Views on Finland's electricity generation system and its development were also studied in the survey. Attitudes towards the deregulation of competition and the increase of market-based energy generation and distribution were the principal focus of attention. Questions concerning this subject matter have been added as the process of change toward the national and international deregulation of the markets has progressed and its consequences have become visible in the everyday lives of electricity consumers.

8.1. Government vs. market-oriented steering

On the general level of principles, market-orientation receives a polarized result. Two out of five (41%) of the respondents agree with the statement 'Electricity should be an ordinary commodity, and the markets should freely determine the production, pricing and sale of this commodity'. There are slightly more of those who reject this statement (43%). The distribution is only a little less critical than in the previous year, and the most critical during the entire follow-up period. During the time before the last two surveys, the opinions were still more accepting than rejecting. There was a stable phase in the attitudes in 2003-2005. Before this stable phase, the share of those in favor of market-oriented steering gradually declined over five surveys. The total change from 1998 (the first year in which households could change their electricity provider, which raised the expectations of people) to 2003 was fairly clear [Figure 34].

Another statement with reversed formulation also suggests increasing scepticism. The proportion of those who agree with the statement 'Free competition is rather unsuitable for the energy sector, which should be clearly steered and controlled by the society' has visibly increased since the previous year. Now, two out of three (67%) agree with this statement, emphasizing the role and control of government officials. Approximately one in five disagree (21%). The results of this survey are by a narrow margin the most critical towards the market during the entire follow-up period [Figure 35].

More results indicating a similar way of thinking - which almost borders on socialism in the current situation of market liberalism - can be observed. The statement 'The state should retain a sufficiently large share of ownership and voting rights in energy companies in order to guarantee the sufficiency and safety of energy' mainly evokes one type of reaction among the citizens: More than four out of five (83%) agree; only a small minority (5%) disagree. This result, like the time series consisting of the seven surveys preceding it, indicates a trend towards stricter opinions rather than any slackening [Figure 36].

Closer inspection of the opinions also reveals that they do not include any particular political or ideological charge. Although the supporters of left-wing parties emphasize the state's role more strongly than those of right-wing parties, this way of thinking is also widespread among the latter (for example, 76% of the supporters of the National Coalition Party agree with this claim; not included in the figure).

Distrust in 'the energy market economy' is also reflected in the fact that three out of four (74%) respondents agree with the statement 'The state and municipalities are better owners of energy companies than profit-seeking investors'. Only one in eight disagree (12%). The distribution is almost the same as in the previous survey. Also in the long term, the popularity of public ownership has increased rather than decreased (no figure).