As many as 84.8 percent of respondents in a global poll said no type of democracy was superior to another, and the best form of democracy was the one that suited a country's actualities.

Titled "Global Democratic System," the poll was launched by CGTN Think Tank and the Chinese Institute of Public Opinion of Renmin University of China. A total of 3,776 people from 35 countries, including the United States, France, Namibia and Pakistan, were surveyed.

The poll results show that the respondents placed a high priority on basic human rights, such as the right to survival and development.

What is democracy's priority?

As many as 40.7 percent of the respondents ranked the "basic right to live" as the top priority of a democratic system, followed by the right to the rule of law, or "equality for all," which got the support of 29.3 percent of the respondents.

"Economic development" and "improvement of living standards" came third and fourth, respectively, with 29 percent and and 28.4 percent of the respondents choosing them to be the object of a democracy. 

In the poll section pertaining to the priorities of democratic institutions, the Western democratic concepts of "one person, one vote" and "checks and balances" represented by the separation of powers did not make it to the top 10, as the two only garnered the support of 2.8 percent and 2.6 percent of the respondents, respectively.

Moreover, 84.3 percent of the respondents said democracy is not a one-size-fits-all system, instead it has different forms in different countries and cultures. No form of democracy is superior to another, and there is no universal formula of democracy. In this regard, 84.8 percent of respondents said that a country's history, culture and national conditions should be taken into account when choosing a political system.

Whole-process people's democracy highly applauded

China has always insisted that democracy is not an ornament for display, but an instrument for addressing the issues that concern the people. Over the past few decades, China has comprehensively promoted the construction of the whole-process people's democracy, achieving broad and sustained participation by the vast majority of people. The whole-process people's democracy ensures that development is for the people and by the people and that its fruits are shared by the people.

The core of this whole-process people's democracy was also generally recognized in the poll. A total of 88.3 percent of respondents said democracy should be a way for government leaders to accord with the people's will, serve the people and subject themselves to people's scrutiny. This opinion was held by 91.2 percent of respondents in North American countries.

Meanwhile, 81.5 percent of the respondents said democracy should cover all aspects of people's lives, and all public affairs ought to be resolved democratically.

Besides, 86.7 percent of respondents said democratic institutions should consider the interests of all people rather than specific interest groups. In particular, the legitimate concerns of disadvantaged and marginalized groups should be addressed and their channels of participation broadened.

Furthermore, 87.3 percent of the respondents stressed both democratic elections and post-election governance. 

China's whole-process people's democracy is a path to democracy that differs greatly from Western political, historical and cultural traditions.

According to the poll, 75.4 percent of global respondents said China's world-renowned development achievements are due to its adoption of a different political system than that of Europe and the United States. This view was even higher among respondents from African countries at 83.1 percent.

It is worth noting that respondents from African countries said that China's political system and democratic experience are the most worthy of learning from among all the countries in the world.

(Cover: People buy snacks at a tourist site in Chengdu, China, January 22, 2023. /CFP)