As the United States marks the 250th anniversary of its founding next month, 4 in 10 Americans said the country will not remain a single nation in 250 years.
According to a poll of 1,537 U.S. adults conducted by Reuters and Ipsos on the 16th, 38% of respondents said, "The United States will not exist as a single nation in 250 years." The share who said the United States will continue to endure was 62%. By party, 40% of Democratic supporters and 26% of Republican supporters were skeptical about the country's long-term survival.
The survey was conducted as the United States approaches the 250th anniversary of independence next month. Recently, President Donald Trump hosted a UFC match at the White House on his birthday and has positioned himself to play a central role in the Independence Day events, putting himself at the forefront of the 250th anniversary commemorations.
The survey found growing concern among Americans about democracy. Sixty-four percent of respondents said U.S. democracy is at risk of failing. That is up 7 percentage points from 57% in an August survey last year. Among Democratic supporters, 85% saw democracy as in crisis, compared with 50% of Republican supporters. Reuters noted that the rise in concern among Republicans, in particular, contributed to the overall increase.
There were also heightened worries about the possibility of political violence. Seventy-seven percent of respondents said political violence is likely to increase over the next five years.
Pride in the United States also appeared to be weakening. Thirty percent of respondents rated the United States as the best country in the world. That is 8 percentage points lower than the 38% recorded in a November 2017 survey during Trump's first term. Among Democratic supporters, the share plunged from 26% to 11%, while among Republican supporters it held at about 60%.
In addition, a majority of respondents said the 250th anniversary commemorations have become overly politicized. About 75% of Democratic supporters and half of Republican supporters shared that view.
Differences between the parties also emerged in how they plan to mark Independence Day. Fifty-two percent of Republican supporters said they plan to wear clothes in red, white and blue, the colors of the Stars and Stripes, compared with 20% of Democratic supporters. Willingness to attend fireworks events was also higher among Republican supporters (46%) than Democratic supporters (28%).
Reuters analyzed that, even at the symbolic milestone of the 250th anniversary of the nation's founding, political polarization in American society has deepened, fueling anxiety about the country's future and the sustainability of democracy.