People around the world are widely dissatisfied with democracy in their country and believe that elected officials don’t care what people like them think, according to a new Pew Research Center survey. Global opinion is more divided on the question of whether the state is run for the benefit of all, while people generally agree that voting gives them a say about how the government runs things in their country, note Pew researchers Richard Wike and Shannon Schumacher:
Globally, people are more dissatisfied than satisfied with the way democracy is working (above). Across 34 surveyed countries, a median of 52% are dissatisfied with democracy, compared with 44% who are satisfied. Only 32% agree that elected officials care what people like them think; roughly twice as many (64%) disagree. Public opinion is divided on whether the state is run for the benefit of all people (49% agree, 50% disagree). However, many still trust and value the voting process, as a median of 67% agree that voting gives people like them some say about how the government is run.
Dissatisfaction is apparent even in some of the most established democracies (right), Wike and Schumacher add:
More than half of those surveyed in the UK (69%), the U.S. (59%), France (58%) and Japan (53%) express dissatisfaction with how democracy is working in their country. In Greece, 74% are dissatisfied, the highest share of all countries surveyed. People in Asia-Pacific countries are most satisfied: A median of 58% in the region express satisfaction with how democracy is working in their country.
The new @pewglobal survey shows that big majorities in many nations believe elected officials don’t care what average citizens, notes @RichardWike.
They provide eight charts that illustrate how people view the state of democracy in their country. RTWT
