As the United States gears up for its 250th anniversary celebrations, a new poll reveals a stark decline in Americans’ belief that their nation stands above all others.
The survey, conducted by The Associated Press-NORC Center for Public Affairs Research, underscores a pervasive sense of unease regarding the future of representative government, particularly among younger generations, creating a jarring backdrop for the upcoming commemorations.
Only a quarter of Americans now consider the U.S. to be superior to all other countries, a significant shift from previous sentiments.
open image in galleryWhile 44% still view it as one of the world’s greatest nations alongside others, nearly three in ten believe there are better countries – a notable increase from 19% in a similar AP-NORC poll conducted in June 2016.
This erosion of national exceptionalism is accompanied by growing divisions over what constitutes America’s core identity.
The survey found diminishing agreement on fundamental aspects of the country’s character, with fewer Americans now deeming a democratically elected government “extremely” or “very” important to the nation’s identity.
open image in galleryThis figure has dropped from 80% in 2021 to approximately two-thirds of U.S. adults today.
Derricka Wall, a 24-year-old from Chickasaw, Alabama, articulated this disillusionment, stating: “It’s not that the democracy part is not working. It’s the people that are actually being put in office that is the problem.”
Wall believes politicians have compromised America’s governing system, which was designed to ensure representation and prevent governmental overreach.
open image in gallery“America,” she added, “is not what it used to be. I feel like our founding fathers would be kind of disappointed with how it is now.”
Young adults, in particular, exhibit a pronounced skepticism. The poll indicates that 44% of those under 30 believe other countries surpass the U.S., compared to just 22% of Americans aged 60 and older.
Similarly, only about half of younger Americans consider democracy a key element of the U.S.’s identity, a stark contrast to 81% of those over 60.
open image in galleryWall further suggested that the nation’s founders, despite their safeguards, “would actually roll out of their graves” and “be very disappointed in us” at how easily those protections have faltered.
This sentiment extends beyond the youngest demographics. Kent Stage, a 62-year-old retired Army senior enlisted man and registered Republican in Indiana, expressed profound distrust in the current political system’s ability to address national issues.
He advocates for term limits and greater representation from working-class individuals, quipping: “I’ll trust the ambulance-chasing lawyer and a shady used car salesman before I trust the politician.”
open image in galleryStage, a former Marine, contends that public servants prioritize their own families’ interests while ordinary citizens “still got to hit the old grindstone.”
Beyond political disillusionment, widespread cynicism pervades the notion of America as the land of opportunity.
A majority of U.S. adults, 51%, now believe the “American Dream” – the idea that hard work leads to success – “once held true but does not anymore.” Only about a third maintain it “still holds true,” while 15% assert it “never held true.”
open image in galleryJack Hermanson, a 27-year-old software developer in Denver, recounted how his belief in the American Dream was “shattered” when his engineer husband struggled to secure employment.
This skepticism is particularly acute among younger generations, with only 22% of Americans under 30 believing the American Dream still holds true, compared to 46% of those 60 and older.
Angela Toombs, 31, who works at a senior living facility in Atlanta, observes the generational divide firsthand.
open image in galleryHer clients often express disbelief at the housing market challenges facing Toombs’ generation, recalling how easily they purchased homes in their twenties.
Toombs herself recently gave up her apartment to rent a room, aiming to save money.
Partisan lines also reveal significant differences.
Skepticism about the American Dream is more prevalent among Democrats and independents; 57% of Republicans believe it still holds true, compared to roughly a quarter of independents and 17% of Democrats.
Republicans are also far more likely to view the U.S. as exceptional, with about half asserting its global superiority, in contrast to just 7% of Democrats.
open image in galleryQuintin Sharpe, a 28-year-old financial planner and Republican residing in a Wisconsin resort town, offers a counter-narrative.
He believes the American Dream remains accessible and expresses pride in the nation, calling it “a great experiment.”
Sharpe asserts, “The opportunity is there for those who want to work for it,” and views the country as “a meritocracy, and the best ideas, the best work ethic, those with the best succeed regardless of race, skin color, any of those factors.”
He plans to celebrate the 250th anniversary with fireworks over the lake.
Further divisions emerge regarding the importance of diversity to American identity.
Just over half of U.S. adults, 56%, consider a shared American culture and set of values “extremely” or “very” important, a decrease from 65% in 2017.
Younger Americans are less inclined than their older counterparts to prioritize a singular set of values.
However, Americans remain sharply split on the centrality of welcoming diverse perspectives.
About half of adults, 51%, believe the ability of people to immigrate for safety or economic opportunity is “extremely” or “very” important to American identity.
Similarly, 55% hold this view regarding the mixing of cultures and values from around the world.
This perspective is notably partisan, with only about 4 in 10 Republicans seeing the mixing of cultures as central, compared with 76% of Democrats.
Rose Nunez, 70, a former small business owner and caregiver from San Antonio who typically votes Democrat, highlights a palpable “unease and tension” beneath the surface, particularly concerning Hispanic communities.
She notes that some individuals now carry papers proving their immigration status out of fear of being challenged.
“It is hard to celebrate when the feelings towards immigrants and communities of color are so strong,” Nunez remarked about the upcoming America 250 celebrations, adding that even citizens are now questioned.
She fears that if naturalized status is challenged, her 93-year-old mother, who has lived in the country since age four, “would be leaving.”