ABSTRACT
This article reviews data from three nation-wide surveys conducted in Portugal between 1978 and 1993 on public perceptions about unemployment and responses to ‘crisis’ situations. The responses show that unemployment looms large in a commonly held definition of ‘crisis’, and that the attitude of the unemployed sets them apart from those with jobs. By focusing on the term ‘crisis’, it is hoped that the chapter will convey a broad sense of how the Portuguese population has evolved in their understanding of economic, political and social problems.
