Why does (most of) the world love the US of A?

[william.scherk]

From a 22-Nation Pew Global Attitudes Survey from Spring 2010 (the latest).

See also the full report, and a graphical interface for the Global Attitudes Project, which allows you to zero in on specific questions by country and region.

Much to ponder; I found this table quite surprising.

Ratings of America are overwhelmingly favorable in Western Europe. For example, 73% in France and 63% in Germany say they have a favorable view of the U.S. Moreover, ratings of America have improved sharply in Russia (57%), up 13 percentage points since 2009, in China (58%), up 11 points, and in Japan (66%), up 7 points. Opinions are also highly positive in other nations around the world including South Korea (79%), Poland (74%) and Brazil (62%).

The U.S. continues to receive positive marks in India, where 66% express a favorable opinion, although this is down from last year when 76% held this view. America's overall image has also slipped slightly in Indonesia, although 59% still give the U.S. a positive rating in the world's largest predominantly Muslim nation.

Publics of other largely Muslim countries continue to hold overwhelmingly negative views of the U.S. In both Turkey and Pakistan -- where ratings for the U.S. have been consistently low in recent years -- only 17% hold a positive opinion. Indeed, the new poll finds opinion of the U.S. slipping in some Muslim countries where opinion had edged up in 2009. In Egypt, America's favorability rating dropped from 27% to 17% -- the lowest percentage observed in any of the Pew Global Attitudes surveys conducted in that country since 2006.

Closer to home, a special follow-up poll found America's favorable rating tumbling in Mexico in response to Arizona's enactment of a law aimed at dealing with illegal immigration by giving police increased powers to stop and detain people who are suspected of being in the country illegally.

Only 44% of Mexicans gave the U.S. a favorable rating following the signing of the bill, compared with 62% who did so before the bill passed.

The new survey by the Pew Research Center's Global Attitudes Project, conducted April 7 to May 8, also finds that overall opinion of Barack Obama remains broadly positive in most non-Muslim nations. In these countries, the national median confidence in Obama to do the right thing in world affairs is 71%, and overall approval of his policies is 64%. In particular, huge percentages in Germany (88%), France (84%), Spain (76%) and Britain (64%) say they back the president's policies. Similarly in the two African nations polled Obama gets high marks -- 89% of Kenyans and 74% of Nigerians approve of his international policies.

[Michael Stuart Kelly]

William,

What does L-I-O-V-E mean?

(Want me to fix it?)

Iran is not on the list, probably for the obvious reason of polling difficulty, but you might be surprised at how popular the USA is there, also.

The Islamists hate the USA, but the people in general like us--except for those who are damaged by a dictator and manage to link the dictator's privileges to USA support..

Michael

[william.scherk]

What does L-I-O-V-E mean?

(Want me to fix it?)

It means Fatfinger and is also the reason my posts often have 'edited' below my signature. If you could fix it, yes, please.

Edited February 13, 2011 by william.scherk

[anthony]

William,

The poll may have been more revealing if a further question were added -..."and why?"

My impression is that there are broadly two camps here.

1 ) The pragmatists: the "how much can we get out of the USA" one -those who's nations depend on the US's magnanimity (its altruism), or, rely on its military support;

2) The moralists: a. the "we hate the US's pride and smug moral authority" ones.

b. the "I admire the US's pride and individual liberty, it is an inspiration" ones.

With some over-lap of 1) and 2a).

No good deed shall go unpunished.

Tony

[william.scherk]

William,

The poll may have been more revealing if a further question were added -..."and why?"

My impression is that there are broadly two camps here.

1 ) The pragmatists: the "how much can we get out of the USA" one -those who's nations depend on the US's magnanimity (its altruism), or, rely on its military support;

2) The moralists: a. the "we hate the US's pride and smug moral authority" ones.

b. the "I admire the US's pride and individual liberty, it is an inspiration" ones.

You might be right in your sorting, Tony -- an open-ended "and why?" question would give greater understanding, but that is a journalistic, not a survey question.

I suggest wading in to the site using the tools on the graphic interface page to test certain assumptions. I like that one can take your two camps idea and see if it usefully describes the data . . .

I find seemingly odd juxtapositions of opinion, and the 'why' questions engendered lead to digging in other sources -- indices on press freedom, economic freedom, historical notes, and so on.

For example, Egypt. What do Egyptians think about 'democracy,' the place of Islam in society/politics, Hamas, Hezbollah, al Qaeda, free enterprise, the 'struggle' between modernization and tradition, and so on? I add this to what I have learned about the history of Egypt, its institutions, its press, its place in Arab history, its demographics, and further questions arise.

The data on nearby countries is similarly broad and sometimes odd -- why do Christians suppport Hezbollah? What might explain the fall in Turkish attitudes towards the US? What happened in 2003 that Jordanian favour towards the USA plunged to 1%? How can an extremely pious Muslim country like Indonesia be so favourable to the USA? Why does China hold the USA in such (relatively) high regard?

Michael's impressions of Iranian opinion are also cogent -- how to assess opinion in countries that are almost entirely closed to inquiry?

I am finding that some of my assumptions are not supported in the data. Which is sobering. But perhaps it is better to find out that what I thought I knew isn't actually true; it can be good to discover where 'what you know just ain't so' . . . if you know what I mean.

Edited February 13, 2011 by william.scherk

[Michael Stuart Kelly]

I am finding that some of my assumptions are not supported in the data. Which is sobering. But perhaps it is better to find out that what I thought I knew isn't actually true; it can be good to discover where 'what you know just ain't so' . . . if you know what I mean.

William,

Here you and I are in perfect alignment.

Now, there is a next step (if you follow the same path I did when I first became aware of this). Question where your false assumptions came from.

As you are a thinking adult with a good inquiring brain, you will most likely come to the same conclusion I did: the media--specifically the mainstream news organizations.

And then the next step: how did they do it? I don't know about you, but it pisses me off to be lied to consistently. And I couldn't put my finger on how it was possible I was swallowing whole so many incorrect assumptions.

Then I started looking into persuasion methods and it all started becoming clear.

Most of the media folks don't want you to look up stuff on your own. They want you to come to them for what you think. They think this is a way to maintain an audience base. Or whatever.

It doesn't matter. My BS meter is in the red with the media and it looks like it is going to stay there for a while. The credibility of those good folks with me is very. very low.

Michael

[anthony]

I am finding that some of my assumptions are not supported in the data. Which is sobering. But perhaps it is better to find out that what I thought I knew isn't actually true; it can be good to discover where 'what you know just ain't so' . . . if you know what I mean.

Exactly; there are puzzling contradictions. One being that Egpyt received $1.5 billion from the USA last year, and has an approval rating in the index of 17%. (Of course, the US has been perceived to be propping up the Mubarak regime in the past.)

I have made sweeping assertions above that I view as only a starting place to get at the truth.

One possible conclusion is that money can't buy you love, but it can sure buy you time.

Tony

Edited February 13, 2011 by whYNOT