Swedish election study 1968

The 1968 election study is almost twice as big as the earlier election studies, largely because of the goal of the survey, which was to cover the system of representation. A separate study, addressed to the Members of Parliament, included similar questions put in this study of the electorate. In this way a comparison of the opinions of the electorate and the opinions of the MP´s is possible. Except the questions repeated in all election studies, this study includes questions on employment, public representation on bank boards, agricultural policy, income tax, privately-owned TV-companies, religion, aid to developing countries, defence expenditures, and the Common Market. There are also a number of questions about how different groups are treated by the authorities. It also includes questions about the respondent´s sympathies for different groups in society. This study also introduces the left-right scale, a ten degree scale on which the respondent positions the political parties according to the respondent´s opinion of the party as a left-wing, centre or right-wing party. The 1968 study is the second stage in the 1964-1968-1970 panel study.

Purpose:

Explain why people vote as they do and why an election ends in a particular way. Track and follow trends in the Swedish electoral democracy and make comparisons with other countries.