Poll shows U.S. youth losing confidence in democracy

Harvard University’s Institute of Politics announced on Dec. 4 that Americans under 30 are experiencing severe economic anxiety and believe trust in democratic institutions has collapsed. The institute described young Americans as “a generation under intense pressure.”

The survey, conducted by the IOP from Nov. 3 to 7 among 2,040 Americans aged 18 to 29, with a margin of error of plus or minus 2.94 percentage points, found that 57 percent of respondents said the United States is headed in the wrong direction. Only 13 percent said the country is moving in the right direction. In addition, 64 percent said American democracy is either in crisis or has already failed.

The IOP identified economic anxiety as the main reason young Americans hold negative views of institutions and politics. Thirty-seven percent of respondents cited inflation as the most urgent economic issue, followed by health care at 15 percent and housing at 12 percent. The institute said American politics has failed to adequately address these economic challenges.

Long-term economic expectations were also pessimistic. Only 30 percent of respondents said they expect to live better than their parents, while a quarter said they expect to live worse. In addition, 44 percent said artificial intelligence is likely to reduce future job opportunities, indicating that concerns about AI are growing.

John Della Volpe, director of polling at the IOP, said the findings show young Americans feel the systems and institutions meant to support them are no longer stable, fair, or responsive to their needs. He added that they are losing confidence in democracy and the economy because they feel unprotected and unheard amid extreme uncertainty.


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