Original scientific paper
CONSCIENCE ON THE BORDER-LINE BETWEEN PROGRESS AND SURVIVAL
Ivan Cifrić
; Faculty of Philosophy, Zagreb
Abstract
The article discusses the empirical research work on perception of the development, checking on the probability of existence of the concepts of zero growth, exponential growth and sustainable development in the minds of the examined group members.
The research work was made on the basis of a survey carried out in 1992 in Croatia on the representative random sample of 547 students of the universities in Rijeka and Zagreb. The instrument contained 35 statements with the adjoining scale of Likert type. The research studied the following problems: natural resources, energy resources, demography problems, food and pollution sources.
The most acceptable statements conceptually belong to the „zero growth', and „sustainable development", while some aspects of „exponential growth“ appear to be the least acceptable. Majority of the examined people does not accept any more the „luxurious and wasteful“ concept of development.
The factor analysis has separated 7 dimensions explaining 48% of total variance. Factors identified after the „oblimin“ transformation of the basic solution are: the development based on the economic use and saving of the natural resources, demographic balance, optimistic attitude regarding resources, improvement of the food quality and changing of the nutritional habits, restricted resources limiting the expenditure, desirability of demographic expansion, ceasing of the growth and limiting of the production in order to diminish the pollution.
The research has shown that the development is perceived within the concrete social context and that the conscience about the development lies on the border-line between the desirability of the growth and the challenge of the quality: between the progress and survival - between the old and new paradigms
Keywords
crisis of the progress; development; growth; survival; sustainable development
Hrčak ID:
138912
URI
Publication date:
15.1.1993.
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