These are the topline results of a YouGov/Economist survey of 1000 US adults interviewed February 22-24, 2014 on protesting. The results show that a large majority of Americans approve of peaceful protests and demonstrations, but very few have actually protested.The margin of error is 4.1%.
Click here to see full tables and demographic crossbreaks
Have you ever participated in a protest, rally, or march against the government?
Yes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11%
No . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .89%
Do you approve or disapprove of peaceful protests or demonstrations against government policies?
Approve strongly . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .41%
Approve somewhat . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 37%
Disapprove somewhat . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .8%
Disapprove strongly . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .2%
Not sure . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12%
How closely have you been following the news about anti-government protests in Ukraine?
Very closely . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14%
Somewhat closely . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 37%
Not very closely . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .27%
Not closely at all . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 22%
Which of these do you think is most likely to happen in Ukraine?
Ukraine will become a stable democracy in the next year or two. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15%
Ukraine will become a stable democracy, but it will take longer than a year or two. . . . . . . . . . .33%
Ukraine will probably never become a stable democracy. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .20%
Not sure . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 33%
How closely have you been following the news about anti-government protests in Venezuela?
Very closely . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .5%
Somewhat closely . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 27%
Not very closely . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .33%
Not closely at all . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 35%
Which of these do you think is most likely to happen in Venezuela?
Venezuela will become a stable democracy in the next year or two. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6%
Venezuela will become a stable democracy, but it will take longer than a year or two. . . . . . . . . . 28%
Venezuela will probably never become a stable democracy. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .27%
Not sure . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 39%
How closely have you been following the news about anti-government protests in Thailand?
Very closely . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .3%
Somewhat closely . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15%
Not very closely . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .40%
Not closely at all . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 43%
Which of these do you think is most likely to happen in Thailand?
Thailand will become a stable democracy in the next year or two. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .7%
Thailand will become a stable democracy, but it will take longer than a year or two. . . . . . . . . . . 26%
Thailand will probably never become a stable democracy. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 19%
Not sure . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 48%
Generally speaking, do you think American interests are better served by supporting pro-democracy protesters in foreign countries or by maintaining good relations with foreign governments by remaining silent on their internal politics?
Supporting pro-democracy protesters . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 32%
Maintaining good relations with foreign governments . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .36%
Not sure . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 32%
