Global poll shows increased anti-Americanism

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Global poll shows increased anti-Americanism


RTE Interactive, Ireland
December 5, 2002

(08:53) A large survey of global public opinion has found evidence of increased anti-Americanism. However, it also revealed that most people thought the spread of science and technology from the United States was beneficial.

The study by a Washington-based research committee, the Pew Global Attitudes Survey, involved 38,000 interviews in 44 countries and was headed by the former US Secretary of State, Madeleine Albright.

The anti-American trend was most dramatic in muslim societies, such as Egypt and Pakistan.

One of the research team, Bruce Stokes, said that although American culture appeared to be popular, US government policy was attracting growing criticism.


SOURCE:
http://www.rte.ie/news/2002/1205/america.html


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Pew Global Attitudes Survey

What the World Thinks in 2002
How Global Publics View:
Their Lives, Their Countries, The World, America
Released: December 4, 2002


EXCERPTS

Global Gloom and Growing Anti-Americanism

Despite an initial outpouring of public sympathy for America following the September 11, 2001 terrorist attacks, discontent with the United States has grown around the world over the past two years.

Images of the U.S. have been tarnished in all types of nations: among longtime NATO allies, in developing countries, in Eastern Europe and, most dramatically, in Muslim societies.

Since 2000, favorability ratings for the U.S. have fallen in 19 of the 27 countries where trend benchmarks are available.

While criticism of America is on the rise, however, a reserve of goodwill toward the United States still remains. The Pew Global Attitudes survey finds that the U.S. and its citizens continue to be rated positively by majorities in 35 of the 42 countries in which the question was asked.

True dislike, if not hatred, of America is concentrated in the Muslim nations of the Middle East and in Central Asia, today’s areas of greatest conflict.

SNAPSHOTS

• The Pew Global Attitudes survey interviewed more than 38,000 people in 44 nations.
• The questionnaire was translated into 63 languages and dialects. Most interviews were conducted face-to-face in the respondent’s home.
• People around the world both embrace things American and, at the same time, decry U.S. influence on their societies.
• Some questions could not be asked in China, Vietnam and Egypt. But question wordings were not altered in any country because of official pressure.
• The American public is strikingly at odds with publics around the world in its views about the U.S. role in the world and the global impact of American actions.
• Only in the industrialized nations are reports of doing without the basics of life limited to a distinct minority of the population.
  Some of the poll’s questions track changes from a 1991, 13-nation poll, “The Pulse of Europe.”
• The next report from the Global Attitudes Project will focus on globalization, modernization, social attitudes and democratization.

Downloads
Complete Report 280k pdf
Topline Results 289k pdf


SOURCE:
http://people-press.org/reports/disp...3?ReportID=165

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Snapshots of Pew Global Attitudes Survey:
U.S. Image

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Snapshots of Pew Global Attitudes Survey:
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STRAITS TIMES Singapore
Friday, December 6, 2002

Anti-Americanism on the rise around world
International survey finds that the US is falling out of favour in 20 of the 27 countries where trend could be identified

WASHINGTON - In the eyes of much of the world, the United States is an inconsiderate lone wolf which has great entertainment but awful values, wants war with Iraq just to get oil and would like to remain sole superpower.

In a broad international survey released on Wednesday, the Pew Global Attitudes Project found that the US is falling out of favour in 20 of 27 countries where a trend could be identified.

The dislike was especially striking in Muslim countries. In Jordan, 75 per cent had an unfavourable opinion of America, as did 69 per cent of Egyptians and Pakistanis.

In Egypt, Jordan, Indonesia, Senegal, Turkey and Lebanon, the vast majority said they oppose the US-led war on terrorism.

But ill will towards America was also found in supposedly friendly nations like Canada, Britain and Germany.

'The biggest headline is the slipping image of the US, not simply that we're not liked in the Muslim world,' said Mr Andrew Kohut, director of the Pew Research Centre.

The surveys in 44 countries were conducted between July and October.

A generally favourable view of America is still held in 35 of the 42 countries that took part in the poll. Among Russians, US popularity has surged 24 points from two years ago.

But in Germany, the percentage of people who hold a favourable view of the US fell 17 points. And in Turkey, which is being courted for help in a possible war with Iraq, pro-US views dropped from 52 per cent to 30 per cent.

The most common criticisms of the US are that it acts by itself, it pushes policies that widen the gap between rich and poor nations, and it does not do enough to solve the world's problems.

Americans do not necessarily agree. Of those polled, 75 per cent said US foreign policy is considerate of others.

World citizens generally admire American technology, but not the spread of US ideas and customs.

With the exception of Japan, the Philippines, Bulgaria and most of the African nations, majorities in 29 other countries in Europe, the Americas, the Middle East and Asia said the spread of Americanism is a bad thing.

The poll also found that Americans' concerns diverge from those in much of the rest of the world.

While Americans tend to name nuclear weapons as the biggest world problem, citizens of most other nations cite Aids and infectious diseases, pollution and environmental problems, ethnic and religious strife, and the gap between rich and poor.

Only 22 per cent of Americans said oil is the real US motive for pursuing war with Iraq, but 44 per cent of the British, 75 per cent of the French and 76 per cent of Russians held that view.

Former US secretary of state Madeleine Albright, who served during the Clinton administration, was chairman of the Pew survey.

She said the fact that the US is the world's only superpower may have led to the results.

'In many ways, we are viewed as the rich guy living on the hill,' she said. 'We have seen this coming since the end of the Cold War.'

Despite their reservations over the dominance of the US on the world stage, most of the people surveyed said they do not want the world to again have more than one superpower. Even in Russia, 53 per cent said they believe the world is safer with just one.--AP, Los Angeles Times


SOURCE:
http://www.straitstimes.com.sg/topst...59035,00.html?