US Tops Negative Views of Own Citizens Morality in Pew Survey

A new survey by the Pew Research Center reveals that the United States stands alone among 25 countries in holding a predominantly negative view of its own citizens' morality, with 53 percent of American adults describing the ethics of people living in the country as somewhat or very bad.

Conducted between January and May 2025, the study polled more than 30,000 adults across nations including Canada, Germany, Indonesia, Nigeria and Sweden. Respondents rated the morality and ethics of their fellow countrymen on a scale from very good to very bad. In the US, where 3,605 adults participated via Pew's American Trends Panel from late March, only 47 percent viewed others' morals as good, compared to 53 percent who saw them as bad. This marks the first time Pew has posed this specific question, leaving researchers unable to determine if the sentiment reflects a longstanding pattern or a recent development.

By contrast, positive assessments dominated in nearly every other country. Canada topped the list, with 92 percent of respondents rating fellow Canadians' morals as good and just 7 percent as bad. Countries like Turkey, Brazil, Greece and France showed near-even splits, but none...