Most Americans Say Democracy Important For Us But Not Functioning Well

Leo Migdal

-Dec 3, 2025, 9:51 PM

most americans say democracy important for us but not functioning well

Demonstrators rally on Pennsylvania Avenue during a No Kings protest in Washington, Oct. 18, 2025. (AP Photo/Jose Luis Magana, File) Demonstrators carry a signed banner representing the U.S. Constitution as they march to the national Mall during a No Kings protest in Washington, Oct. 18, 2025.

(AP Photo/Jose Luis Magana, File) A person holds an American flag upside-down during a “No Kings” protest Oct. 18, 2025, in Denver. (AP Photo/David Zalubowski, File) About half of American adults believe democracy is functioning “very” or “moderately” poorly in the United States, while only about one-quarter think it’s doing “very” or “moderately” well, according to a poll, marking a... The Kettering Foundation-Gallup survey found that about two-thirds of Americans “strongly agree” or “agree” that democracy is the best form of government.

Very few disagree, with about one-third saying they don’t have an opinion. But alongside the widespread disappointment in how democracy is working, few believe the country’s leaders are committed to democratic governance or think government decisions reflect the will of the people. Three-quarters of the public say a democratically elected government is important to the country’s identity, but only 21% think democracy is the greatest system of government and 53% say democracy in the U.S. is working poorly. The public is divided over what characteristics are essential to the United States as a country and disagree about the extent to which certain rights and freedoms are important for American identity. What characteristics define the country’s identity?

Most adults agree that having a democratically elected government and the ability of people living here to get good jobs and achieve the American dream are extremely or very important to the U.S. identity. There is less agreement on the importance of a shared American culture and values, the mixing of cultures and values from around the world, a capitalist or free market economy, and the ability of... While most consider democracy important to the U.S. identity, fewer view a culture grounded in Christian religious beliefs, or one established by the country’s early European immigrants as important. Democrats and Republicans agree on the importance of the ability of people living here to get good jobs and achieve the American dream in the country’s identity, but there are partisan differences regarding the...

Economic hardship, social disconnection and age gaps shape faith in U.S. democracy Nearly 250 years after the founding of U.S. democracy, most Americans still believe it is the best form of government. However, many question how well it’s working, according to the first report from the Democracy for All Project, a new multiyear research initiative by the Kettering Foundation in partnership with Gallup. The project is the most extensive annual study of how Americans experience and participate in the democratic system.

The survey of more than 20,000 U.S. adults reveals that two-thirds of Americans say democracy is the best form of government, but only about one in four (24%) believe it is performing well. A majority, 51%, say it is performing poorly. “Americans still believe in democracy, they just don’t believe it’s working,” said Jim Clifton, Chairman of Gallup. “The system isn’t broken because people stopped caring; it’s broken because people stopped trusting. Rebuilding that trust starts with leaders who listen.”

The Democracy for All Project, a partnership of the Kettering Foundation and Gallup, is the first in-depth, annual study of how Americans experience democracy today. The 2025 inaugural report, Is Democracy Working?, draws from the views of over 20,000 adults nationwide, with a special focus on inclusion, belonging, and the voices of marginalized communities. Ahead of the November presidential election, just 19% of Americans say democracy in the United States is a good example for other countries to follow, according to a Pew Research Center survey conducted in... The most common view – held by 72% of Americans – is that democracy in the U.S. used to be a good example, but has not been in recent years. Another 8% of Americans say U.S.

democracy has never been a good example for other countries to follow. Americans are much more likely than people in other countries to say U.S. democracy used to be a good example. A median of 40% of adults across 34 other countries surveyed in 2024 take this view. This Pew Research Center analysis examines views of American democracy among people in the United States and in 34 other countries we surveyed this year. For non-U.S.

data, this analysis draws on nationally representative surveys of 40,566 adults conducted from Jan. 5 to May 21, 2024. All surveys were conducted over the phone with adults in Canada, France, Germany, Greece, Italy, Japan, Malaysia, the Netherlands, Singapore, South Korea, Spain, Sweden and the United Kingdom. Surveys were conducted face-to-face in Argentina, Bangladesh, Brazil, Chile, Colombia, Ghana, Hungary, India, Israel, Kenya, Mexico, Nigeria, Peru, the Philippines, Poland, South Africa, Sri Lanka, Thailand, Tunisia and Turkey. In Australia, we used a mixed-mode probability-based online panel. A new study from the SNF Agora Institute at Johns Hopkins University and Public Agenda finds that Americans are deeply concerned about the state of U.S.

democracy and that growing divisions within the Republican Party deepen partisan divides over how the Constitution should guide presidential authority and the balance of power. The report draws from a national survey of 4,500 Americans, earlier polling, and three focus groups with Republican participants. It builds on prior SNF Agora research documenting Republican disagreement about the legitimacy of the 2020 election. It shows that these differences now extend to views of presidential power, constitutional limits, elections, and trust in government. The research identifies three distinct groups within the Republican Party: "Americans share deep concern for our democracy, but we do not all have the same reasons," said Andrew Seligsohn, president of Public Agenda.

"Republicans in particular are divided between those who support unfettered presidential power and those who believe checks and balances are essential to the integrity of our constitutional order. These differences represent a deep cleavage in the Republican Party with consequences for the future of American democracy." Across parties, most Americans express concern about U.S. democracy: WASHINGTON, D.C. — Eight in 10 U.S.

adults agree on a variety of issues that reflect core aspects of U.S. democracy. These include that using violence to achieve political goals is never OK; that elected leaders should compromise to get things done; and that having a mix of races, religions and cultures benefits the nation. Americans also express a desire to limit the political influence of wealthy individuals and businesses and believe there is a difference between facts and opinions. These findings are the first from the Kettering Foundation/Gallup Democracy for All Project and are based on a multimodal (web and mail) survey of over 20,000 U.S. adults, conducted July 7 to Aug.

25. This is a five-year project designed to measure Americans’ views of how well democracy serves the U.S. and Americans from a variety of different backgrounds. The full report details how Americans largely agree that democracy is the best form of government but do not believe it is functioning well right now. As part of the survey, Americans were shown five pairs of contrasting perspectives on how democracy and U.S. society should function and were asked to choose which perspective comes closer to their view.

Large majorities of all key subgroups of Americans reject violence, favor compromise and embrace a multicultural society. There are modest differences in some of these views by party, age and education. For example, Democrats, independents and college graduates are somewhat more likely than Republicans and non-college graduates to see multiculturalism as a strength. Older Americans and Democrats are more likely than younger Americans and Republicans to endorse compromise. Age differences are even more pronounced when it comes to rejecting the use of political violence, with senior citizens most opposed and young adults the least. This relationship will be explored in more depth in an article to be released next week.

Another question in the survey, asked on a five-point agree/disagree scale, finds that eight in 10 Americans strongly agree (39%) or agree (41%) that everyone, regardless of their views, has the right to free,... Just 5% disagree, and 15% are neutral. You are free to share this article under the Attribution 4.0 International license. A new study finds that Americans are deeply concerned about the state of US democracy. The study also finds that growing divisions within the Republican Party deepen partisan divides over how the Constitution should guide presidential authority and the balance of power. The report draws from a national survey of 4,500 Americans, earlier polling, and three focus groups with Republican participants.

It builds on prior research documenting Republican disagreement about the legitimacy of the 2020 election. It shows that these differences now extend to views of presidential power, constitutional limits, elections, and trust in government. The research identifies three distinct groups within the Republican Party: Nicholas Riccardi, Associated Press Nicholas Riccardi, Associated Press Linley Sanders, Associated Press Linley Sanders, Associated Press WASHINGTON (AP) — Only about 1 in 10 U.S.

adults give high ratings to the way democracy is working in the United States or how well it represents the interests of most Americans, according to a new poll from The Associated Press-NORC Center... Majorities of adults say U.S. laws and policies do a poor job of representing what most Americans want on issues ranging from the economy and government spending to gun policy, immigration and abortion. The poll shows 53 percent say Congress is doing a bad job of upholding democratic values, compared with just 16 percent who say it’s doing a good job. The findings illustrate widespread political alienation as a polarized country limps out of the pandemic and into a recovery haunted by inflation and fears of a recession. In interviews, respondents worried less about the machinery of democracy — voting laws and the tabulation of ballots — and more about the outputs.

Most Americans Say Democracy Important For Us But Not Functioning Well

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