Fewer See America as Fair

Less than half of Americans believe they live in a country characterized by fairness and decency, a sharp decline from previous surveys.

The latest Rasmussen Reports national telephone and online survey finds that 43% of Likely U.S. Voters believe American society is generally fair and decent. Thirty-two percent (32%) disagree, saying America is basically unfair and discriminatory, while 25% say they are not sure. Those findings are much more negative than March 2022, when 60% said America was fair and decent. (To see survey question wording, click here.) 

Fifty-six percent (566%) of voters believe that when people move to America from other parts of the world, they should adopt America's culture, language and heritage. Twenty-five percent (25%) think newcomers should instead try to maintain the culture, language and heritage of their own country, while another 19% are not sure. In March 2022, 60% said newcomers should adopt American culture.

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The survey of 1,371 American Adults was conducted on January 21-23, 2025 by Rasmussen Reports. The margin of sampling error is +/- 2 percentage points with a 95% level of confidence. Field work for all Rasmussen Reports surveys is conducted by Pulse Opinion Research, LLC. See methodology.

Belief that American society is basically fair and decent peaked at 74% in early 2010, while belief that newcomers should adopt America’s culture reached as high as 82% in early 2008.

Fifty-seven percent (57%) of Republicans, 37% of Democrats and 38% of voters not affiliated with either major party believe American society is generally fair and decent. Forty-one percent (41%) of Democrats, 24% of Republicans and 29% of unaffiliated voters think America is basically unfair and discriminatory.

Seventy-three percent (73%) of Republicans, 47% of Democrats and 52% of unaffiliated voters say when people move to America from other parts of the world, they should adopt America's culture, language and heritage. Thirty-four percent (34%) of Democrats, 16% of Republicans and 23% of unaffiliated voters believe newcomers should instead try to maintain the culture, language and heritage of their own country.

Forty-four percent (44%) of whites, 36% of blacks, 46% of Hispanics and 47% of other minorities think American society is generally fair and decent. Hispanics and other minorities are most likely to say when people move to America from other parts of the world, they should adopt America's culture, language and heritage.

Men (48%) are more likely than women (39%) to consider American society generally fair and decent. Majorities of both men (61%) and women (52%) to believe that newcomers should adopt America's culture, language and heritage.

Adults under 40 are most likely to see America as basically unfair and discriminatory, while those 65 and older are most likely to think that people moving to America from other parts of the world should adopt America's culture, language and heritage. Women under 40 are most likely to view America as basically unfair and discriminatory. Men 40 and older are most likely to say newcomers should adopt American culture.

Married adults are significantly more likely than their unmarried peers to believe American society is generally fair and decent. 

What used to be called “global warming” has been renamed climate change, and nearly two-thirds of Americans suspect it’s making winter worse.

The owner of Facebook has announced it will eliminate its Diversity, Equity and Inclusion (DEI) programs, and less than a third of Americans think the company will be worse without DEI.

Additional information from this survey and a full demographic breakdown are available to Platinum Members only.

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