Social Bases of West German Politics, 1953 (ICPSR 7104)
Principal Investigator(s): UNESCO Institut fur
Sozialwissenschaften This study, conducted in West Germany prior
to the federal election in September 1953, covered four main
areas: politics, the respondents' occupational background,
family relations, and social relations. Respondents were asked
about their intended vote in 1953 and their past vote in 1949.
Additional questions explored the extent of the respondents'
political information and political interest, and how often and
with whom they discussed politics. The occupational background
section of the interview probed whether respondents had achieved
their occupational goals in life. Employed respondents were
queried about their occupational histories and job satisfaction,
while unemployed respondents were asked about their interest in
entering the labor force. Another portion of the study inquired
about the respondents' relationships with their families.
Variables assessed whether the respondents liv