Magna Carta International Survey:
Results for The United States of America
• The Magna Carta 800th Survey is based on an international survey
covering adults living in 23 countries
• In each country between 500 and 1,000 adults (aged between 16 and 64
years) were surveyed online and the results are weighted to the primary
consumer profile in each country
• In The United States of America, 1,002 adults were interviewed
• Questions 1 and 2 were asked in all 23 countries. Question 3 was asked
in all countries except China
• The “average” score is the mean across all countries surveyed, giving
equal weight to each country
• In total, 17,061 interviews were carried out across all countries
• Fieldwork was conducted 6th – 20th January 2015 by Ipsos MORI on
behalf of the Magna Carta 800th Anniversary Commemoration Committee
1
Q1 Awareness of Magna Carta
Q)
“Here is a list of some historical documents. Which, if any, of these
have you heard of before taking part in this survey?”
International
% who say they have heard of
average
US Declaration of Independence (1776)
83 58%
The Bill of Rights (1789)
82
The Constitution of the United States (1787)
81
Emancipation Proclamation ( 1863)
74
Magna Carta (1215)
65
14th Amendment to the Constitution (1868)
57
UN Declaration of Human Rights (1948)
Commonwealth Charter (2013)
International Declaration of Democracy
(1910)
39%
35
19
15
Base: 1,002 USA adults (16-64 years) 6th – 20th Jan 2015
This never happened!
56%
17%
14%
Source: Ipsos MORI / MC800th2
Q1 Awareness of Magna Carta:
Ranked by Country
% who say they have heard of Magna Carta
Great Britain
United States
Hungary
Italy
Spain
Australia
Turkey
Mexico
Argentina
Germany
Canada
Average
Sweden
Brazil
Romania
Belgium
Japan
India
Russia
South Africa
South Korea
China
Poland
France
79
65
63
62
61
53
50
50
48
47
45
39
38
37
29
26
23
22
22
21
20
18
10
6
Base: 17,061 International adults (16-64 years) across 23 countries, 6th-20th Jan 2015
Source: Ipsos MORI / MC800th3
Q2 Rights Magna Carta
Helped Guarantee (base: all adults)
“Magna Carta was agreed in 1215 by King John of England and his Barons. From
what you know or have heard, which of these rights do you think Magna Carta helped
to guarantee?”
International
Difference
%
average
Basic human rights
The rule of law
18
17
12
Freedom of religion
Freedom from arbitrary arrest
12
Trial by jury 10
Democracy 8
Freedom of speech 6
The right to vote 5
An Independent judiciary 5
Equal rights for women 4
Don’t know / none of these
Base: 1,002 USA adults (16-64 years) 6th – 20th Jan 2015
19%
16%
10%
8%
8%
11%
10%
8%
9%
5%
48 53%
-1*
+1*
+2*
+4
+2*
-3*
-4
-3*
-4
-1*
-7
* not a statistical difference
Q)
Source: Ipsos MORI / MC800th4
Q2 Rights Magna Carta Helped
Guarantee (base: those aware of Magna Carta)
“Magna Carta was agreed in 1215 by King John of England and his Barons. From
what you know or have heard, which of these rights do you think Magna Carta helped
to guarantee?”
International
Difference
%
average
The rule of law
Basic human rights
Freedom of religion
22
21
26%
28%
13%
15
14
11
9
7
7
Freedom from arbitrary arrest
Trial by jury
Democracy
Freedom of speech
An independent judiciary
The right to vote 4
Equal rights for women 3
Don’t know / none of these
15%
40
Base: 681 USA adults who have heard of Magna Carta, 6th – 20th Jan 2015
12%
15%
11%
13%
8%
4%
35%
-4
-7
+2*
-1*
-1*
-6
-4
-6
-4
-1*
+5
* not a statistical difference
Q)
Source: Ipsos MORI / MC800th5
Q3 Rights Under Threat
in America Today
“Thinking about the USA, which three or four, if any, of these rights do
you feel are most under threat today?”
International Difference
average
%
Freedom of speech
Basic human rights
Freedom of religion
Democracy
Freedom from arbitrary arrest
Rule of law
Equal rights for women
An independent judiciary
The right to vote
Trial by jury
Other
Don’t know / none of these
41
37
30
27
20
19
13
11
8
6
5
20
Base: 1,002 USA adults (16-64 years) 6th – 20th Jan 2015
43%
35%
18%
32%
14%
22%
17%
29%
8%
8%
3%
18%
-2*
+2*
+12
-5
+6
-3
-4
-18
0
-2*
+2*
+2*
* not a statistical difference
Q)
Source: Ipsos MORI / MC800th6
Q2&3 Rights Guaranteed
vs. Under Threat
Q)
“Magna Carta was agreed in 1215 by King John of England and his Barons. From what you know or have heard,
which of these rights do you think Magna Carta helped to guarantee?
Q)
“Thinking about the USA, which three or four, if any, of these rights do you feel are most under threat today?”
%
7
Freedom of speech
Freedom of religion
41
15
21
Basic human rights
9
Democracy
22
19
14
Freedom from arbitrary arrest
An independent judiciary
Trial by jury
The right to vote
37
27
The rule of law
Equal rights for women
30
3
20
13
7
6
4
8
11
11
Base: 1,002 USA adults (16-64 years) 6th – 20th Jan 2015
Source: Ipsos MORI / MC800th7
Q1 Awareness of Documents:
Ranked for each country
Int Ave
Aus
Arg
Bel
Bra
Can
Chi
Fra
Ger
GB
Hun
Ind
US 58%
US 59%
UN 72%
UN 60%
UN 53%
US 66%
US 65%
UN 60%
US 68%
MC 79%
US 81%
UN 36%
UN 56%
MC 53%
US 59%
US 54%
US 38%
UN 47%
UN 45%
US 59%
UN 58%
US 74%
UN 67%
CC 28%
MC 39%
UN 51%
MC 48%
MC 26%
MC 37%
MC 45%
DD 30%
CC 23%
MC 47%
UN 64%
MC 63%
US 23%
CC 17%
CC 14%
DD 23%
CC 16%
DD 15%
CC 23%
MC 18%
DD 8%
CC 23%
CC 21%
CC 22%
MC 22%
DD 14%
DD 8%
CC 6%
DD 11%
CC 5%
DD 8%
CC 16%
MC 6%
DD 9%
DD 9%
DD 16%
DD 15%
Ita
Jap
Mex
Pol
Rom
Rus
SA
SK
Spa
Swe
Tur
US
UN 65%
US 45%
UN 52%
UN 64%
UN 68%
UN 61%
US 46%
US 48%
UN 76%
US 74%
UN 70%
US 83%
MC 62%
UN 25%
MC 50%
US 63%
US 49%
US 53%
UN 43%
UN 45%
US 73%
UN 73%
MC 50%
MC 65%
US 62%
MC 23%
US 40%
CC 27%
MC 29%
MC 22%
CC 33%
MC 20%
MC 61%
MC 38%
US 47%
UN 35%
CC 31%
DD 8%
DD 10%
MC 10%
CC 18%
DD 14%
MC 21%
DD 11%
CC 21%
DD 18%
DD 25%
CC 19%
DD 13%
CC 3%
CC 5%
DD 10%
DD 15%
CC 10%
DD 15%
CC 5%
DD 16%
CC 4%
CC 16%
DD 15%
Base: 17,061 adults (16-64 years) across 23 countries, 6th-20th Jan 2015
8
Q1 Awareness of UN Declaration of
Human Rights (Ranked by country)
% who say they have heard of UN Declaration of Human Rights
Spain
Sweden
Argentina
Turkey
Romania
Hungary
Italy
Great Britain
Poland
Russia
France
Belgium
Germany
Average
Brazil
Mexico
Australia
Canada
South Korea
China
South Africa
India
United States
Japan
76
73
72
70
68
67
65
64
64
61
60
60
58
56
53
52
51
47
45
45
43
36
35
25
Base: 17,061 adults (16-64 years) across 23 countries, 6th-20th Jan 2015
Source: Ipsos MORI / MC800th9
Q1 Awareness of US Declaration of
Independence (Ranked by country)
% who say they have heard of US Declaration of Independence
United States
Hungary
Great Britain
Sweden
Spain
Germany
Canada
China
Poland
Italy
France
Australia
Argentina
Average
Belgium
Russia
Romania
South Korea
Turkey
South Africa
Japan
Mexico
Brazil
India
83
81
74
74
73
68
66
65
63
62
59
59
59
58
54
53
49
48
47
46
45
40
38
23
Base: 17,061 adults (16-64 years) across 23 countries, 6th-20th Jan 2015
Source: Ipsos MORI / MC800th
10
Q1 Awareness of Commonwealth
Charter (Ranked by country)
% who say they have heard of The Commonwealth Charter
33
South Africa
31
Italy
India
28
Poland
27
France
23
Germany
23
Canada
23
Hungary
22
Great Britain
21
Spain
21
United States
19
Romania
18
Average
17
Turkey
16
Belgium
16
China
16
Australia
14
Russia
10
Argentina 6
South Korea 5
Brazil 5
Mexico 5
Sweden 4
Japan 3
Base: 17,061 adults (16-64 years) across 23 countries, 6th-20th Jan 2015
Source: Ipsos MORI / MC800th
11
Q1 Awareness of the “International
Declaration of Democracy” (Ranked by country)
% who say they have heard of the “International Declaration of Democracy”
China
Turkey
Argentina
Sweden
Spain
Hungary
Brazil
India
United States
Romania
South Africa
Russia
Average
Italy
Belgium
South Korea
Mexico
Poland
Germany
Great Britain
Australia
Canada
France
Japan
30
25
23
18
16
16
15
15
15
15
15
14
14
13
11
11
10
10
9
9
8
8
8
8
This never happened!
Base: 17,061 adults (16-64 years) across 23 countries, 6th-20th Jan 2015
Source: Ipsos MORI / MC800th
12
Q3 Rights Under Threat
(top three for each country)
Int Ave
Aus
Arg
Bel
Bra
Can
Chi
Fra
Ger
GB
Hun
Ind
Speech
43%
Speech
39%
Speech
56%
Speech
52%
Speech
48%
Speech
36%
Not
asked
Speech
69%
Rights
28%
Speech
51%
Democ
61%
Rights
44%
Rights
35%
Rights
32%
Rights
41%
Democ
36%
Rights
47%
Religion
26%
Not
asked
Democ
38%
Judicia
l 28%
Religion
30%
Speech
52%
Women
43%
Democ
32%
Religion
27%
Judicia
l 52%
Religion
24%
Democ
35%
Rights
24%
Not
asked
Religion
31%
Democ
27%
Rights
25%
Rights
49%
Religion
34%
Ita
Jap
Mex
Pol
Rom
Rus
SA
SK
Spa
Swe
Tur
US
Democ
43%
Speech
25%
Speech
68%
Judicia
l 41%
Judicia
l 57%
Judicia
l 45%
Rights
51%
Speech
51%
Speech
54%
Speech
35%
Speech
52%
Speech
41%
Rights
36%
Rights
18%
Democ
55%
Law
34%
Rights
38%
Rights
39%
Democ
45%
Rights
45%
Judicia
l 46%
Democ
25%
Judicia
l 49%
Rights
37%
Judicia
l 34%
Law
14%
Rights
50%
Rights
33%
Law
28%
Arrest
32%
Speech
44%
Democ
41%
Rights
38%
Religion
19%
Law
43%
Religion
30%
Base: 17,061 adults (16-64 years) across 23 countries, 6th-20th Jan 2015
13
Key to Summary Slides
Q1 – Awareness of documents, by country:
• US: US Declaration of Independence (1776)
• UN: UN Declaration of Human Rights (1948)
• MC: Magna Carta (1215)
• CC: Commonwealth Charter (1213)
• DD: “International Declaration of Democracy” (1910)
Q3 – Rights most under threat, by country:
• Speech:
Freedom of speech
• Rights:
Basic human rights
• Democ:
Democracy
• Judicial:
An independent judiciary
• Law:
The rule of law
• Religion:
Freedom of religion
• Women:
Equal rights for women
• Arrest:
Freedom from arbitrary arrest
14
More Information
For more information contact:
Sir Robert Worcester
Chairman, MC800th Committee
sirrobertworcester@magnacarta800th.com
Mark Gill
Executive Director, MC800th Committee
markgill@magnacarta800th.com
15