Most people around the world are optimistic and believe that 2014 will be better than last year and that the global economy will strengthen, according to a public opinion poll released this weekend.
A survey conducted in 23 countries of the world by the reputable agency Ipsos showed that 76 percent of people believe that this year will be good, which is slightly more than in the previous survey conducted for 2013.
"People are excited about the arrival of the New Year. I think they still have a bitter taste in their mouths from 2013, as more than half of those surveyed said that last year was bad for them and their families," said Keren Gottfried from Ipsos.
The general optimism, Gottfried added, shows that people want to see the world as a glass that is half full, not half empty.
The survey showed that 53 percent of people believe that the global economy will grow in 2014 - the most optimistic are the residents of India, China and Indonesia, while the most pessimistic are the Italians, Swedes and French.
"Last year was certainly not a good year for most people. We know that ... the economy globally was not growing," Gottfried said.
The expectation that 2014 will be better is highest in Indonesia, Brazil, France, India and Argentina, where more than 85 percent of those surveyed said that they expect various improvements in life this year. Hopes for a better 2014 are lowest in Italy and Japan.
More than 4 adults from 18 countries on all continents were surveyed in the Ipsos survey conducted from December 18.000 to 23.
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