Poll Finds Most Young Americans Say US Democracy Is “In Trouble” or “Failed”

The U.S. faces a number of existential problems that are being perpetuated largely by establishment politicians, and the right wing. New developments are needed. polling released on Monday finds that a majority of young Americans believe that U.S. democracy is on the brink of failure — or that it has already failed.

The poll was conducted among 2,109 Americans between the ages of 18 and 29. Thirty-nine percent of respondents said that the U.S. is “a democracy in trouble,” while 13 percent said that the U.S. is “a failed democracy,” adding up to 52 percent.

Only 27 percent of respondents described American democracy as “somewhat functioning,” while a mere 7 percent said that U.S. democracy is “healthy.”

This poll, conducted by Harvard Public Opinion Project, could indicate that young Americans want the country to change.

Over half of the survey’s young respondents reported having felt depressed or anxious, with the pandemic, economic concerns, and school or work ranking high as factors that affected their mental health. 56 percent of respondents said that they expected climate change to affect their personal decisions.

Jing-Jing Shen (student chair of Harvard Public Opinion Project) stated that young Americans are already feeling the effects of massive economic and political crises at an individual level. “Right now, young Americans are confronting worries on many fronts. Concerns about our collective future ​​– with regard to democracy, climate change, and mental health – also feel very personal.”

Interestingly, young Republicans were more likely to say that democracy is either “failed” or “in trouble,” with 70 percent of respondents saying as such. They were also more likely to say that a civil conflict was imminent than Democrats or independents. This could be because Radicalization on the riseWithin right-wing media, and the Republican Party.

This poll comes at an era of extreme turmoil in the U.S. Reduce poverty rates — but that relief is likely to be short-lived, as social safety nets like the federal student loan repayment pause are soon set to expire. Despite many effective vaccines, the U.S. remains at risk. nearing 800,000 deathsDue to the pandemic, the country now faces what could be a fifth waveCOVID infections.

Scientists have been working on this for some time. warnedThe climate crisis is rapidly increasing. However, mainstream U.S. lawmakers are still refusing to take climate action in favor They line their own pockets — often while outright denying that the climate crisis even exists, parroting decades-old talking points from fossil fuel companies.

In fact, the political establishment seems to be less interested serving the public than serving their own interests. Republicans are openly against democracy and say that it is a bad idea. We should make voting more accessible to less peopleThe Democratic establishment has been consistent in its support of the Constitution. sabotaged their own party, ignoringThe wants and needs of the publicTo stop socialist and progressive politicians from gaining power.

“After turning out in record numbers in 2020, young Americans are sounding the alarm. When they look at the America they will soon inherit, they see a democracy and climate in peril,” said John Della Volpe, polling director for Harvard Kennedy School Institute of Politics. “Despite this, they seem as determined as ever to fight for the change they seek.”