Americans stand out internationally for their pessimism about the nation’s political system
People in higher-income countries are generally less likely to say their nation’s political system needs major changes or complete reform. Americans are an exception.
People in higher-income countries are generally more likely to say their nation’s political system needs only minor or no changes, according to recent Pew Research Center surveys. Conversely, people in middle-income countries are more likely to say their political system needs major changes or complete reform.
The United States, however, is a notable exception to this pattern. Despite having the highest gross domestic product (GDP) per capita of any of our surveyed countries, 77% of Americans say the nation’s political system needs major changes or complete reform.
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