Predictors of Attitudes Towards the Right to Work: An Empirical Analysis Among Young People in Moldova and Georgia

Abstract

Socioeconomic rights are often referred to as empowerment rights because political participation and civic engagement presuppose a minimum of education, of social and economic security guaranteed by socioeconomic rights. In this sense, the right to work can be seen as a test case for socioeconomic human rights. This study examines which religious, political, and anthropological beliefs predict attitudes towards the right to work among the youth in Moldova and Georgia. Since it is still under discussion among scholars whether and to which extent socioeconomic human right are legally binding, the present empirical study concentrates on attitudes towards three core obligations of the right to work which are binding for those states which ratified the International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights from 1966: the right to just and favourable working conditions, women’s right to be protected against discrimination in the field of labour, and the right for children to be protected against exploitation and forced labour. The sample (N = 1693) consists of high school and university students from Moldova (n = 872) and Georgia (n = 821). Correlation analyses and OLS-regression analyses are used to analyse the data. The results show that there are clear differences between Moldova and Georgia concerning the relevant predictors, even though both countries have some religious and political similarities. While in Moldova individual religiosity is a constant predictor, this is not the case in Georgia where the perception of social tensions and injustice is relevant. The analyses give reasons to assume that religiosity in Moldova is more connected with social and economic issues, while in Georgia religiosity is closely related to national identity.