Most want a democracy that balances majority rule with compromise
Core finding
About a third of Americans (32%) think democracy means the majority should compromise with the minority about half of the time, according to a September 2023 Verasight survey.
More Americans lean toward compromise than toward unchecked majority rule: 39% favor a democracy where the majority compromises more often than not, including 19% who say the majority should never overrule minority opinion and should always compromise. The remaining 29% tilt toward majority rule, including 10% who say democracy means the majority always gets what it wants, no matter what the minority wants.
Topline distribution
Most want a democracy that balances majority rule with compromise.
People have different ideas about how democracy should work. How would you place your preferences on this scale?
n = 2,000 · Sep 7–13, 2023 · MoE ±2.3%
Methodology
Full methodology →| Mode | Verasight panel recruited via random address-based sampling, random person-to-person text messaging, and dynamic online targeting |
|---|---|
| Population | United States adults |
| Field dates | Sep 7–13, 2023 |
| Base (unweighted) | 2,000 |
| Margin of error | ±2.3% |
| Module | 2023 APSA Omnibus Survey #2023-071 |
| Sponsor | Verasight |
| Weight variable | weight |
| Weighting targets | age, race/ethnicity, sex, income, education, region, metropolitan status |
Sources
- verasight-apsa-2023.tiiny.co
How would you place your preferences on this scale?
Cite this question
2023 APSA Omnibus Survey #2023-071, fielded September 7-13, 2023, N=2,000 United States adults, +/- 2.3%.