What Can Improve Democracy?
Amid growing discontent with the state of democracy globally, we asked over 30,000 people what changes would make their democracy work better.
Numbers, Facts and Trends Shaping Your 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.
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.
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.
Here are five key findings about people’s attitudes toward systemic reforms in the U.S., France, Germany and the UK.
As democratic nations have wrestled with economic, social and geopolitical upheaval in recent years, the future of liberal democracy has come into question. Our international surveys reveal key insights into how citizens think about democratic governance.
A 24-country survey finds a median of 59% are dissatisfied with how their democracy is functioning, and 74% think elected officials don’t care what people like them think.
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ABOUT PEW RESEARCH CENTER Pew Research Center is a nonpartisan fact tank that informs the public about the issues, attitudes and trends shaping the world. It conducts public opinion polling, demographic research, media content analysis and other empirical social science research. Pew Research Center does not take policy positions. It is a subsidiary of The Pew Charitable Trusts.
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