How Young Adults Want Their Country To Engage With the World
Though younger people tend to be more internationally oriented than older adults, they differ from one another over how they want their country to engage with the world.
Numbers, Facts and Trends Shaping Your World
Though younger people tend to be more internationally oriented than older adults, they differ from one another over how they want their country to engage with the world.
Amid growing discontent with the state of democracy globally, we asked over 30,000 people what changes would make their democracy work better.
People in advanced and emerging economies have mixed feelings about social media’s impact on political life.
We asked respondents in both countries to, in their own words, define what democracy means to them. Most commonly, people mention three broad concepts: freedom and human rights, elections and procedures, and having a voice in government.
Despite the many depressing stories dominating the international news cycle, there is also a note of positivity among survey respondents in views of the UN, the benefits of international cooperation for solving problems and the importance of common values for bringing nations together.
Focus groups with young adults in France, Germany and the United Kingdom revealed that these young people see the U.S. as the “world’s policeman” with a self-interested history of interventionism, while China is labeled the “world’s factory,” respected for its economic dominance but criticized for its expansionism and human rights violations.
We asked over 30,000 people what would help democracy work better in their country. Key themes in their responses were addressing basic needs and improving or rebuilding the political system.
Most in advanced economies say voting, taking steps to reduce climate change and getting a COVID-19 vaccine are ways to be a good member of society; fewer say this about attending religious services.
How close do people feel to others around the world? How much do they want their countries involved in international affairs? How do people’s experiences with travel and feelings of international connectedness relate to their views about the world? A recent 24-nation survey explores these questions.
Around two-thirds of adults in Germany, France and the UK say it is important for their national government to make voting compulsory.
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