Rise of Socially Liberal Views

Tuesday, June 18, 2024

The voice of the world in numbers

June 18, 2024

Welcome to Front Page, where we break down Gallup's latest insights on our constantly evolving world. Here are the five insights you shouldn't miss this week:

1. Rise of Socially Liberal Views

Line Chart: 33% of Americans said their views on social issues were liberal or very liberal in 2023.

The Data: Americans are currently about equally likely to say their views on social issues are conservative (32%), moderate (32%) or liberal (33%).

Trending: Despite some fluctuation, liberal identification on social issues has gradually increased, while conservative and moderate identification have slightly declined.

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2. Liberal Shift Among Democrats

Bar Chart: Democrats had a 30-point increase in self-identified liberal views from 2004 to 2024.

The Data: A rise in liberal views in the U.S., particularly on social issues, is exclusively seen among Democrats, who have shown a 30-percentage-point increase in liberal identification since 2004.

Party Differences: Meanwhile, Republicans and independents are no more or less likely to identify as liberal on social or economic issues than they were in 2004 or 2014.

New Data

3. Party Lines Drawn in Abortion Debate

Line Chart: 86% of Democrats identify as 'pro-choice,' along with 52% of independents and 23% of Republicans.

The Data: Nearly nine in 10 Democrats (86%) consider themselves to be “pro-choice,” while 23% of Republicans and 52% of independents say the same.

Trend: In the past five years, the percentage of pro-choice Democrats has increased by 18 percentage points. At the same time, Republicans and independents have shown little change.

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4. Minority to Majority: Support of Interracial Marriage in the U.S.

Line Chart: 94% of Americans approved of marriage between Black and White people in 2021.

The Data: Approval of interracial marriages between Black and White individuals in the U.S. has shown a dramatic increase over the past six decades. Starting at a mere 4% in 1958, approval climbed to 94% by 2021.

Long-Term Change: A year after the Supreme Court struck down state laws banning interracial marriage in its 1967 Loving v. Virginia decision, only 20% approved of such unions. It wasn't until the late 1990s that a majority of Americans first approved of marriages between Black and White adults, and not until 2021 that the rate cracked 90%.

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5. Americans Say Economy Is Getting Worse

Line Chart: 70% of Americans said economic conditions in the U.S. are getting worse in May 2024.

The Data: 70% of Americans feel the economy is worsening, continuing a trend of negative sentiment that began in May 2021.

Most Important Problem: The economy and inflation remain top issues in the minds of Americans when they are asked to name the greatest problem facing the nation, but fewer now mention inflation than did so between early 2022 and early 2023, a period when economic confidence was also lower than it is now.

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