According to a poll, Americans enjoy democracy but don't think US institutions are functioning properly.

protesters gather on Pennsylvania Avenue as part of a No Kings demonstration in Washington.

According to a recent survey, about half of American adults think democracy is operating "very" or "moderately" poorly in the country, while only about 25% think it is operating "very" or "moderately" well. This represents a significant decline from several decades ago, when the majority believed democracy was generally operating as it should.

Approximately two-thirds of Americans "strongly agree" or "agree" believe democracy is the greatest type of governance, according to the Kettering Foundation-Gallup survey. Only a small percentage disagree, with roughly one-third stating they had no opinion. Few individuals, however, consider that the nation's leaders are dedicated to democratic administration or that decisions made by the government represent the will of the people, despite the general dissatisfaction with how democracy is functioning.

According to the survey, few American people question their fellow citizens' dedication to a robust democracy, but they are less sure of their political leadership. Approximately 3 out of 10 Americans are unsure, and almost 4 out of 10 do not think their leaders are dedicated to maintaining a robust democracy.

However, only roughly 25% of individuals think that decisions made by the government try to serve the interests of the people or reflect what the majority of people desire.

The survey is a component of a Charles F. Kettering Foundation and Gallup initiative that examines Americans' perceptions of democracy. Based on a poll of over 20,000 American adults in July and August, the research was made public on Thursday. As the nation gets ready to celebrate the 250th anniversary of the Declaration of Independence's writing next year, it coincides with a turbulent period in American politics characterized by high polarization, swift social change, and intense economic anxiety.

Partisan dissatisfaction with democracy's performance

Democrats, whose party is out of power, are more likely to believe that democracy is failing. Doug Perry, a 55-year-old 3D modeler from Sarasota, Florida, is one of them.

Perry blamed President Donald Trump, saying, "I think it is falling apart." He cited the attack on the U.S. Capitol on January 6, 2021, as proof that many Americans no longer trust in democracy.

Only Republicans who identify as "strong" are significantly more likely than Democrats and independents to believe that democracy is functioning "very" or "moderately" well. Not one of them is Bobbi Black, a Republican retired nurse from the Des Moines, Iowa, suburbs.

She pointed to Congress's overall incapacity to reach bipartisan agreements and the recent government shutdown—the longest on record—as warning signs for democracy. She is particularly concerned about how former President Joe Biden was impacted by his advanced age while in office and how he might have been elected without people realizing that risk.

Black declared, "Democracy let us down because he should never have been promoted to that position."

In 2020, Biden defeated a wide range of opponents to win the Democratic presidential primary. He also defeated Trump in the Electoral College and popular vote during his reelection campaign.