Society never stands still. In fact, the pace of change seems to accelerate as time goes by. Some members of the older generations, gripped by nostalgia for the good old days, look at the past through rose-tinted glasses, often forgetting the tough challenges they faced to survive and prosper. The young tend to care less about the past and look upon change as something that can help them fulfil their dreams.
Feeling the nation’s pulse is what political parties do in an informal way to help them define their electoral programmes, in the hope of meeting the aspirations of those who can give them power. National non-partisan surveys are less common but are a vital instrument in helping society gauge its past successes and failures and define more clearly where it wants to be in the years to come.
It is therefore encouraging that President George Vella has set in motion a State of the Nation survey and conference. This research exercise comes at a critical time when the onset of a once-in-a-century global medical crisis could drastically alter many aspects of our lives.
It also follows closely after another commendable initiative by the president, the National Unity Conference. Vella, who is also steering the process of further constitutional reform, is increasingly taking on the role of leading the country in pauses for self-reflection, something so necessary amid the relentless change.
A State of the Nation survey aims to identify the significant challenges facing the country and the world in general. It asks what trends and ideas interest the majority of people. It seeks to articulate collective concerns and understand the direction of the country. Such a survey obtains an assessment of the nation’s most outstanding economic, social and political trends and measures the degree of optimism, pessimism and polarisation that currently exist in society.
Experts in statistics and communications will lead the State of the Nation process. Hopefully, the result will provide sufficient information to help sociologists, economists, political scientists and psychologists understand what the Maltese think about their society’s critical issues today. When these surveys start to be repeated in the future, they will help us compare how previous generations thought about their challenges.
There will undoubtedly be hot topics that survey respondents will have to address objectively and dispassionately. These will include the cost of living; the quality of education and health systems; the environment; jobs; crime; house prices; immigration; taxation; transport; perceptions of our political parties; the role of the Church and religion in society; racial pluralism; and the growing gap between rich and poor.
The president was right when he said: “While we continue to be critical of all that is wrong around us, we must cherish all the positive that we have gained wisely and carefully over time.”
Hopefully, the discussion about the survey results, to take place in a public conference planned for June, will steer away from the polarised and confrontational rhetoric that so often characterises local political debate.
We live in an increasingly complex social and economic environment. From the changing role of women and the pace of globalisation, to the breakneck speed of technological change and rapid environmental degradation, the Maltese, like most European citizens, are surrounded and influenced by the constant change that characterises life in the 21st century.
The State of the Nation research results should help policymakers understand the shifting trends that are shaping our society and help them plan for a better future for today’s and tomorrow’s generations.