Pew Poll: Fewer Americans Believe U.S. is the Greatest

Monday, 21 Nov 2011 08:10 AM
By Forrest Jones

The belief that the United States is the greatest country in the world is waning, according to a poll from the Pew Research Center.

When asked if they agree with the statement "our people are not perfect, but our culture is superior to others," 49 percent of Americans either completely or mostly agreed, way down from 60 percent agreeing in 2002 and 55 percent in 2007, the poll finds, as reported by the Wall Street Journal.

While confidence in American exceptionalism may be waning, support for American individualism is not.

"Nearly six-in-ten (58 percent) Americans believe it is more important for everyone to be free to pursue their life’s goals without interference from the state, while just 35 percent say it is more important for the state to play an active role in society so as to guarantee that nobody is in need," Pew researchers conclude.

"In contrast, at least six-in-ten in Spain (67 percent), France (64 percent) and Germany (62 percent) and 55 percent in Britain say the state should ensure that nobody is in need."

The United States economy is on track to post stronger growth rates, although many are worried the country is joined at the hip with debt-ridden Europe.

"Prudence suggests that the fragile state of the U.S. economy would not easily withstand turbulence coming across the Atlantic," Federal Reserve Bank of San Francisco economists write in a report.

"A European sovereign debt default may well sink the United States back into recession. However, if we navigate the storm through the second half of 2012, it appears that danger will recede rapidly in 2013."

http://www.moneynews.com/StreetTalk/Pew ... ode=D926-1