Insights from three profiles of youth and democracy

Young Americans represent both the present and future of political leadership and participation in the United States. Understanding the nuanced views and perspectives of this demographic, including their unique political attitudes and behaviors, is critical to bolstering democratic institutions and safeguarding against the risks of democratic decline.

In a new report in partnership with CIRCLE (the Center for Information & Research on Civic Learning and Engagement), Protect Democracy published findings from a national survey of young Americans that challenge common assumptions about how they perceive democracy, engage with civic life, and see their role in shaping the future.

The findings challenge the notion that young Americans think and behave as a monolith by offering clearer insights into youth’s perceptions of, and relationships to, democratic principles and practices. In doing so, we pinpoint key strengths and challenges that can inform interventions that will help all young people value, support, and strengthen democracy.

Appreciation, Detachment, and Dissatisfaction: Three profiles of attitudes toward democracy among Gen Z

Our data, from an exclusive nationally representative poll of young people, highlights the political views and behaviors of three groups of youth with different profiles of attitudes about democracy in the United States. 

Each profile is based on young people’s beliefs and perspectives on six facets of democracy:

There were no major differences between the profiles in age, gender, rurality, party affiliation, and both voter turnout and presidential vote choice in the 2024 election.

Key Takeaways

4. Civic engagement and support matter.

Youth with lower levels of civic engagement, media literacy, and access to resources tend to be the most skeptical of democracy, and to express the most support for authoritarian tactics as an alternative. 

Those who feel disconnected from democratic institutions or processes, or who lack the tools and resources necessary to actively participate in them, are more likely to lose trust in the system’s ability to meet their needs, creating an openness to non-democratic alternatives that may seem more promising. 

Socioeconomic inequality and race play a critical role in amplifying these attitudes, as our analysis indicates that BIPOC youth, youth from lower-income backgrounds, and those with limited access to education and civic resources are disproportionately represented in profiles with more dismissive views of democracy. 

5. Identity also matters.

Our analysis finds that while experiences of affective polarization and the fear of being the victim of political violence do not necessarily lead to support of authoritarian tactics, they can drive youth toward more extreme views of how to achieve reform, including support for political violence.

This remains true even when youth possess ‘protective factors’ such as comparably high educational attainment, incomes, political efficacy, and media literacy, indicating that physical safety and security, particularly as it relates to matters regarding identity, can be paramount in shaping youth attitudes towards tactics for reform.  

Our analysis highlights how identity, and how concerns about safety and well-being related to identity (such as gender identity or sexual orientation), plays a significant role in shaping attitudes towards democracy and the best ways to reform it.