Satisfaction With Democracy Hits Record Lows in US and UK

[luckyshot]

University of Cambridge's Centre for the Future of Democracy has tracked 154 countries around the world, asking people if they are satisfied or dissatisfied with democracy in their own country.

Data for some countries goes back to the 1970s and the global picture recorded a steady upwards swing towards more satisfaction with democracy through the last decades of the 20th Century.

This trend has recently reversed, with the US and UK "leading" the pack.

In the UK

• In 1995, the % of those satisfied with democracy was 53%
• In 2005, it reached its highest point - 67%
• In 2019, in surveys before the general election, it dipped to just 39%

"The US, meanwhile, has [historically] seen high levels of satisfaction - about 75% between 1995 and 2005 - followed by a 'dramatic and unexpected' decline, to below 50%"

https://www.bbc.com/news/education-...QuLCUwLCJCfKDxncjb3mgLoijWPHGTVxJSJm6YcGpeQwM

But a group of European countries has been bucking this trend, with satisfaction with democracy higher than ever before in Denmark, Switzerland, Norway and the Netherlands.

 

[Social Distance Warrior]

Nope.

there should be several prerequisites for allowing someone to vote.

being able to identify all three branches of the government,

having a basic modicum of political acumen in terms of who our representatives are and how the political system works.

and most importantly one should "Earn" the right to vote, it should not be a fucking right that everyone is entitled to. you want to participate or have a say in how the republic works? fucking earn it.

 

[xcvbn]

We should try fascism

 

[HunterSdVa29]

i don't blame the UK, they voted to leave and politicians lollygagged for years trying to go against the will of the voters

until good ol Boris came in

 

[F1980]

University of Cambridge's Centre for the Future of Democracy has tracked 154 countries around the world, asking people if they are satisfied or dissatisfied with democracy in their own country.

Data for some countries goes back to the 1970s and the global picture recorded a steady upwards swing towards more satisfaction with democracy through the last decades of the 20th Century.

This trend has recently reversed, with the US and UK "leading" the pack.

In the UK

• In 1995, the % of those satisfied with democracy was 53%
• In 2005, it reached its highest point - 67%
• In 2019, in surveys before the general election, it dipped to just 39%

"The US, meanwhile, has [historically] seen high levels of satisfaction - about 75% between 1995 and 2005 - followed by a 'dramatic and unexpected' decline, to below 50%"

https://www.bbc.com/news/education-...QuLCUwLCJCfKDxncjb3mgLoijWPHGTVxJSJm6YcGpeQwM

But a group of European countries has been bucking this trend, with satisfaction with democracy higher than ever before in Denmark, Switzerland, Norway and the Netherlands.

I think people would vote disatisfied if the country was run by their opposing political party, no matter what the question is

 

[luckyshot]

Nope.

there should be several prerequisites for allowing someone to vote.

being able to identify all three branches of the government,

having a basic modicum of political acumen in terms of who our representatives are and how the political system works.

and most importantly one should "Earn" the right to vote, it should not be a fucking right that everyone is entitled to. you want to participate or have a say in how the republic works? fucking earn it.

I was just thinking: if I stood outside my polling place on election day taking a survey, I wonder what % of voters could name both US senators from our state.

I think people would vote disatisfied if the country was run by their opposing political party, no matter what the question is

But that ignores the historical trend towards greater dissatisfaction. In the US, for example, one party has always been more or less "in power" at any given time.

The fact that dissatisfaction with democracy is increasing over time, suggests that something has shifted.

 

[all caps]

Nope.

there should be several prerequisites for allowing someone to vote.

being able to identify all three branches of the government,

having a basic modicum of political acumen in terms of who our representatives are and how the political system works.

and most importantly one should "Earn" the right to vote, it should not be a fucking right that everyone is entitled to. you want to participate or have a say in how the republic works? fucking earn it.

That's called slavery though

 

[The Diplomat]

Nope.

there should be several prerequisites for allowing someone to vote.

being able to identify all three branches of the government,

having a basic modicum of political acumen in terms of who our representatives are and how the political system works.

and most importantly one should "Earn" the right to vote, it should not be a fucking right that everyone is entitled to. you want to participate or have a say in how the republic works? fucking earn it.

Sounding like the old debate from the late 1700s about whether anyone can vote (Jefferson) or only land owners and "important people" (Hamilton)

 

[Social Distance Warrior]

I was just thinking: if I stood outside my polling place on election day taking a survey, I wonder what % of voters could name both US senators from our state.

that's exactly my point.

seriously, ask 10 people how many branches of government there are and you'll be shocked by how many answer correctly.

 

[Social Distance Warrior]

I was just thinking: if I stood outside my polling place on election day taking a survey, I wonder what % of voters could name both US senators from our state.

or their mayor
governor
or even when the Declaration of Independence was signed.

 

[Social Distance Warrior]

That's called slavery though

lmao!!

 

[Social Distance Warrior]

Sounding like the old debate from the late 1700s about whether anyone can vote (Jefferson) or only land owners and "important people" (Hamilton)

obviously I don't think that being a land owner, or having property should determine one's voting rights...but I stand by my primary point.

you should fucking earn the right.

 

[brody_in_ga]

Democracy can never work in a multicultural society. History has proven this, while men such as Aristotle wrote about it thousands of years ago.

 

[The Diplomat]

I am satisfied with America's representative democracy. Could it be better? Sure, anything could be. But as of right now, I'd rather have our system than any other superpower's on the planet.

I think voting is an American right. I'm not a fan of making more hurdles, as that would impede democracy.

I think the system we have right now is fine. Just because we lost doesn't mean the whole system should be changed. Just try harder next time. That's the great thing about our cyclical term limits. It's not a monarchy; if we lose, we dust our selves off and beat them next time.

 

[Paradigm]

that's exactly my point.

seriously, ask 10 people how many branches of government there are and you'll be shocked by how many answer correctly.

There's three chambers...the presidency, the Senate and the House. Idiot...

 

[luckyshot]

i don't blame the UK, they voted to leave and politicians lollygagged for years trying to go against the will of the voters

until good ol Boris came in

How about the US where we haven't had a "democratically elected" Republican PotUS since 1988, and yet they manage to have a 5-4 majority on the Supreme Court??

 

[The Diplomat]

There's three chambers...the presidency, the Senate and the House. Idiot...

Ha, I guess no more voting for AOC.

 

[The Diplomat]

How about the US where we haven't had a "democratically elected" Republican president since 1988 and yet they manage to somehow have a 5-4 majority on the Supreme Court??

The timing lined up perfectly for Trump. Not great, but blame timing, not the system. If there was a (D) sitting in his place, I'm guessing this argument wouldn't be made from a certain section.

 

[The Diplomat]

you should fucking earn the right.

I disagree with this. Even though it's already been established by South Park that America is 1/4th retarded, that shouldn't exclude them from voting. Intelligence shouldn't be a requisite IMO. That really is an elitist way of thinking. Sure, in a utopic society, I'd prefer everyone to be well informed and educated. But I don't like the idea restricting peoples' right to vote.

 

[luckyshot]

The timing lined up perfectly for Trump. Not great, but blame timing, not the system. If there was a (D) sitting in his place, I'm guessing this argument wouldn't be made from a certain section.

A Democrat couldn't be "in Trump's place" because Democrats have won the popular vote in every PotUS election except one dating back to 1992.

Seriously, think about the current state of our national policies-- and try to reconcile that with the fact that it has been 31 years since a new Republican PotUS took office by winning the most votes.