Youth are losing faith in democracy. We must fix that.

By Karen Tumulty
The Washington Post
December 18, 2023

"How much do Americans really care about democracy? The disturbing answer: Less and less, especially among the young…

"Over the past few decades, there has been a small but steady erosion of support for the ideal of democracy, not only in the United States but also around the world…

"The latest survey, taken in November 2022 and published in January, found that 78 percent of those surveyed said democracy is ‘the best political system in all circumstances.’ But among the Gen Z cohort, ages 18 to 25, nearly half answered either that it ‘makes no difference’ whether they live under a democracy or a dictatorship (28 percent) or that ‘dictatorship could be good in certain circumstances’ (19 percent). More than a third of millennials, ages 26 to 41, agreed with one of those statements…

"Young people have always been less enthusiastic about democracy, but the generation gap has really exploded. They have experienced a gridlocked political system that has been incapable of delivering solutions to the problems that most affect their lives…

"Democracy is looking pretty ragged these days; Americans should take seriously their responsibility to preserve it."

About Heart of a Nation

Empowering the next generation of American, Israeli, and Palestinian change-makers to embrace better, together.

אנחנו מכנסים הוגים מובילים, פעילים חברתיים, ומחוללי שינוי לעתיד, אמריקאים, ישראלים ופלסטינאים, המחויבים לשיפור החברות שלהם.

نحن أمريكيون وإسرائيليون وفلسطينيون نبني ونكوّن روابط من أجل التعلم والتفكير والمشاركة معًا حتى نشجع الحلول التقدمية بشأن القضايا التي تهمنا جميعًا.