Is U.S. democracy in decline? Here’s what the science says

The United States’ reputation as an exemplar of democracy appears to be eroding.

In a poll taken earlier this year, almost three-quarters of U.S. respondents agreed that the country’s democracy “used to be a good example for other countries to follow, but has not been in recent years.” People elsewhere appear to share that sentiment. The majority of poll respondents in Canada, the United Kingdom, Germany, Japan and South Korea also agreed with the statement.