American, British, French and German views on equal opportunities in life
Published on 09/01/2019.
A large majority of French, British and American people say that they agree with the idea that everyone should be treated equally, and have the same opportunities in life.
The principle of equal opportunity and treatment for everyone, everywhere, appears to be a universal principle. Only 3% of French people and 6% of British people, for example, disagree with this view.
However, the question does not delve deeper into just how this idea of equality of opportunity translates into practical measures (and costs). For example, we do not see the same levels of support when respondents are asked about welcoming migrants or refugees. And yet the principle motivation for those who leave their country is the hope of finding a better (more equal) life somewhere else.
This data comes from our survey conducted by the YouGov Institute and piloted by the research team at University College London and the University of Birmingham as part of the project Aid Attitudes Tracker which measures the evolution of opinions and behaviors on issues of international solidarity in four countries.
