US ranks last in G7 confidence index due to eroding faith in institutions

(TND) — America has fallen to the bottom of the pack for G7 nations in a Gallup confidence index that goes back nearly two decades.

Our confidence in key national institutions has been eroding.

The U.S. topped Gallup’s National Institutions Index when tracking began in 2006.

We fell to the back of the pack of G7 countries for the first time in 2022.

And our index score got even worse last year, according to a Gallup report published Wednesday.

Gallup compares American attitudes to those with people in other G7 countries, an informal body of advanced democracies.

The data for the new report was pulled from Gallup’s 2023 World Poll.

“The aim of this analysis is to shed light on how people within the G7 view their own countries and how their institutions are functioning,” Benedict Vigers, a global analytics consultant at Gallup, said via email. “Many of these core institutions - honest elections, judiciary, government - are fundamental to how successful democracies function. And at a time of many global challenges, the fact that US institutions seem under greater strain than in any other advanced economy is significant.”

Gallup’s National Institutions Index is a composite measure of how confident a country's citizens are in their core institutions, such as the military, the judicial system, the national government and the honesty of elections.

America’s index score last year was 49, down from 63 in 2006.

Last year’s top G7 country, Canada, scored 65.

The next-lowest G7 country last year was Italy, with an index score of 55.

American confidence in the military dipped to a new low last year.

Americans have been losing confidence in the judicial system every year since 2020, according to Gallup.

And Americans struggle more than people in every other G7 country to afford food for their families. Last year, 26% of Americans struggled to afford food at times, well above second-place Canada (17%).

Oklahoma State University politics professor Seth McKee called the Gallup report “depressing.”

He said we’re less trusting in our institutions largely because we’re increasingly fractured and politically polarized.

“The parties are so far apart on the military in terms of what should we do in the world right now,” McKee said. “And so, you know, a lack of unity on how we use our military, on whether we trust the courts are (not) being political these things are reflected in Gallup’s numbers.”

McKee blamed political leaders for starting us on our increasingly partisan path. But he said at a certain point the divisions take root within society.

“I do think originally that politicians created the beast,” he said. “I'm not sure they can control it anymore.”

We’re a two-party system. And one of the party leaders, former President Donald Trump, has struck a chord among some voters with talk of “corrupt” judges and his “crooked” political opponent.

“One party has a strategy of undermining faith in democracy and trust, and it's worked well for Trump,” McKee said.

Can we build back our crumbling trust in our institutions?

“It took us a long time to get to where we are. ... It took generations, but it'll probably take generations to turn it (back),” McKee said.

Many institutions that were once prided by Americans are under increasing strain, Vigers said.

There was, however, a bit of good news from Gallup.

In contrast to their views on national institutions, Americans are optimistic about the future of their economy and living standards relative to the rest of the G7, he said.