Why the World Is Down on Democracy

Abstract: In recent years, multiple cross-national surveys have highlighted deep and growing frustration with the functioning of democracy in countries across the globe. Why are citizens unhappy? Many things drive dissatisfaction with democracy, but political dysfunction is an important factor. There is a widespread sense that political parties and leaders are not responsive to the public and do not care about the concerns of ordinary citizens—in essence, that representation is broken. Survey research shows that today's dissatisfied, restive democrats want a representative democracy that features new political elites, newly empowered citizens, and new platforms for public dialogue.