Upbeat Chinese May Not Be Primed for a Jasmine Revolution
Judging the Chinese appetite for democracy is not easy, but polling suggests China may not be ripe for the kind of uprisings seen throughout the Middle East.
A Century After Triangle, Unions Face Uncertain Future
March 25, 2011 marks the 100-year anniversary of the Triangle Shirtwaist Factory fire, a disaster widely credited with strengthening the still nascent labor union movement in the United States. Public approval of unions, which peaked in during the Depression era when many worker protections were put into law, has had its ups and downs but has hit new lows in recent years.
How Many Hispanics in the U.S.?
The number of Hispanics counted in the 2010 Census has been larger than expected in most states for which the Census Bureau has released detailed population totals so far, with the widest gaps in states with relatively small Hispanic populations.
The Elusive 90% Solution
This week, fully 90% of the public said that they were hearing mostly bad news about gas prices. Reaching the 90% threshold is a rare occurrence in polls, in part, because surveys focus on current issues with considerable disagreement. So what do 90% of Americans agree on?
Will Enthusiasm for Democracy Endure in Egypt and Elsewhere?
While the parallels between former Soviet bloc countries and Middle Eastern nations should not be overdrawn, the experience of Eastern Europe after the collapse of the Soviet empire is a useful reminder that public enthusiasm for democracy is not guaranteed as political change extends over years and decades.
Who’s Winning the Fight Over Public-Employee Unions?
In its Topic A feature, the Washington Post asked several experts — among them the Pew Research Center’s Director of Survey Research Scott Keeter — who’s winning and who’s losing in the fight over public-employee unions.
In Showdown with Air Traffic Controllers, the Public Sided with Reagan
The bitter fight over union rights in Wisconsin calls to mind a labor battle that helped define the first year of Ronald Reagan’s presidency.
Tea Party’s Hard Line on Spending Divides GOP
Across a wide range of issues — including entitlements, education, agriculture and energy — Tea Party Republicans take a much harder line on cutting federal spending than do non-Tea Party Republicans, who are far more in sync with Democrats.
Historically, Public Has Given Low Priority to Promoting Democracy Overseas
Americans like the idea of their government promoting democracy in other nations. But democracy promotion has historically lagged far behind other objectives among the public’s long-term foreign policy goals.
Egypt, Democracy and Islam
In a survey conducted last spring, a majority of Egyptian Muslims said that democracy was preferable to any other kind of government. An overwhelming majority also believes Islam’s influence in politics is positive.
