State Pride and the Quality of Democracy in the American States.

This article examines the relationship between feelings of state pride in the United States and the quality of democracy within individual states. Using two original surveys and an objective measure called the State Democracy Index, the study finds no overall link between objective democratic quality and state pride. However, subjective evaluations of democracy—citizens' perceptions of electoral fairness, government trustworthiness, and responsiveness—are positively associated with higher state pride. Subsample analyses reveal that the objective quality of democracy correlates with state pride primarily among Democrats and political "losers" (those whose preferred party does not control their state government). The findings highlight a disconnect between objective democratic conditions and citizens' pride, suggesting that state pride is largely shaped by subjective perceptions rather than measurable democratic performance.