72% of Americans say the U.S. used to be a good example of democracy, but isn’t anymore
A median of 40% of adults across 34 other countries surveyed in 2024 say U.S. democracy used to be a good example for other countries to follow.
Democracy
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Can Americans be optimistic about their democracy?
Americans’ grim political mood and desire for change show up across our surveys. But despite divisions, there are hopeful signs for the future.
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More than 80% of Americans believe elected officials don’t care what people like them think
More than 80% of Americans believe elected officials don’t care what people like them think.
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Support for democracy is strong in Hong Kong and Taiwan
More than eight-in-ten adults in Hong Kong and Taiwan say democracy is a good way to govern.
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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.
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Majorities in most countries surveyed say social media is good for democracy
Across 27 countries surveyed, people generally see social media as more of a good thing than a bad thing for democracy.
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Bipartisan Support for Early In-Person Voting, Voter ID, Election Day National Holiday
47% of Americans favor banning groups from collecting completed ballots to return to official voting centers, while 50% oppose this. The public is also divided over removing people from voter registration lists if they have not voted recently or confirmed their registration, with slightly more opposing this (55%) than supporting it (44%).
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Tuning Out: Americans on the Edge of Politics
Untethered from partisan politics and uninterested in keeping up with political news, here is how some Americans view the current state of U.S. politics.
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Americans’ Dismal Views of the Nation’s Politics
Americans’ views of politics and elected officials are unrelentingly negative, with little hope of improvement on the horizon. 65% of Americans say they always or often feel exhausted when thinking about politics. By contrast, just 10% say they always or often feel hopeful about politics.
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Americans differ by party, ideology over the impact of social media on U.S. democracy
74% of Republicans say social media has been more of a bad thing for U.S. democracy, compared with a smaller majority of Democrats (57%).
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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.
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