WASHINGTON, D.C. — A new low of 28% of U.S. adults are satisfied with the way democracy is working in the country. The current figure is down from the prior low — 35% measured shortly after the Jan. 6, 2021, attack on the U.S. Capitol by rioters trying to prevent Congress from certifying Joe Biden’s victory in the 2020 presidential election.
The latest results are based on a Dec. 1-20, 2023, survey.
Gallup has asked Americans about their satisfaction with U.S. democracy nine times since 1984. The high point came in the first reading, when 61% of Americans were satisfied with the way democracy was working. It was nearly as high, at 60%, in 1991.
However, Americans’ satisfaction showed signs of deterioration in 1992 — often referred to as the year of the “angry voter” — in the wake of an economic recession and congressional scandals exemplified by members writing scores of bad checks from the House […]
As the data spans 40 years, this is not a matter of packaging, but of structure. The Republic has not been functioning in the interests of the general public for many years and this is reflected in the data. The fact of the matter is that the system of representation as it is currently constituted is not a vehicle for the legitimate aspirations of the American people.