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(11/08/09) -

People Differ on Who Deserves Credit for the Collapse of Communism

For Immediate Release Special Report – Three-Country Survey Page 1 of 9 BERLIN WALL – TWENTY YEARS LATER People Differ on Who Deserves Credit for the Collapse of Communism While Britons and Canadians believe Mikhail Gorbachev and Lech Walesa deserve “Most of the Credit”, Americans overwhelmingly choose Ronald Reagan. [VANCOUVER - Nov. 7, [...]

For Immediate Release
Special Report – Three-Country Survey
Page 1 of 9
BERLIN WALL – TWENTY YEARS LATER
People Differ on Who Deserves Credit
for the Collapse of Communism
While Britons and Canadians believe Mikhail Gorbachev and Lech Walesa
deserve “Most of the Credit”, Americans overwhelmingly choose Ronald
Reagan.
[VANCOUVER - Nov. 7, 2009] – People in the
United States are more likely to say that former
U.S. president Ronald Reagan deserves credit for
the collapse of communism, while respondents in
Canada and Great Britain select former Soviet
leader Mikhail Gorbachev and Polish union leader
Lech Walesa, according to a new three-country
study by Angus Reid Strategies.
The online survey of representative national
samples asked respondents to assess the
performance of nine political figures of the 1980s,
and their effect in the eventual collapse of
communism.
For Americans, Reagan is the clear winner with
69 per cent of respondents claiming he deserves
a lot of credit or some of the credit for the collapse
of communism. More than half of people in the
U.S. also commend Gorbachev (56%) and British
Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher (57%) for their
efforts.
In Britain, only Gorbachev (57%) and Walesa
(56%) clear the 50 per cent mark, followed by
German chancellor Helmut Kohl (47%), Thatcher
(45%) and Reagan (44%).
In Canada, Gorbachev is seen as the most
important figure (65%), followed by Reagan
CONTACT:
Mario Canseco, Vice President, Public Affairs, 604-647-3570,
mario.canseco@angus-reid.com
KEY FINDINGS
U.S.: 36% say Reagan deserves “a lot”
of the credit for the collapse of
communism
Canada: 33% say Gorbachev deserves
“a lot” of the credit for the collapse of
communism
Britain: 28% say Walesa deserves “a
lot” of the credit for the collapse of
communism
Full topline results are at the end of this release.
From November 4 to November 6, 2009, Angus Reid Strategies
conducted an online survey among 1,003 randomly selected
Canadian adults who are Angus Reid Forum panelists, 1,011
American adults who are Springboard America panelists, and
2,000 British adults who are Springboard UK panelists. The
margin of error-which measures sampling variability-is +/-
3.1% for Canada, +/- 3.1% for the United States, and 2.2 per
cent for Great Britain. The results have been statistically
weighted according to the most current education, age, gender
and region Census data to ensure samples representative of the
entire adult population of Canada, the US and Great Britain.
Discrepancies in or between totals are due to rounding.



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For Immediate Release
Special Report – Three-Country Survey
Page 2 of 9
(58%), Thatcher (56%) and Walesa (52%). Canadians are more likely to select Reagan and Thatcher as
deserving “some of the credit”, and place former Canadian Prime Minister Brian Mulroney at the bottom of
the list with 25 per cent.
The survey also shows that a considerable proportion of people in the two North American countries
(47% in the U.S. and 44% in Canada) regard Pope John Paul II as an important player in the collapse of
communism, while Britons (31%) are decidedly more skeptical.
Former French President Francois Mitterrand, former U.S. President George H. W. Bush and Mulroney
are ranked in the bottom by respondents in all three countries.
Are Former Communist States Better Off Now?
Clear majorities of respondents in the three countries surveyed (72% in Britain, 67% in Canada, and 55%
in the U.S.) believe that the people in the former East Germany are better off now than they were two
decades ago.
Half of Canadians (50%) also see Poland and the Czech Republic as countries that are better off now
than under communism, followed by Hungary (43%), Russia (41%), Ukraine (39%), Slovakia (37%) and
Romania.
For Americans, Poland and Russia are tied at 38 per cent, followed by the Czech Republic (32%),
Hungary (30%), Ukraine (also 30%), Romania (29%) and Slovakia (27%).
In Britain, more than half of respondents believe Poland (62%), the Czech Republic (58%) and Hungary
(52%) are better off now than in 1989, followed by Slovakia (49%), Russia (47%), Romania (45%) and
Ukraine (43%).
Analysis
Americans have long been exposed to excerpts of Ronald Reagan’s June 1987 speech at the
Brandenburg Gate, where the president urged Gorbachev to “tear down” the Berlin Wall. People in the
United States clearly regard Reagan as the most important figure in the collapse of communism.
Britons are not as welcoming with the actions of their own head of government at the time, with Thatcher
failing to reach the 50 per cent mark on this question. As is the case with Canadians, people in Britain
tend to side with the notion that Gorbachev’s internal policies, and Walesa’s leadership, played a more
prominent role in the collapse of communism than Reagan’s actions.
CONTACT:
Mario Canseco, Vice President, Public Affairs, 604-647-3570,
mario.canseco@angus-reid.com



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For Immediate Release
Special Report – Three-Country Survey
Page 3 of 9
Collapse of Communism
CANADA
As you may know, twenty years have passed since the revolutions that led to the collapse of communism
in Eastern Europe. Overall, do you think the people in each one of these countries is now better off,
worse off, or about the same as they were twenty years ago?
Better Off
Worse off
About the same
Not sure
The former East Germany (now
part of unified Germany)
67%
4%
10%
20%
Poland
50%
4%
16%
29%
Czech Republic
50%
7%
12%
31%
Hungary
43%
5%
15%
37%
Russia
41%
16%
21%
23%
Ukraine
39%
11%
17%
33%
Slovakia
37%
8%
17%
39%
Romania
36%
8%
18%
38%
CONTACT:
Mario Canseco, Vice President, Public Affairs, 604-647-3570,
mario.canseco@angus-reid.com



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For Immediate Release
Special Report – Three-Country Survey
Page 4 of 9
Collapse of Communism
UNITED STATES
As you may know, twenty years have passed since the revolutions that led to the collapse of communism
in Eastern Europe. Overall, do you think the people in each one of these countries is now better off,
worse off, or about the same as they were twenty years ago?
Better Off
Worse off
About the same
Not sure
The former East Germany (now
part of unified Germany)
55%
6%
12%
28%
Poland
38%
6%
17%
39%
Russia
38%
14%
19%
29%
Czech Republic
32%
11%
15%
42%
Hungary
30%
7%
18%
45%
Ukraine
30%
13%
16%
41%
Romania
29%
9%
18%
43%
Slovakia
27%
11%
16%
46%
CONTACT:
Mario Canseco, Vice President, Public Affairs, 604-647-3570,
mario.canseco@angus-reid.com



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For Immediate Release
Special Report – Three-Country Survey
Page 5 of 9
Collapse of Communism
GREAT BRITAIN
As you may know, twenty years have passed since the revolutions that led to the collapse of communism
in Eastern Europe. Overall, do you think the people in each one of these countries is now better off,
worse off, or about the same as they were twenty years ago?
Better Off
Worse off
About the same
Not sure
The former East Germany (now
part of unified Germany)
72%
5%
9%
14%
Poland
62%
10%
12%
16%
Czech Republic
58%
8%
14%
21%
Hungary
52%
8%
16%
25%
Slovakia
49%
10%
16%
26%
Russia
47%
16%
17%
19%
Romania
45%
12%
19%
23%
Ukraine
43%
13%
18%
26%
CONTACT:
Mario Canseco, Vice President, Public Affairs, 604-647-3570,
mario.canseco@angus-reid.com



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For Immediate Release
Special Report – Three-Country Survey
Page 6 of 9
Collapse of Communism
CANADA
Below is a list of leaders. Overall, please say whether you think each one deserves a lot of credit, some of
the credit, or no credit at all for the collapse of communism in Eastern Europe.
A lot of credit
Some of the
credit
No credit at all
Not sure
Soviet leader
Mikhail Gorbachev
33%
32%
8%
27%
Polish union leader
Lech Walesa
26%
26%
7%
41%
U.S. President
Ronald Reagan
18%
40%
16%
26%
Pope John Paul II
15%
29%
25%
31%
British Prime Minister
Margaret Thatcher
14%
42%
14%
31%
German Chancellor
Helmut Kohl
11%
35%
10%
44%
French President
Francois Mitterrand
4%
28%
21%
47%
U.S. President
George H. W. Bush
4%
22%
47%
27%
Canadian Prime Minister
Brian Mulroney
3%
22%
45%
30%
CONTACT:
Mario Canseco, Vice President, Public Affairs, 604-647-3570,
mario.canseco@angus-reid.com



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For Immediate Release
Special Report – Three-Country Survey
Page 7 of 9
Collapse of Communism
UNITED STATES
Below is a list of leaders. Overall, please say whether you think each one deserves a lot of credit, some of
the credit, or no credit at all for the collapse of communism in Eastern Europe.
A lot of credit
Some of the
credit
No credit at all
Not sure
U.S. President
Ronald Reagan
36%
33%
12%
19%
Soviet leader
Mikhail Gorbachev
22%
34%
11%
32%
British Prime Minister
Margaret Thatcher
20%
37%
10%
33%
Polish union leader
Lech Walesa
18%
25%
9%
49%
Pope John Paul II
16%
31%
19%
34%
German Chancellor
Helmut Kohl
8%
30%
11%
51%
U.S. President
George H. W. Bush
8%
29%
38%
25%
Canadian Prime Minister
Brian Mulroney
5%
27%
18%
50%
French President
Francois Mitterrand
3%
24%
22%
51%
CONTACT:
Mario Canseco, Vice President, Public Affairs, 604-647-3570,
mario.canseco@angus-reid.com



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For Immediate Release
Special Report – Three-Country Survey
Page 8 of 9
Collapse of Communism
GREAT BRITAIN
Below is a list of leaders. Overall, please say whether you think each one deserves a lot of credit, some of
the credit, or no credit at all for the collapse of communism in Eastern Europe.
A lot of credit
Some of the
credit
No credit at all
Not sure
Polish union leader
Lech Walesa
28%
28%
9%
34%
Soviet leader
Mikhail Gorbachev
27%
30%
13%
30%
British Prime Minister
Margaret Thatcher
15%
30%
26%
29%
U.S. President
Ronald Reagan
11%
33%
26%
31%
German Chancellor
Helmut Kohl
10%
37%
15%
39%
Pope John Paul II
9%
22%
33%
36%
U.S. President
George H. W. Bush
5%
21%
42%
32%
Canadian Prime Minister
Brian Mulroney
4%
19%
26%
52%
French President
Francois Mitterrand
4%
26%
28%
43%
CONTACT:
Mario Canseco, Vice President, Public Affairs, 604-647-3570,
mario.canseco@angus-reid.com



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For Immediate Release
Special Report – Three-Country Survey
Page 9 of 9
Angus Reid Strategies is the public opinion practice of Vision Critical-a global research and technology
company specializing in custom online panels, private communities, and innovative online methods. Vision
Critical is a leader in the use of the Internet and rich media technology to collect high-quality, in-depth
insights for a wide array of clients. Dr. Angus Reid and the Angus Reid Strategies team are pioneers in
online research methodologies, and have been conducting online surveys since 1995
Vision Critical is now the largest Canadian-owned market research enterprise. In addition to its five
offices in Canada-located in Vancouver, Calgary, Regina, Toronto, and Montreal-the firm also has
offices in San Francisco, Chicago, New York, London, Paris and Sydney. Its team of specialists
provides solutions across every type and sector of research, and currently serves over 200
international clients.
Angus Reid Strategies polls are conducted using the Angus Reid Forum (www.angusreidforum.com),
Springboard America (www.springboardamerica.com) and Springboard UK
(www.springboarduk.com) online panels, which are carefully recruited to ensure representation
across all demographic and psychographic segments of these populations. Panel members pass
through rigorous screening and a double opt-in process ensuring highly motivated and responsive
members. These premier online survey platforms present respondents with highly visual, interactive,
and engaging surveys, ensuring that panel members provide thoughtful and reliable responses.
Each survey is actively sampled and weighted to model that characteristics of the universe required
and employs the latest in quality control techniques to ensure data validity.
Angus Reid Strategies, the only public opinion firm to exclusively use online methods to follow the
views of the electorate during the 2008 federal campaign, offered the most accurate prediction of the
results of Canada’s 40th election.
http://angusreidstrategies.com/uploads/pages/pdfs/2008.10.15_Election.pdf
Since 2006, Angus Reid Strategies has covered eight provincial elections in Canada-more than any
other pollster in the country-and the results have accurately predicted the outcome of each of these
democratic processes.
http://angusreidstrategies.com/uploads/pages/pdfs/2008.03.28_Anniversary_1.pdf
http://www.angusreidstrategies.com/uploads/pages/pdfs/2008.12.09_QuebecElection.pdf
http://www.angusreidstrategies.com/uploads/pages/pdfs/2009.05.13_BCElection.pdf
http://www.angusreidstrategies.com/uploads/pages/pdfs/2009.06.10_NSElection.pdf
More information on the way Angus Reid Strategies conducts public opinion research can be found
at
http://www.angusreidstrategies.com/uploads/pages/pdfs/ARS.ARF.WP.pdf
- 30 -
For more information, please contact
our spokesperson listed in the footnote.
Copies of this poll are available on our website:
www.angusreidstrategies.com
CONTACT:
Mario Canseco, Vice President, Public Affairs, 604-647-3570,
mario.canseco@angus-reid.com