Majority favors social progress over economic growth in the wake of the coronavirus pandemic
A new Ipsos survey in partnership with the Social Progress Imperative indicates that a majority across countries hit hardest by the COVID-19 pandemic want social progress – rather than economic growth – to be at the fore as the crisis continues and once it ends.
Conducted among a random sample of over 10,000 adults from 13 countries, the survey finds that seven in ten are prioritising the health and well-being of the population over GDP, and more than half want improved social outcomes to remain a priority even after the pandemic is over.
Though young people are least likely to suffer severe cases of the virus and most likely to experience negative consequences as a result of the pandemic’s economic impact, the survey found that the youngest respondents were the most likely to report prioritising social progress. Two in three respondents under 24 (66%) wanted their country to focus on improving social outcomes, compared with just two in five (40%) of those over 50, who are most at risk.
Among the countries in which the virus is most pervasive – the U.S., Brazil, Chile, and Peru – nearly three in four (72%) reported wanting to prioritise health and well-being in the near-term, and a majority (52%) reported wanting to continue prioritising social outcomes in the longer term, even after the pandemic ends.
