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.
Across 27 countries surveyed, people generally see social media as more of a good thing than a bad thing for democracy.
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.
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.
The share of the public that supports authoritarian systems ranges from 85% in India to 8% in Sweden.
More than eight-in-ten adults in Hong Kong and Taiwan say democracy is a good way to govern.
Most think social media has made it easier to manipulate and divide people, but they also say it informs and raises awareness.
People in advanced and emerging economies have mixed feelings about social media’s impact on political life.
When Taiwanese President Tsai Ing-wen’s term ends in May, only one woman will serve as head of government anywhere in Asia, excluding the Pacific Islands.
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.
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