Rather, the response pattern reveals what factors cause individuals to be more or less optimistic about the present compared with the past. Each of these countries has achieved significant rates of economic growth for sustained periods of time over the past half-century. Chile was the only Latin American country polled that thought life was better now than 50 years ago. So, to sum up: Objectively, life is better now than it was 50 years ago. Greater democratization does not automatically translate into greater contentment about the status quo compared with the past.

Source: Washington Post December 06, 2017 13:18 UTC