A new Pew Research Center survey of 36 nations released today finds widespread public concern about economic inequality. When asked what leads to this inequality, most people across the countries surveyed point to the intersection of wealth and politics.

    A median of 54% of adults across the nations surveyed say the gap between the rich and the poor is a very big problem in their country. A median of 30% say it is a moderately big problem.
    A median of 60% believe that rich people having too much political influence contributes a great deal toward economic inequality. Of the six factors we asked about, this one resonates most with respondents, topping the list in 31 of 36 countries surveyed.

Our survey also finds deep global anxieties about the economic future and a strong desire for economic reform.

    A median of 57% adults across nations polled expect children in their country to be worse off financially than their parents when they grow up, compared with a median of 34% who say they will be better off. In 15 of 31 countries where trends are available, the share of the public who thinks children will be worse off financially than their parents is higher today than in pre-pandemic surveys.
    There is widespread support for changing the economic system in the countries surveyed. In all but three nations (Singapore, the Netherlands and Sweden), majorities say their economic system needs major changes (52% median) or complete reform (20% median).

In sub-Saharan African countries surveyed, many people believe economic inequality is a problem in their country. A majority of respondents in every country in the region say the gap between the rich and the poor is a big problem and that rich people having too much political influence contributes to economic inequality.  

But there are differences between countries in views of the next generation's financial future. For example, more than 60% of adults in South Africa and Kenya say that when children in their country grow up, they will be financially worse off than their parents. By contrast, just 38% in Ghana hold this view.  

Discrimination based on race or ethnicity is seen as a very big problem by half of adults or more in Kenya, Nigeria and South Africa. About half of respondents in Kenya and South Africa also say unequal rights for men and women is a very big problem in their country. And 54% of Nigerians say discrimination against people based on their religion is a very big problem – the highest share to say this in the region.  

Additional key findings from the report:

Factors seen as contributing to economic inequality:

    Majorities in almost every country surveyed believe all six factors we asked about lead to economic inequality at least a fair amount. However, there are differences over whether each contributes a great deal.
    A median of 48% of adults say problems with their country's education system contribute a great deal to economic inequality. Sri Lanka and Turkey are the only two countries where this is seen as the top contributing factor of those we asked about.
    Around four-in-ten say some people being born with more opportunities than others (40%) and some people working harder than others (39%) are factors that contribute to economic inequality a great deal.
    Fewer point to the impact of robots and computers doing the work previously done by humans (31%) or to discrimination against racial or ethnic minorities (29%).
        Brazilians are particularly likely to say racial or ethnic discrimination is a major contributor to economic inequality – 64% say this, the highest share in any survey country.

Global perceptions of inequality and discrimination

    Our survey asked respondents how large a problem various types of inequality are in their nation, including the gap between the rich and the poor (a median of 54% see it as a very big problem), discrimination based on a person's race or ethnicity (34%), unequal rights for men and women (31%), and discrimination based on a person's religion (29%). Many across the countries surveyed also see these as moderately big problems.
    Many people see these as very big problems in their country. In 35 of 36 countries, more say this about the gap between the rich and the poor than any other issue.
    There is somewhat less concern overall about religious discrimination than about the other issues asked. But in five nations (Bangladesh, France, India, Nigeria and Sri Lanka), half or more believe religious discrimination is a very big problem.
    People in middle-income countries are more likely than those in high-income countries to see each form of inequality as a very big problem where they live.

(Read Appendix A for a classification of middle-income and high-income nations.)

These are among the key findings of a new Pew Research Center survey of 45,103 adults conducted from Jan. 5 to May 22, 2024.

Read the full report: https://www.pewresearch.org/global/2025/01/09/economic-inequality-seen-as-major-challenge-around-the-world/

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Methodology: https://www.pewresearch.org/2025/01/09/methodology-inequality/

Survey topline: https://www.pewresearch.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/20/2025/01/pg_2025.01.09_inequality_topline.pdf

For more information about the study or to arrange an interview with the lead researchers, please contact Gar Meng Leong (gleong@pewresearch.org).