Less than a third of Americans, or 29 percent, describe the US government as honest, while less than a half, or 45 percent, say businessmen are honest, according to a Pew Research Center Poll.

WASHINGTON (Sputnik) — The vast majority of Americans say their elected officials are more interested in accomplishing goals that benefit them rather than the people, a Pew Research Center Poll revealed on Monday.

"[Seventy-four] percent say they put their own interests ahead of the nation’s," the poll said. "Just 22 percent of the public say that most elected officials put the interests of the country ahead of their own interests."

According to the poll, less than a third of Americans, or 29 percent, describe the US government as honest, while less than a half, or 45 percent, say businessmen are honest.

The poll also revealed that 70 percent of US citizens view their government as selfish.

Nearly two thirds, or 67 percent, view their elected officials as fairly or very intelligent, and the vast majority, or 83 percent, say the label applies to US businessmen.

The poll concluded that most citizens believe they can do a better job solving the country’s problems than their elected officials.