put by Gallup International and the BBC World Service to more than 50,000 people in 68 countries in what was billed as one of the biggest surveys of public opinion ever conducted.

Religion is crucial in Nigeria, family is vital in Latin America and the Japanese distrust authority figures. One of the most striking findings was international disillusionment with politicians. They achieved extremely low confidence ratings, with only 13 percent trusting them. Two out of three people polled around the globe felt unrepresented by their governments. The exceptions were South Africans, Israelis and Scandinavians.

There was a global desire to put more power in the hands of intellectuals such as writers and academics. As technology shrinks the world to a global village, patriotism is still a strong force, with feelings of national identity strongest in Latin America, Southeast Asia and East Africa. Muslims and Protestants were the most likely to trust religious leaders and give them more power. Jews appeared to be the most positive about being able to change their own lives. In Europe there is a low level of trust in all types of leaders. In India, Pakistan and Vietnam, the majority believe there is little they can do to change their lives. Reuters