Most people around the world still view their fellow citizens as moral individuals. In this regard, Indonesia ranks at the very top, with an exceptionally high level of public trust.
At the same time, the report highlights a notable global anomaly: the United States is the only country where a majority of respondents perceive their fellow citizens as not moral.
These findings come from the Spring 2025 Global Attitudes Survey conducted by the Pew Research Center, which examines public perceptions of social morality across 25 countries.
Top 10 Most Moral Countries Worldwide
The following are the ten countries with the highest percentage of respondents who consider their fellow citizens to be moral:
- Indonesia — 92%
- Canada — 92%
- Sweden — 88%
- India — 88%
- Australia — 85%
- Mexico — 83%
- Japan — 83%
- United Kingdom — 82%
- Netherlands — 80%
- South Korea — 78%
Countries with the Highest Perceived Morality
Indonesia ranks first alongside Canada, with 92% of respondents in both countries stating that their fellow citizens are moral. A slight difference appears among those who disagree, with 7% in Canada and 8% in Indonesia expressing negative views.
Below them, several countries also report high levels of trust in the moral character of their citizens. Sweden and India both stand at 88%, followed by Australia (85%), Mexico and Japan (83%), the United Kingdom (82%), the Netherlands (80%), and South Korea (78%).
The composition of this list reveals an interesting pattern. Highly diverse countries such as Indonesia and India appear alongside relatively homogeneous societies like Japan.
In addition, both developing and developed countries show similar levels of perceived morality—for example, India and Sweden, which share the same 88% rating despite their different economic contexts.
Moral Perception Not Driven by Wealth or Demographics
The survey challenges the assumption that economic development or social homogeneity are the main drivers of moral perception. Indonesia and Canada, for instance, have very different economic and social backgrounds, yet display equally high levels of trust.
A similar pattern is seen in India and Sweden. Despite significant differences in economic structure and culture, both countries maintain equally positive perceptions. This suggests that social trust is shaped more by internal societal dynamics than by structural factors alone.
Overall, most countries in the survey show that the public continues to hold positive views about the morality of their fellow citizens. This indicates that social trust remains a crucial foundation in societies around the world.
U.S. Is the Only Country with Negative Majority Perception
In contrast to the global trend, the United States records the lowest result. A total of 53% of respondents believe that their fellow citizens are not moral, while only 47% hold a positive view.
This makes the United States the only country in the survey where negative perception forms a majority. The finding is particularly striking when compared to Canada, which ranks at the top despite being in the same region.
Several internal factors are believed to contribute to this outcome, including deep political polarization, rising group-based sentiments, and prolonged debates over social issues.
Differences in perception are also evident along political lines, with individuals affiliated with the Democratic Party more likely to express negative views compared to those aligned with the Republican Party.
Beyond the United States, divided perceptions are also observed in countries such as Brazil, Turkey, France, and Italy, although not to the extent that negative views become the majority.
These findings highlight that while social trust remains dominant in many countries, internal dynamics, particularly politics and polarization, can significantly shape how people perceive one another.
In this context, Indonesia stands out as an example of a country with exceptionally high social trust amid a diverse global landscape.
