Pew Research conducted a worldwide survey asking people whether life is better now than it was 50 years ago. The majority of people life in Asia, Australia, Canada and most of Europe (with notable exceptions such as France, Italy and Greece) believed that life has indeed got better. But surprisingly respondents from the USA, Latin America (except Chile) and most African countries surveyed believe that the quality of life has deteriorated over the two last generations, despite all the technological innovations and increased life expectancy. Why could that be?
They survey found that younger and more educated people are more likely to say that life is better now. This is especially true in Europe. Conversely, Europeans voting for populist/extremist parties are more likely to take a dim view of the present and be nostalgic about the past. These are typically older and less educated people, including a lot of laid off factory workers.
The only places where more educated people were much more negative about present life conditions are Turkey and Nigeria. The reason is that these countries have seen a resurgence of Islam and discrimination, imprisonment and killings of intellectuals. Religious Turks and Muslim Nigerians see life now as much better, while secular Turks and Christian Nigerians have more misgivings.
But all this doesn't explain why most Latin Americans and about half of US citizens are so nostalgic about the past. The situation is understandable for the poorer, less educated half of the US population, which has suffered from globalisation and robotisation far more than their European counterparts. A huge underclass is developing in the USA, as the rich keep getting richer and the poor poorer.
But what about Latin America? The economy of most countries has developed dramatically over the last 50 years. What is making them so gloomy?
They survey found that younger and more educated people are more likely to say that life is better now. This is especially true in Europe. Conversely, Europeans voting for populist/extremist parties are more likely to take a dim view of the present and be nostalgic about the past. These are typically older and less educated people, including a lot of laid off factory workers.
The only places where more educated people were much more negative about present life conditions are Turkey and Nigeria. The reason is that these countries have seen a resurgence of Islam and discrimination, imprisonment and killings of intellectuals. Religious Turks and Muslim Nigerians see life now as much better, while secular Turks and Christian Nigerians have more misgivings.
But all this doesn't explain why most Latin Americans and about half of US citizens are so nostalgic about the past. The situation is understandable for the poorer, less educated half of the US population, which has suffered from globalisation and robotisation far more than their European counterparts. A huge underclass is developing in the USA, as the rich keep getting richer and the poor poorer.
But what about Latin America? The economy of most countries has developed dramatically over the last 50 years. What is making them so gloomy?