What Worries the World – September 2024

Our monthly What Worries the World survey explores what the public thinks are the most important social and political issues, drawing on more than ten years of data to place the latest scores in context.
Inflation is no longer the leading concern, after 29 months in the top spot.

Key findings:
- Inflation has been the number one global concern overall in our What Worries the World survey for over two years but has now fallen to second after dropping marginally to 30%.
- Crime and violence is the number one concern across 29 countries this month. March 2022 was the last time a worry other than inflation was top, when it was poverty and social inequality.
- While 25 of the 29 countries surveyed have seen a decline in worry about inflation over the last year, concern in the US is up 5pp compared to September 2023. It's the only country where we have seen a significant increase in the last 12 months.
- Inflation is no longer the number one concern in Argentina, the first time this is the case since April 2021. In May 2023, 76% of Argentinians chose inflation as a major issue, the highest level of concern for rising prices in our survey. Today that figure is 48%.
- Germany's "country heading in the right direction" score is up 13pp compared to 12 months ago (38%). We also see an increase in the proportion describing the current state of the German economy as "good", up 13pp in the last year. At the same time, Germans' worry about inflation is down 19pp.

Inflation
Thirty per cent across 29 countries say inflation is one of the top concerns in their country. It is the second biggest concern globally, the first time that it has not been in top place since March 2022. September 2024's score is the lowest since March 2022 (27%).
Worry for rising prices has been steadily declining over the last 18 months (the peak was February 2023 when it was 43%) and, looking at how the picture compares to September 2023, 25 countries now have a lower level of concern than 12 months ago.
The US is the only country with a significant increase in worry in the last year (+5pp).
In September 2024 Türkiye is now the only country where a majority (52%) see inflation as a major issue.

Crime & violence
Thirty-one per cent across 29 countries choose crime and violence as a major issue in their country, making it the number one issue this month.
This is the first time it has been at the top since March 2020, which was the month before Coronavirus was added to our survey.
LATAM countries alongside some European countries are the most worried about crime. This month, Chile is the most worried nation with 65%, 30pp higher than March 2020.
Looking at the last 12 months, many countries have seen a rise in concern crime. The biggest increases are in Malaysia (+20pp), Great Britain (+16pp) and Germany (+13pp).

Political/financial corruption
Twenty-five per cent across 29 countries choose financial/political corruption as a top issue in their country. This is a marginal increase from last month and slightly lower than this time last year.
Looking at the bigger picture, concern for corruption is lower than its pre-pandemic level. Back in March 2023, the month before Coronavirus was added, 31% chose financial/political corruption as an issue, and worry has not risen to that level from a global perspective in the last four and a half years.
Indonesia is the most worried country with 63% saying it is a concern. This is up 5pp compared to August 2024 and is 8pp higher than this time last year.

Current economic situation
Four in ten people (39%) across 29 countries describe the current economic situation in their country as good - up four points from this time last year.
Top of the table is Singapore on 83%, followed by India on 78%. Singapore and India have taken turns occupying the top spot for the past three years, with September 2021 the last time a third country sat top of the table (Sweden at 68%).
Singapore also sees the biggest month-on-month increase (+16pp), followed by Germany (+9pp). Conversely, both Spain and Belgium are down 7pp from last month.
Looking further back, it is the Netherlands (+16pp), Argentina (+14pp), and Germany (+13pp) whose "good economy" scores have risen most over the past 12 months.
Meanwhile, Indonesia's score has fallen 13 points over the same period.