You all know Edelman which is an American company carrying out international surveys. In its annual Trust Report, it analyzes the social and moral attitude of the population towards the government and the various institutions, the prospects for the future, etc. Around 12,000 people in 28 countries were surveyed for the latest Edelman Barometer which has just been released. How did China score?
Edelman expresses the most striking things in this report. A real negative polarization is found there. Indeed, in 24 out of 28 countries, a record number of people see a bleak future. There is a sharp increase in distrust of the competence of institutions; only the business world would still be trustworthy; the media creates less trust capital than ever; social media even less! The greatest mistrust is calculated differently depending on whether the respondent is in the richest quarter or the poorest quarter of the population.
And in China?
China goes against the grain on almost all of these criteria.
China obtains the best score this year as last year with 83%. India is fourth, rising from 73 to 74%. In the Netherlands, trust rose from 54 to 57%, while in the United States it fell from 48 to 43%.
Among the wealthiest quarter of respondents, China scores highest at 91%, India is sixth at 76%, the United States eleventh at 63% and the Netherlands is the best in Europe at thirteenth place with 62%. In the poorest quarter of respondents, China also leads with 73%, India second with 70%, the Netherlands with 46% and the United States with 40% in 22nd place.
The Chinese government is trusted by 89% of respondents. India is fourth with 76%. The Netherlands is twelfth with 51% (down 7%) and the United States is 17th with 42%.
In most countries, the public has much less trust in government than in business. In South Africa, the difference is 40%. In the United States 13%, in the Netherlands 10%. There are only four countries where governments outperform businesses: Singapore (14%), Saudi Arabia, the Emirates, China (5%) and Sweden (3%).
In terms of confidence in the business world, China leads with 84%, the same as last year. The Netherlands is 15th with 61% (a slight drop) and the United States 17th with 55%, an increase of 5%.
The media is trusted by 79% of respondents in China, 62% in India, 55% in the Netherlands and 43% in the United States.
In terms of the economic outlook, 65% of Chinese think things will be better this year than in 2022. That’s 1% more than the previous year. China thus occupies sixth place, behind India, which is third with 73% (down 7%). The rest of the top five are emerging countries in Africa and Asia, Kenya, Indonesia, the Emirates and Nigeria. The United States is 14th with 36% (down 4%). Ireland is the first European country in 17th place and the Netherlands in 24th place.
In short, 82% of Chinese trust China. It is true that since 1949, China’s GDP has multiplied by more than 1,100, and the average life expectancy has increased from 35 to 77 years and more…
