Social Media Seen as Mostly Good for Democracy Across Many Nations, But U.S. is a Major Outlier
Most think social media has made it easier to manipulate and divide people, but they also say it informs and raises awareness.
Numbers, Facts and Trends Shaping Your World
Most think social media has made it easier to manipulate and divide people, but they also say it informs and raises awareness.
The share of the public that supports authoritarian systems ranges from 85% in India to 8% in Sweden.
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.
Dissatisfaction with the functioning of democracy is linked to concerns about the economy, the pandemic and social divisions.
Americans see China as a growing superpower – and increasingly say it is the world’s leading economy.
A small but significant share of car owners in the U.S. have traded filling up for plugging in, and many more are thinking of joining them.
Large majorities in most of the 19 countries surveyed have negative views of China, but relatively few say bilateral relations are bad.
Majorities say the democratic principles tested on our survey are at least somewhat important. But often, underwhelming percentages describe democratic rights and institutions as very important.
President Trump and his policies continue to receive negative reviews from people worldwide, with a lack of confidence in his leadership especially common in Western Europe. While views of the U.S. are positive overall, they vary widely among some of its key allies.
More countries still name the U.S. as the foremost economic power than say the same of China. And, even in nations that welcome China’s economic growth, few feel similarly about its growing military might.
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