2012 Political Culture of Democracy

Key Findings

• Inequality of opportunity remains widespread. People with darker skin tones have fewer years of education and lower incomes on average, and working women earn less than men even after accounting for education. Political participation gaps track social class more closely than race or gender — wealthier, better-educated citizens participate far more across nearly every form of political activity.
• Discrimination weakens people's connection to democracy. Citizens who report experiencing discrimination show lower trust in government and weaker support for democracy, and are about twice as likely to protest as those who don't — a sign that unequal treatment pushes people toward more contentious forms of political voice.
• Government performance and democratic attitudes both improved. Evaluations of the economy trended upward, and crime rates fell compared with 2010, even as concerns about corruption persisted. Trust in democratic institutions, support for the rule of law, and support for the political system all increased over the same period.