Americans are divided over U.S. role globally and whether international engagement can solve problems
There are differences by age in Americans’ attitudes about whether the U.S. should focus more on domestic problems or be more globally active.
Numbers, Facts and Trends Shaping Your World
There are differences by age in Americans’ attitudes about whether the U.S. should focus more on domestic problems or be more globally active.
Perceptions of strong partisan conflict are most widespread among adults in South Korea, the United States, Israel, France and Hungary.
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.
Concerns about racial and ethnic discrimination are widespread in most of the 17 advanced economies surveyed this spring.
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.
Here are five key findings about people’s attitudes toward systemic reforms in the U.S., France, Germany and the UK.
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.
In the U.S., concerns about political corruption are especially widespread. Two-in-three Americans agree that the phrase “most politicians are corrupt” describes their country well.
Focus groups held across the two nations reveal the degree to which Americans and Britons see common challenges to local and national identity.
Thirty years ago, a wave of optimism swept across Europe as walls and regimes fell, and long-oppressed publics embraced open societies, open markets and a more united Europe. Three decades later, a new Pew Research Center survey finds that few people in the former Eastern Bloc regret the monumental changes of 1989-1991.
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