Only 4% of Americans believe the political system is working well, while nearly three-quarters disagree. Additionally, a majority (63%) lack confidence in the future of the U.S. political system.
A recent Pew Research poll reveals that a significant majority of Americans anticipate economic and political decline in the United States in the upcoming years.
Americans have a long history of being critical of politicians and skeptical of the federal government. However, their views on politics and elected officials are characterized by an unrelenting negativity that seems to offer little hope for improvement. In a comprehensive recent study conducted by the Pew Research Center on the state of the nation’s politics, there is no singular focal point for the public’s discontent. Criticism is widespread, spanning all three branches of government, both major political parties, and encompassing political leaders and prospective officeholders.
You can also read: US Political Divide: Why Americans do not like their politicians?
Remarkably, this discontent with politics among Americans occurs amid historically high levels of voter turnout during national elections. The elections in 2018, 2020, and 2022 marked three of the highest-turnout U.S. elections in decades for their respective types.
Nonetheless, participating in elections differs significantly from experiencing satisfaction with the state of politics, and the public’s profound dissatisfaction remains unabated.
Survey Methodology and Participants
The new study on Americans’ views of the state of the political system is based on comprehensive surveys conducted in 2023. The primary survey took place from July 10 to July 16, 2023, and involved 8,480 adults. Additionally, data was collected from a survey held between June 5 and June 11, 2023, with 5,115 adult participants. Both surveys were carried out using the Pew Research Center’s nationally representative American Trends Panel.
Evaluations of the political system
Only 4% of the public says the political system in the U.S. is working extremely or very well today, while 23% say it is working somewhat well. About seven-in-ten (72%) say the system is working not too (45%) or not at all (27%) well.
Looking to the future of the system, about six-in-ten Americans (63%) say they have not too much or no confidence at all. A third say they have some confidence, and just 4% express a lot of confidence.
Age and Party restrictions
Younger adults tend to have a somewhat more positive view of the political system’s current performance, with 35% of those under 30 believing it is functioning at least somewhat well, in contrast to 29% among those aged 30 to 49 and 24% among those aged 50 and above.
However, it’s worth noting that older individuals are more inclined to express confidence in the future of the U.S. political system. Approximately 43% of adults aged 65 and older report having at least some confidence in the political system’s future, whereas this figure drops to 30% among adults under the age of 30.
Republicans are more likely than Democrats to have negative views of the U.S. political system. About 81% of Republicans believe the political system is not functioning well, with 37% stating it is not working at all. Among Democrats, 64% share a similar sentiment, with 19% believing it is not working well at all.
This dissatisfaction is particularly strong among older Republicans, with 88% of those aged 50 and older expressing that the system is not working well. In contrast, Democrats’ views on the political system do not significantly vary by age.
Additionally, Republicans are less confident in the future of the U.S. political system, with 68% lacking confidence in its future. Among Democrats, 56% share this lack of confidence. Interestingly, older Democrats are more likely to express some confidence in the system’s future compared to younger Democrats, with 54% of those aged 50 and older having at least some confidence, while only 37% of those under 50 share this sentiment.
Distrust in the federal government
Only 16% of Americans express confidence in the government in Washington, believing it consistently makes the right decisions or does so most of the time. This level of trust in government has remained consistently low for nearly twenty years, and the current figure ranks among the lowest recorded in over seven decades of polling.
Compared to the previous year, trust in the federal government has declined by 4 percentage points. However, it was slightly higher in 2020 and 2021. The current level of trust aligns with public sentiment in 2019.
How each party perform?
As seen historically, trust in the government is influenced by the political party in power. Presently, a quarter of Democrats express confidence in the government’s ability to make the right decisions most of the time, whereas only 8% of Republicans share this sentiment.
Democrats’ trust in the government has significantly increased compared to the period during the Trump administration, although it has declined by 8 points since spring 2021. Conversely, Republicans’ trust in the government decreased between 2020 and 2021 but has remained relatively stable over the past few years.
The current level of trust among Republicans in the federal government is one of the lowest observed since the question was first posed in the 1950s. Prior to Joe Biden’s presidency, GOP trust in the government had reached similarly low levels only during the Obama administration.
Not everything is gloomy
Despite widespread discontent with the government, there are certain limits to Americans’ dissatisfaction. A majority believe their local elected officials (56%) and state governors (51%) are doing a good job. Additionally, 56% feel at least one political candidate usually aligns with their views, and 57% believe their own voting has some impact on the country’s future direction.
Furthermore, other Pew studies indicate that most Americans still consider the United States one of the world’s greatest countries and express overall satisfaction with their local communities and daily lives.
However, political engagement varies widely among Americans. Only 35% are highly engaged in politics, actively following news, showing high interest, and frequently discussing political matters. This group perceives political life differently, with 20% more likely to see clear solutions to major issues and 25% more likely to observe significant differences between the two main political parties.
While about two-thirds of American adults believe the presidency greatly influences the nation’s global reputation (67%) and overall mood (65%), only 52% view it as similarly crucial for the economy, and only 24% believe it significantly affects their personal lives.
Significantly, Americans’ discontent with politics coincides with a period marked by exceptionally high voter turnout in recent national elections. The elections held in 2018, 2020, and 2022 all witnessed some of the highest levels of voter participation in their respective categories in decades. However, it’s crucial to emphasize that participating in elections is distinct from feeling content with the political landscape, and the public’s dissatisfaction remains profound.
