Introduction

The Center for Strategic Studies at the University of Jordan conducted an opinion poll on democracy in Jordan during the period between Nov. 11 and Nov. 30, 2008.  The completed national sample included 1152 respondents from an original 1200, and the national sample was distributed among the districts as shown in Table 1.  42 individuals refused to participate in the poll (the participation rate was 96%).  This is the 15^th annual poll the Center has conducted as part of the study of democratic transformation in Jordan.

The poll aims to identify the views of Jordanians about the democratic transformation in Jordan in general.  It measures the level of democracy as perceived by citizens, identifies what democracy means to Jordanians, what type of political system Jordanians prefer, and what political system they perceive as the best to address the issues of poverty, unemployment, and financial and administrative corruption.  Additionally, the poll measures the extent to which public freedoms are guaranteed and explores the factors that pose the largest obstacles to democracy in Jordan.  The poll also tackles the extent of participation in the 15th parliamentary elections, and the political orientations for which citizens voted.  The poll also addresses audio-visual media and people’s degree of confidence in it with regard to local, Arab, and international political news.  The most important results of the poll are presented below.

I.  Concept of Democracy

Most Jordanians conceptualize democracy as closely related to civil and political liberties.  This understanding, in essence, does not differ from the concept of democracy in advanced democratic countries. Since the 1999 poll and until the time of this poll, 63% of total responses defined democracy as civil liberties and political rights.  Alongside this political perception of democracy, there is a sociological understanding that defines democracy by linking it with justice and equality (21%), and with social, political and economic development (11%).  A small percentage of respondents defined democracy as security and stability (4%), as shown in Figure 1.