Williamsburg Charter Survey On Religion and Public Life, 1987

• Summary
• Codebook
• Search
• Download
• Results

RELDEM1 ASKED ONLY OF THOSE WHO THINK DEMOCRACY IN THE UNITED STATES WORKS BETTER IF AMERICANS ARE RELIGIOUS: Would you say religion is "absolutely required" for American democracy to work well, or that it is "helpful but not required" for democracy?   0) Not applicable   1) Absolutely essential   2) Helpful but not required   8) Don't know

Pie Chart Bar Chart Cumulative Bar Chart

Category	Frequency	Percentage	Cumulative Percentage	Z-Score
Not applicable	1898	56.5%	56.5%	-.71
Absolutely essential	430	12.8%	69.2%	.18
Helpful but not required	1005	29.9%	99.1%	1.08
Don't know	29	.9%	100%	6.46

Variable Comparisons

Sex Race Religion Political party Region Household income Age

Sex (I-SEX)

	Men	Women	TOTAL
Not applicable	56.6% 1079	56.2% 816	56.4% 1895
Absolutely essential	12.9% 246	12.7% 184	12.8% 430
Helpful but not required	29.6% 564	30.4% 441	29.9% 1005
Don't know	0.9% 18	0.8% 11	0.9% 29
TOTAL	100.0% 1907	100.0% 1452	3359

Race (I-RACE)

	Don't know	Black	All else	TOTAL
Not applicable	57.4% 109	64.7% 139	55.8% 1650	56.5% 1898
Absolutely essential	14.7% 28	9.8% 21	12.9% 381	12.8% 430
Helpful but not required	27.4% 52	24.7% 53	30.4% 900	29.9% 1005
Don't know	0.5% 1	0.9% 2	0.9% 26	0.9% 29
TOTAL	100.0% 190	100.0% 215	100.0% 2957	3362

Religion (I-RELIGION)

	Protestant	Catholic	Jewish	Other	No pref	TOTAL
Not applicable	49.4% 856	55.7% 483	70.8% 121	73.6% 173	74.4% 265	56.5% 1898
Absolutely essential	16.6% 287	10.6% 92	4.7% 8	8.9% 21	6.2% 22	12.8% 430
Helpful but not required	33.0% 572	32.9% 285	24.0% 41	16.6% 39	19.1% 68	29.9% 1005
Don't know	1.0% 18	0.8% 7	0.6% 1	0.9% 2	0.3% 1	0.9% 29
TOTAL	100.0% 1733	100.0% 867	100.0% 171	100.0% 235	100.0% 356	3362

Political party (I-PARTY)

	Republican	Democrat	Independen	Other	TOTAL
Not applicable	49.3% 559	60.2% 731	59.5% 444	61.1% 162	56.4% 1896
Absolutely essential	17.9% 203	10.0% 121	9.9% 74	12.1% 32	12.8% 430
Helpful but not required	31.5% 358	29.3% 356	29.8% 222	26.0% 69	29.9% 1005
Don't know	1.3% 15	0.5% 6	0.8% 6	0.8% 2	0.9% 29
TOTAL	100.0% 1135	100.0% 1214	100.0% 746	100.0% 265	3360

Region (I-REGION)

	West	Midwest	South	Northeast	TOTAL
Not applicable	55.9% 319	54.4% 501	53.9% 611	63.4% 467	56.5% 1898
Absolutely essential	14.5% 83	13.9% 128	13.5% 153	9.0% 66	12.8% 430
Helpful but not required	29.1% 166	30.6% 282	31.5% 357	27.1% 200	29.9% 1005
Don't know	0.5% 3	1.1% 10	1.1% 12	0.5% 4	0.9% 29
TOTAL	100.0% 571	100.0% 921	100.0% 1133	100.0% 737	3362

Household income (I-INCOME)

	<$20,000	$20K-40000	$40K-80000	>$80000	DK/Refused	TOTAL
Not applicable	49.1% 359	56.1% 705	58.6% 474	62.7% 178	64.5% 182	56.5% 1898
Absolutely essential	15.7% 115	12.5% 157	12.2% 99	9.9% 28	11.0% 31	12.8% 430
Helpful but not required	34.2% 250	30.8% 387	28.6% 231	26.4% 75	22.0% 62	29.9% 1005
Don't know	1.0% 7	0.6% 7	0.6% 5	1.1% 3	2.5% 7	0.9% 29
TOTAL	100.0% 731	100.0% 1256	100.0% 809	100.0% 284	100.0% 282	3362

Age (I-AGE1)

	<23 yrs	23-49 yrs	50+ yrs	TOTAL
Not applicable	67.9% 659	53.8% 525	44.1% 245	57.2% 1429
Absolutely essential	5.9% 57	14.7% 143	19.8% 110	12.4% 310
Helpful but not required	26.1% 253	30.6% 298	34.1% 189	29.6% 740
Don't know	0.1% 1	0.9% 9	2.0% 11	0.8% 21
TOTAL	100.0% 970	100.0% 975	100.0% 555	2500