According to a recent Pew Research Center survey, a significant 85% of Indians voiced their support for an authoritarian system. The survey, conducted among 30,861 individuals across 24 countries from February 20 to May 22, 2023, highlighted the inclination toward authoritative governance in India.
72% Indians Favor Military Rule
The survey indicated that approximately 67% of Indians endorse a system where a strong leader can make decisions without interference from parliamentary or judicial entities. Additionally, a substantial 72% of respondents expressed support for military rule in the country.
While global dissatisfaction with democracy prevails, with 59% expressing discontent with their country’s democratic processes, India stands as an exception. Over 72% of Indians conveyed satisfaction with the functioning of democracy in their nation.
Moreover, the survey unveiled that 79% of Indians believe in the effectiveness of a democratic system with elected representatives. Additionally, 80% support a direct democracy, and 82% favor a technocracy, emphasizing decision-making by experts rather than elected officials.
Call for Increased Representation:
The report also shed light on the perception that having more diverse representation in political offices would be beneficial. A substantial 68% of Indians believe that policies would improve with more women in elected offices. Recently, India has reserved one-third of its parliamentary seats for women. Furthermore, 62% feel policies would enhance with officials from poor backgrounds, 64% with more young adults, and 55% with increased representation of businesspeople.
Global Democracy Trends:
Despite a global decline in support for democracy, representative democracy remains popular worldwide. However, strong backing for representative democracy has diminished since 2017. Support for rule by a strong leader has increased in several countries, including India.
Middle-income countries, like India and Indonesia, exhibit significant support for authoritarianism. India leads with 85%, followed by Indonesia at 77%. High-income countries show the least support, with Sweden having only 8% in favor.
In terms of political representation, four in ten people globally feel that no political party represents their views. Interestingly, 74% believe that elected officials do not care about their opinions, with Sweden being the exception, where 56% feel represented.
