When asked if people felt that their country's former colonies are now better or worse off because of colonization, the most common response was that colonization had left neither a positive nor negative legacy on these countries today, and the second most common answer was that the respondents did not know. In Britain and Japan, approximately one third of respondents felt that their countries' former colonies were now better off as a result of colonialism, while only 13 percent of respondents in Germany felt this way. Belgium and Italy had the highest share of respondents who felt that their countries' former colonies were now worse off due to colonialism. France had the highest combined share of respondents who felt their former colonies were better or worse off, suggesting that they had the strongest opinions on the subject; in contrast to the seventy percent of Germans who felt that their former colonies were neither better nor worse of or did not know how to answer.
Share of respondents who felt that the areas colonized by their country's former empire are now better off in 2019
The original question was: Overall do you think the countries that were colonized by [COUNTRY] are better off or worse off for being colonized, or has it made no difference?
Totals may not add up to 100 due to rounding.
Sample sizes were as follows:
Netherlands - 1,002
United Kingdom - 1,684
France - 1,003
Belgium - 1,004
Italy - 1,027
Japan - 1,023
Spain - 1,016
Germany - 2,172
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YouGov. (March 11, 2020). Share of respondents who felt that the areas colonized by their country's former empire are now better off in 2019 [Graph]. In Statista. Retrieved December 03, 2024, from https://www.statista.com/statistics/1103250/people-s-opinion-on-former-colonies-2019/
YouGov. "Share of respondents who felt that the areas colonized by their country's former empire are now better off in 2019." Chart. March 11, 2020. Statista. Accessed December 03, 2024. https://www.statista.com/statistics/1103250/people-s-opinion-on-former-colonies-2019/
YouGov. (2020). Share of respondents who felt that the areas colonized by their country's former empire are now better off in 2019. Statista. Statista Inc.. Accessed: December 03, 2024. https://www.statista.com/statistics/1103250/people-s-opinion-on-former-colonies-2019/
YouGov. "Share of Respondents Who Felt That The Areas Colonized by Their Country's Former Empire Are Now Better off in 2019." Statista, Statista Inc., 11 Mar 2020, https://www.statista.com/statistics/1103250/people-s-opinion-on-former-colonies-2019/
YouGov, Share of respondents who felt that the areas colonized by their country's former empire are now better off in 2019 Statista, https://www.statista.com/statistics/1103250/people-s-opinion-on-former-colonies-2019/ (last visited December 03, 2024)
Share of respondents who felt that the areas colonized by their country's former empire are now better off in 2019 [Graph], YouGov, March 11, 2020. [Online]. Available: https://www.statista.com/statistics/1103250/people-s-opinion-on-former-colonies-2019/