Trust, Facts & Democracy

Thirty years ago, a wave of optimism swept across Europe as walls and regimes fell, and long-oppressed publics embraced open societies, open markets and a more united Europe. Three decades later, a new Pew Research Center survey finds that few people in the former Eastern Bloc regret the monumental changes of 1989-1991.

The more confident people are that members of powerful groups behave unethically, the less likely they are to have confidence in that group’s performance.

Members of Congress and technology leaders are rated lower in empathy, transparency and ethics; public gives higher scores to military leaders, public school principals and police officers

Partisans have different levels of confidence when it comes to the type of personnel who hold government jobs – presidential appointees or career employees.

Americans believe trust has declined in the U.S., whether it involves citizens’ faith in each other or their confidence in the government.

Americans have broadly positive views of scientists and their work but are more tepid when it comes to trusting their competence, credibility and concern for the public interest.

Public confidence in scientists is on the upswing, and six-in-ten Americans say scientists should play an active role in policy debates about scientific issues, according to a new Pew Research Center survey.

Americans say the public’s trust has been declining in both the federal government and in their fellow citizens. But most say this can be turned around.

Many Americans think declining trust in the government and in each other makes it harder to solve key problems. They have a wealth of ideas about what’s gone wrong and how to fix it.

Republicans largely say fact-checking by news outlets and other organizations favors one side. Democrats mostly think it is fair to all sides.