What Do Recent Politics Surveys Tells Us About Violence and Democracy?

Researchers from the Public Religion Research Institute (PRI) and the Brookings Institution joined forces to explore the current state of American politics with their "2024 American Values Survey. " One astonishing finding is that 19% of people believe that if Donald Trump loses the 2024 presidential election to Kamala Harris, he should refuse to accept the results. This raises serious concerns about the integrity of democratic norms. The study also reveals that a significant portion of Republicans are willing to consider violence as a solution. About 30% of Republicans think "true American patriots" may need to use force to "save the country. " This number is notably higher than in other political groups, with only 16% of independents and 8% of Democrats holding the same view.Interestingly, those who heavily trust conservative news outlets are more likely to support political violence. This hints at a potential link between news consumption and radical beliefs. Robert P. Jones, the president of PRI, found the survey results deeply disturbing. He has been working in this field for two decades and noted that these answers are worrisome enough to affect his sleep. The implications for democracy are indeed troubling. Remember, this comes in the context of ongoing claims by some about the 2020 election being stolen and the 2024 election already being rigged. These beliefs are changing how some people view the political process, especially those who are very disaffected and far-right. Democracy thrives on acceptance of election results and peaceful transitions of power. The survey suggests that there might be a growing challenge in maintaining these key principles.