Data Review
19
Review of EBRD (2006–2023): Life in Transition Survey (LiTS I–IV).
Version 1.0, published: July 22, 2025.
Description
The Life in Transition Survey (LiTS), conducted jointly by the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD) and the World Bank, is a large-scale, cross-national survey that captures public attitudes and lived experiences in post-socialist and transition countries. Since its first wave in 2006, the survey has been repeated in 2010, 2016, and 2022, covering over 40 countries across Eastern Europe, Central Asia, and beyond. Each wave collects nationally representative data through face-to-face interviews on topics such as political trust, economic satisfaction, institutional confidence, household well-being, and views on democracy and markets.
The survey’s design allows for cross-country and over-time comparison, making it an essential resource for the study of social and economic change in post-communist societies. Its relevance is reflected in a growing body of research across fields like political science, sociology, and economics. Scholars have used LiTS data to examine issues ranging from trust in institutions and perceptions of inequality, to democratic support and life satisfaction under transition.
Due to its consistent methodology, multilingual documentation, and open-access data policy, LiTS is a highly reusable dataset. It is particularly valuable for research focusing on transition economies and for comparing social dynamics across regions. This data review summarizes the core structure of the dataset, methodological aspects, coverage, and selected academic applications to illustrate its scholarly importance.
Countries
Armenia Azerbaijan Belarus Estonia Georgia Kazakhstan Kyrgyzstan Latvia Lithuania Moldova Russia Tajikistan Ukraine Uzbekistan
Keywords
Political Culture Political Trust Houshold Well-Beeing Economc Satisfaction Institutional Confidence Views On Democracy Views On Market