Bill Gates Says ‘It’s a Strange World’ — Only 8% of Americans Think Politicians Are Doing a Good Job vs. 80% in China, Where They Don’t Elect Officials

Democracy is supposed to come with a pretty simple arrangement. Voters choose their leaders, and those leaders are supposed to earn the public’s trust. Bill Gates pointed to a statistic that makes that relationship look considerably more complicated.

The Microsoft (MSFT) co-founder and philanthropist discussed the state of democracy, political polarization, and trust in institutions during an August interview with APT. When asked whether democracy was “shutting down, hibernating, or preparing to upgrade,” Gates said measures of democracy had declined slightly after rising dramatically following World War II.

“I find that concerning,” Gates said. He added that society is “way better off” and said he hopes the U.S. can reverse its political polarization and rebuild trust in institutions. Then he offered a comparison that he called strange.

“It’s a strange world where the U.S. that elects their politicians, 8% of them think they’re doing a good job, and China that doesn’t elect their politicians, 80% think they’re doing a good job,” Gates said. “That’s not the way it’s supposed to work.” 

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Gates’ Concern Goes Beyond Elections

Gates wasn’t arguing that the two political systems are the same. His point was about the disconnect between democratic participation and public confidence in institutions.

The comparison came as he discussed the broader decline in democratic measures and the level of trust people place in institutions. He said the degree of polarization in the U.S. is concerning and that rebuilding trust will require work.

The comments also led into another concern. Gates was asked whether he would rather engage with a 100-year-old legacy newspaper or a 25-year-old influencer. His answer was the newspaper.

“I think newspapers,” Gates said.

He expressed concern about the decline of the newspaper business, particularly because newspapers have historically played a role in keeping local governments accountable. He said the number of newspapers capable of serious investigative reporting has fallen, both nationally and especially at the local level. 

Gates Thinks Newspapers Still Matter

Gates said he doesn’t know how to fill the gap created by the decline of local investigative journalism. He suggested that philanthropy could potentially play a role in supporting that work.

“I hope some philanthropists decide that’s an area that they work on,” Gates said. “It’s a piece of the democratic system that’s necessary.” 

His comments arrive during a broader period in which Gates has been speaking publicly about the challenges facing governments and institutions as technology changes rapidly. 

Last month, Gates also warned that governments and society aren’t preparing quickly enough for the effects of artificial intelligence (AI), calling for new approaches to managing its impact on jobs, security, and other areas. 

But his observation about democracy landed on a much older question. If citizens have the ability to choose their leaders, what happens when very few of them believe those leaders are doing a good job?

For Gates, the answer appears to involve more than elections. It also involves rebuilding trust in the institutions that are supposed to make democracy work.

On the date of publication, Caleb Naysmith did not have (either directly or indirectly) positions in any of the securities mentioned in this article. All information and data in this article is solely for informational purposes. For more information please view the Barchart Disclosure Policy here.