## Picture This

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### Key findings
- A median of 57 percent of respondents across 36 countries say children will be worse off financially than their parents.
- Pessimism is especially high in advanced economies, including Canada, the United States, and many European nations.
- Some fast-growing developing Asian economies—India, Bangladesh, Indonesia, and the Philippines—are more optimistic: at least 70 percent of respondents there say children will be better off.
- Pessimism is shared across age and income groups: “This pessimistic view about the economic future is shared by younger and older adults alike, as well as by people with higher and lower incomes,” according to Pew.

### Wealth gap and perceptions
- Pew links pessimism about children’s financial prospects to perceptions of economic inequality.
- “In most countries, people who consider the gap between the rich and the poor to be a very big problem are especially pessimistic about how children will fare financially when they grow up,” researchers said.
- Example (UK): 88 percent of respondents who say the gap between rich and poor is a very big problem also think children will be worse off. Only 66 percent say children will be worse off among those who believe the wealth gap is not a very big problem.

### Trends since the pandemic
- Pessimism has grown since the pandemic: in 15 out of 31 countries, a larger share of people now say children will be worse off compared with surveys before COVID-19.
- Example (Germany): the share who think children will be poorer has increased from 42 percent (prepandemic, 2019) to 61 percent (today).

### Key statistics
- Median share who think children will be worse off: 57 percent.
- Countries highlighted as more optimistic (children better off): India, Bangladesh, Indonesia, the Philippines — at least 70 percent say children will be better off.
- UK: 88 percent (among those who see the wealth gap as a very big problem) vs. 66 percent (among those who do not).
- Number of countries showing increased pessimism since COVID-19 (compared with prepandemic): 15 out of 31.
- Germany: 42 percent (prepandemic) → 61 percent (today).

*SOURCE: Pew Research Center, “Economic Inequality Seen as Major Challenge around the World.” Spring 2024 Global Attitudes Survey, Washington, DC.*

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_Source: https://www.imf.org/-/media/files/publications/fandd/article/2025/03/picture-this.pdf_