Good Life - at what price?

"Good Life" is becoming important Sweden since an increasing trend is found between 1988 and 2006; 52% of people are answering that it was "Very Important" in 1988 whereas 61% did so in 2006.

For this we are ready to sacrifice: "A Clean Earth", 80% in 1988 to 54% in 2006; "The Security of Our Country", 69% in 1988 to 60% in 2006; "Health", 91% in 1988 to 85% in 2006; "Honesty", 89% in 1992 to 80% in 2006; "True Friendship", 78% in 1990 to 70% in 2006; "A World in Peace", 88% in 1988 to 79% in 2006.

There are even slightly falling trends for "Freedom" and "Justice". "Love", however, is lying constant at 75% answering that it is "Very Important".

Only 5-10% of Swedes think "Power", "Richness" and "Salvation" is "Very Important".

The data can be found in a table at Svenska Trender 1988 till 2006 by Sören Holmberg and Lennart Weibull. I transfered the data from every second year over on an Excel sheet and made a diagram for visualization of the trends. Unfortunately I could not transfer the diagram over to blogger. Seems to be the wrong file format.

See also Henrik Oscarsson. Here and here. Henrik Oscarsson has also written a book chapter on the subject which adds information.

I have been trying to come up with an analysis of these results other than the one I'm depicting with the title of the post. The development does not look good. The question is if governance by the Alliansen can revert it or if it is part of history. I'm not sure that I agree with Henrik Oscarsson that there are few changes in trends. I see quite a few and they are mostly bad. Especially the falling trends in the top four terminal Rokeach values, Health, Freedom, Honesty and a World in Peace.