The United States at 250: How the Country Has Changed in the Past 50 Years
As America turns 250, explore how demographics, work, family and economics have shifted since 1976, based on 50 years of Census data.
U.S. Democracy
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U.S. Democracy
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How Americans view racial diversity ahead of the country’s 250th anniversary
75% of U.S. adults see diversity as a good thing for the country, but Democrats and Republicans differ sharply on how diversity impacts the country’s culture.
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U.S. stands out globally in how it draws legislative districts
Among 107 democracies, we found that only one other country uses the same redistricting approach as the U.S.
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Most Americans think Trump is trying to exercise more power than previous presidents
49% of U.S. adults say Trump is trying to exercise more presidential power than previous presidents and that this is bad for the country.
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Dissatisfaction with democracy remains widespread in many nations
Across 12 high-income countries, a median of 64% of adults say they are dissatisfied with the way their democracy is working, while a median of 35% are satisfied.
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Striking findings from 2024
Here’s a look back at 2024 through 14 of our most striking research findings.
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Harris, Trump Voters Differ Over Election Security, Vote Counts and Hacking Concerns
90% of Harris voters, versus 57% of Trump voters, are confident the 2024 election will be administered well.
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72% of Americans say the U.S. used to be a good example of democracy, but isn’t anymore
A median of 40% of adults across 34 other countries surveyed in 2024 say U.S. democracy used to be a good example for other countries to follow.
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Americans differ by party, ideology over the impact of social media on U.S. democracy
74% of Republicans say social media has been more of a bad thing for U.S. democracy, compared with a smaller majority of Democrats (57%).
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Social Media Seen as Mostly Good for Democracy Across Many Nations, But U.S. is a Major Outlier
Most think social media has made it easier to manipulate and divide people, but they also say it informs and raises awareness.
