Half of Americans opposed to spreading democracy abroad: poll
49 percent of Americans believe the United States "should mind its
own business and let others get along on their own", a recent poll
conducted by the US-based Pew group and the Council on Foreign
Relations finds.
The survey "What is America’s Place in the World?" reflects the views of both rank-and-file Americans and foreign policy experts, as it polled 2,000 citizens and 642 experts of the Council.
The figure is the highest percentage on record since Pew and Gallup began asking this question in 1964. This is 8 percentage points higher than previous peaks (in 1976 and 1995), 19 points higher than the most recent trough (in 2002). At the time, the U.S. was recuperating from the shock of devastating terror attacks of September 11, 2001 and many citizens supported America’s spreading democracy abroad. Then, 44 percent of foreign policy analysts were in favor of "exporting democracy", but the figure has now dropped to just 10 percent.
The number of respondents keen on protecting human rights has decreased from 43 percent to 21 percent. Also, only 35 percent of those polled believe the U.S. should work to improve living standards in developing countries.
Americans are becoming increasingly wary of the rampant economic growth in China, with 53 percent of ordinary citizens claiming this country poses the biggest threat to the U.S. The financial crisis in the US market has inflated the fears.
44 percent of those polled said China has the most powerful economy in the world, and 27 percent said it was the U.S., though America still has the largest economy, which is twice the size of the Chinese economy.
The Council on Foreign Relations is an organization which considers its members "leaders in government, business, finance, media, academia, and a wide range of nonprofit organizations."*
The survey "What is America’s Place in the World?" reflects the views of both rank-and-file Americans and foreign policy experts, as it polled 2,000 citizens and 642 experts of the Council.
The figure is the highest percentage on record since Pew and Gallup began asking this question in 1964. This is 8 percentage points higher than previous peaks (in 1976 and 1995), 19 points higher than the most recent trough (in 2002). At the time, the U.S. was recuperating from the shock of devastating terror attacks of September 11, 2001 and many citizens supported America’s spreading democracy abroad. Then, 44 percent of foreign policy analysts were in favor of "exporting democracy", but the figure has now dropped to just 10 percent.
The number of respondents keen on protecting human rights has decreased from 43 percent to 21 percent. Also, only 35 percent of those polled believe the U.S. should work to improve living standards in developing countries.
Americans are becoming increasingly wary of the rampant economic growth in China, with 53 percent of ordinary citizens claiming this country poses the biggest threat to the U.S. The financial crisis in the US market has inflated the fears.
44 percent of those polled said China has the most powerful economy in the world, and 27 percent said it was the U.S., though America still has the largest economy, which is twice the size of the Chinese economy.
The Council on Foreign Relations is an organization which considers its members "leaders in government, business, finance, media, academia, and a wide range of nonprofit organizations."*
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