The State of Democracy in America

Public Attitudes on Who We Are and How We Move Forward

Abstract

In this lecture, Dr. Joshua Scacco explores the evolving state of American democracy through public opinion data collected by the Center for Sustainable Democracy. Amid widespread dissatisfaction, declining institutional trust, and growing support for authoritarian alternatives, Americans—especially Republicans and Independents—express concern about the effectiveness
of democratic governance. The lecture contextualizes these findings within broader societal challenges, including economic dislocation, technological change, social media's divisive role, and civic disengagement. Scacco emphasizes the importance of attention, community-building, and institutional solidarity as essential to sustaining democracy, warning that the U.S. may be
shifting toward a competitive authoritarian regime masked by democratic appearances.