The survey results look like what a vapid 7th grader would put spout without analysis. It’s as much the reflection of how years of ingesting the vapid MSM’s headlines and their simplistic drivel rots the brain.

eliminating poverty, 13% That should be a little less rich and a little less poor.
But who is going to be less rich? “the others”

economic growth, 12%, How and when? Of course we have to produce more at a more competitive price. But who is going to produce and sell, who is going to buy?
Answer number first: WE, answer number second: the Others.

closing the gap between rich and poor, 11% The same as number first. The Others are going to be less rich in order that the poor get less poor.

protecting the environment, 10%Who is going to save on energy, cars, electricity, mobile phones…

restoring trust 9%Who has to get more honest? The OTHERS

human rights 4% Don’t forget the meaning of equal justice…

overcoming drugs, 4% Easy to say, impossible (almost) to do…

integrating social issues, 4% Remember Equal Justice…

overcoming AIDS, 3% In principle, it is somebody else’s problem…(as long as it doesn’t touch us…

reducing organized crime, 2% With equal justice, we would have just a few lunatics as criminals, wouldn’t we?

equality for women, 1%. I am a woman, no comment on this point…

All this for explaining that it is ALWAYS somebody else’s fault and duty and matter.
But if anyone of us would once ask himself: what am I doing to make a slightly better world? and WOULD just try to do something, may be we WOULD see better results than just complaining and blaming the same…
We say “Piove, governo ladro…”

I think Ruth’s brain actually may be “cucumbered” but I could be noninformed.

Anway, I don’t know about you morons, but I trust politicians and experts.

Hey, Ruth, unencumbered by which: their lackluster history(Ruwanda, Bosnia, Darfur or failure to bring to justice anyone of the world’s murderous thugs) - or - their corruption(Oil for Food scandals, sex scandals)?

Notice that most institutions which people interact with are still not democratic, this includes the military, capitalist corporations and most religious bodies.

Howard no is forced to go to church, be in the military, or work for a corporation. No gun at the back of the head, my friend. That’s democratic enough for me. But, then, I also came from a household where my vote wasn’t equally weighed to my parents when I was a kid. I’m not scarred.

Give me a break, that’s about 900 people surveyed per country, a number that is totally underwhelming.

Here’s a better poll. How many trust survey polls?

Is this a sign that the democracies are not really functioning properly? Notice that most institutions which people interact with are still not democratic, this includes the military, capitalist corporations and most religious bodies.

Have people’s expectations been raised by the promises of democracy only to make them more cynical when they aren’t met? I’ve been watching the PBS series on China and almost everyone interviewed (except party members) sees a large discrepancy between how the society is managed and how the propaganda claims it is.

This is why there were over 80,000 public demonstrations against the misuse of power last year.

If these leaders had used previous meetings to actually “do something” then maybe people would be more trusting.

Jeff, if you are going to go there and tell them the truth about their acts of self-interest, their personal hoarding of wealth, and their lack of action, then great. Otherwise, why go? To say you met powerful people? To get business cards as trophies? This has been going on for years, the strutting and preening of world leaders. Why is now so special, different, or important?

Thanks for the statistics. I love data.