Edelman has been conducting its annual trust survey for a quarter of a century now, and the global communications firm says this year's findings are particularly troubling.

The 2025 Edelman Confidence Barometer Released on Sunday, it found an unprecedented lack of trust in institutional leaders, with 70% of respondents saying they believed government officials, business leaders and journalists were deliberately misleading them.

A protester uses a megaphone during a demonstration outside the Apollo Theater as New York City Mayor Eric Adams delivers his fourth and potentially final State of the City address in Harlem on January 09, 2025 in New York City. (Kena Betancur/VIEWpress/Getty Images)

In the survey of 33,000 people in 28 countries, it was determined that the fear of being a victim of discrimination has reached its highest level. In the US alone, 50% of the white population said they felt discriminated against, and more than 60% said they felt angry. with inflationrisk of job loss and downward social mobility.

The results also showed an unprecedented decline in employer confidence worldwide.

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“The experience of those who are suffering is this: You have high inflation, you have job risk, you have globalization, and (people ask), 'Are businesses really looking for us?'” he said. Edelman CEO Richard Edelman.

“I think this is a moment to make the business work better,” he said FOX Business in the interview. “Re-skilling, paying good wages, having affordable products and doing what business does best is making an impact.”

Another trend shown in the findings is a lack of hope for the next generation. Confidence in a better future is just 36%, with lower figures in every Western democracy, including France (9%), the UK (17%) and the US (30%).

People also increasingly see violence as a solution to their grievances, with 4 in 10 respondents and 53% of 18-34 year olds saying they favor violence, property damage or misinformation as tools for change.

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At the same time, 67% of respondents believe the rich are taking more than their fair share, three-quarters of the total report financial problems due to inflation, and respondents increasingly view capitalism as a failure due to their economic situation. Percentage of 18-34 year olds say capitalism does more harm than good.

Disney workers hold a rally outside the main entrance of the Disneyland Resort on July 17, 2024 in Anaheim, California, ahead of a planned strike authorization vote. According to the latest data, mistrust of institutions, including business, has increased worldwide (Photo by FREDERIC J. BROWN/AFP via Getty Images/Getty Images)

“It's surprising to me that half of the people in our study question whether capitalism works—it's a bad thing,” Edelman said, adding that this may be because capitalism works for some and less well for others, or perhaps because of how it is. placed by certain politicians.

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“But we have to make sure people believe the system works,” he said. “And this is not only the political system, but also economic systeminjustice. I think that the last event that is really important during these years is the fight for the truth and the collapse of the information system.