Edelman Survey Reveals Rising Economic Grievances and Support for Hostile Actions

Economic concerns have escalated into widespread grievances among 60% of people globally, with a significant portion believing that hostile actions, including violence, may be necessary to drive change, according to a recent poll conducted by communications firm Edelman.

The survey, which gathered responses from 33,000 individuals across 28 countries, revealed deep distrust in both government and business institutions. Many respondents perceived these entities as serving the interests of the wealthy, while ordinary people continue to struggle. The findings were published ahead of the World Economic Forum’s annual meeting in Davos, themed “Collaboration for the Intelligent Age.”

According to the survey, four in 10 participants expressed approval of hostile actions such as violence, threats, online attacks, the intentional spread of disinformation, and property damage as means to achieve change. Support for such actions was even higher among younger respondents aged 18 to 34, reaching 53%.

Richard Edelman, CEO of Edelman, described the findings as profound, stating that over the past decade, public sentiment has shifted from fear to polarization and now to grievance. He attributed this growing discontent to increasing anxieties surrounding the cost of living and job security, particularly in relation to artificial intelligence.

The survey indicated that public dissatisfaction is fueled by a lack of hope for future generations, widening class divides between low- and high-income groups, a lack of trust in leaders—including government officials, business executives, and journalists—and confusion over credible sources of information.

In Western democracies, confidence in a better future for the next generation has reached alarmingly low levels. The survey found that only 9% of respondents in France, 17% in the UK, and 30% in the U.S. believe their countries will improve for the next generation.

Edelman emphasized that addressing these grievances and moving away from a society driven by dissatisfaction would require a collective effort across institutions to tackle key challenges such as information integrity, affordability, sustainability, and the evolving role of AI.

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