How People in 24 Countries Think Democracy Can Improve
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.
Numbers, Facts and Trends Shaping Your World
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.
Amid growing discontent with the state of democracy globally, we asked over 30,000 people what changes would make their democracy work better.
The share of the public that supports authoritarian systems ranges from 85% in India to 8% in Sweden.
Perceptions of strong partisan conflict are most widespread among adults in South Korea, the United States, Israel, France and Hungary.
As President Joe Biden embarks on his first visit to Israel as president, he does so against an amicable backdrop: A majority of adults in both Israel and the United States have favorable views of the other country and the current state of bilateral relations, though Americans’ views on Israel differ sharply by party and age.
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.
Most think social media has made it easier to manipulate and divide people, but they also say it informs and raises awareness.
The U.S. is seen positively in advanced economies for its technology, entertainment, military and universities, but negatively for its health care system, discrimination and the state of its democracy.
Wide majorities in most of the 17 advanced economies surveyed say having people of many different backgrounds improves their society, but most also see conflicts between partisan, racial and ethnic groups.
Across 11 questions on cultural subjects, the gap between the left and right in the U.S. is wider than in the European countries surveyed.
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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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