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London/New York. Threat to jobs from Artificial Intelligence, climate change, threat of war and deepening economic polarization…. Opinion polls that come out every week in the rich countries of the Western world (America and Europe) are repeating the same thing, people have never been so apprehensive and scared about the future.

In a survey released in 2026, 2 out of 5 American citizens (40%) feared that America might not survive as a country until the completion of 500 years of its establishment in 2276. Most people believe that by 2050 their country will be weak, economically backward and politically more divided. Rich countries like Britain and France are standing in line with crisis-hit countries. But on the contrary, UNICEF and global survey data conducted in 55 countries present a completely opposite picture.

Citizens of middle-income countries like Indonesia, Kenya, Saudi Arabia and Colombia are many times more optimistic about their future than Western elites. According to research published in the science journal 'Nature', hope for the future does not depend on how much wealth you have today, rather it depends on the direction in which you are moving.

55th year of age: Where the cycle of pessimism begins

After crossing the age of 55, pessimistic people become majority.
Old population of western countries: Britain (31%), America (30%), France (34%) and Germany (38%) have the highest population of people above 55 years of age. This is the reason why these countries are the most pessimistic. Bulgaria, Bosnia, Austria and Belgium top the world's least optimistic countries.

Great enthusiasm among young countries: On the contrary, in countries with young populations there is tremendous positivity about the future. Kenya (just 7.5% of the population 55+), Syria (11%), Saudi Arabia (13%) and South Africa (12%) are among the most optimistic countries in the world.

Why is there more pessimism in democratic countries?

The surprising thing is that despite civil rights, freedom of expression and equality of opportunities, democratic countries are more pessimistic about the future than authoritarian countries. There are three main reasons for this:

Heavy pressure of election promises: In a democracy, leaders make big promises to make life better in every election. When those promises are not fulfilled in real life, it creates deep dissatisfaction among the citizens.

Focus of independent media: The independent press continuously exposes the flaws, scams and problems of the system, which creates an atmosphere of constant negativity among the public.

Chances of advancement are greater among the less affluent: The less affluent you are, the greater are your chances of moving up. Optimism is not determined by what you have today, but by where you are headed in the future. People are generally confident about their personal lives, but express great concern about the future of the country or society as a whole.