DEVELOPMENT

question cannot be given before the completion of the
ongoing, sixth wave of the survey, because the positions
of the countries on the map of world values are
not absolute, but relative, and computed in comparison
to other countries. However, based on the data from
the survey conducted in Estonia in 2011, it is possible
to make reasoned assumptions about whether, and to
what degree, the values of the Estonian population have
changed in ten years. If we proceed from Inglehart’s cultural
change theory (Inglehart 1997; Inglehart & Welzel
2005), which was described above, for which the main
thrust mechanism is the state’s socio-economic development,
a certain emergence of self-expressive values
could accompany an increase in the country’s national
wealth. However, has Estonia’s economic development
been sufficient to ensure Estonia’s population a sense
of material and physical security, without which the
emergence of post-materialist and self-expressive values
is not possible? To find an answer to this question, the
changes in values in Estonia, from 1999 to 2011, are
analysed below according to the individual indicators
that form the basis for Inglehart’s cultural values dimensions
(see Table 1.5.1). In order to obtain a longer time
span for the value changes, the results from the 1990
and 1996 surveys, have been added in the cases where
they are available.
Intentionally, and not at all incidentally, this
chapter examines the values of the entire population,
without distinguishing between Estonians, Russians
or members of other nationalities. Although numerous
earlier surveys have shown that significant differences
continue to exist in the value preferences of Estonians
and non-Estonians (see Kalmus & Vihalemm 2004;
Lauristin et al. 1997; Magun & Rudnev 2010; Tart 2011;
Figure 1.5.2
The percentage of the Estonian population from 1996 to
2011 who are of the opinion that greater respect for authority,
in the near future, is “good”, “don’t mind” or “bad”.
Percentage
Bad Don’t mind Good
90
80
70
60
50
40
30
20
10
0
1996 1999 2008 2011
Source: World Values Survey and European Values Survey
Tart, Sõmer & Lilleoja 2012), including the fact that the
values of the Russian-speaking population underwent
a greater change during the transition period (Kalmus
& Vihalemm 2004; Lauristin, et al. 1997), this chapter
is based on Estonian society as a whole, as is typical
of large comparative international surveys. (Also in the
data for the other countries, the respondents are not
differentiated on the basis of whether they belong to a
majority or minority group).
1.5.5
Secular-rational versus traditional values
The focus of secular-rational versus traditional values is
the belief in the importance of a higher power, be this
authority of God, the state or head of the family. The
percentage of Estonia’s population (45%) that believes
that greater respect for authority, in the near future, is a
good thing has remained at the same level from 1996 2 to
2008, but decreased noticeably in 2011. Thus, in the last
survey wave, compared to earlier ones, there has been
an increase in the percentage of the Estonian population
that believes that greater respect for authority tends to
be a bad thing, or who have no opinion in this regard
(see Figure 1.5.2).
Based on the data from the latest World Values
Survey, 3 in regard to the importance placed on authority,
Estonia places fourth from last, among 32 countries
– only the South Korea (27%), Sweden (23%) and Japan
(5%) have a smaller percentage of people who believe that
greater respect for authority is good in the near future.
The percentage of Estonia’s population that considered
God to be very important in their lives has
increased by six percent, compared to 1999 (answers to
the question could be given on a scale of 1 (“not at all
important”) to 10 (“very important”). The percentage,
which totalled 28% of the respondents in 2011, was
computed based on those who gave answers from 7 to
10 (see Inglehart, Basanez, Diez-Medrano, Halman &
Luijkx 2004). Despite the small increase for this indicator,
Estonia places second from last in a comparison
with 32 countries – only in Sweden are there even
fewer people (22%) who consider God to be important
in their lives.
An important component in the assessment of
traditional versus secular-rational values is what qualities
people consider to be important for children to
learn at home. An emphasis on independence and
determination, perseverance refer to secular-rational
values, while stressing religiousness and obedience
refer to traditional values. In Estonia, from 1990 to
2008, 4 the importance of raising children to be determined
and perseverant has slowly decreased, while the
percentage of people who believe that children should
be raised to be religious and obedient has somewhat
2 The survey conducted in Estonia in 1990 does not include this question.
3 Here and below: this is unofficial and initial data from the 6 th wave of the World Values Survey (2010-2012), which includes data from 32
countries, and which, as of January 2013, was only available to the survey’s national coordinators.
4 Due to the change in methodology, it is not possible to use the data from the 2011 survey. If in earlier surveys, eleven possible choices were
provided and the respondents had to choose the five most important qualities that should be encouraged in children, in the survey conducted
in Estonia in 2011, the respondents were asked to indicate whether each of the eleven qualities were important or not.
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Estonian Human Development Report 2012/2013