceive a nation that was happier and more secure.
It's worth noting that life in 1975 wasn't all smooth sailing. The economy was struggling, inflation was high, and social tensions were running strong - things that complicate the idea that those years were simply “better times”.
And as always, research like this highlights the distinctive characteristics of each country. The British, for instance, are famously protective of our National Health Service and proud of its achievements. Therefore, it’s unsurprising to see the British public acknowledge that healthcare quality is one aspect that has actually improved since 1975.
*The “30-country average” reflects the average result for all the countries and markets where the survey was conducted. It has not been adjusted to the population size of each country or market and is not intended to suggest a total result.
Technical note:
Ipsos interviewed a total of 23,172 adults aged 18 years and older in India, 18-74 in Canada, Republic of Ireland, Malaysia, South Africa, Türkiye, and the United States, 20-74 in Thailand, 21-74 in Indonesia and Singapore, and 16-74 in all other countries.
The sample consists of approximately 1,000 individuals each in Australia, Belgium, Brazil, Canada, France, Germany, Great Britain, Indonesia, Italy, Japan, Spain, Türkiye, and the U.S., and 500 individuals each in Argentina, Chile, Colombia, Hungary, Ireland, Malaysia, Mexico, the Netherlands, Peru, Poland, Romania, Singapore, South Africa, South Korea, Sweden, and Thailand. The sample in India consists of approximately 2,200 individuals, of whom approximately 1,800 were interviewed face-to-face and 400 were interviewed online.
