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What Russia Thinks of
America
Highlights of the study commissioned by ICM for
BBC2 programme
“What the World Thinks of America”
(17 June, 2003)
With permission from ICM/BBC
Russian Research©, 2003
What Russia Thinks of America 2
Table of Contents
The Study........................................................................................................................................ 3
Attitudes towards the USA and President George Bush................................................................. 4
Perception of American Policies..................................................................................................... 5
Perception of Americans................................................................................................................. 6
Some Statements about America .................................................................................................... 7
America’s Products: What people like and dislike ......................................................................... 8
Which country is more cultured: America or Russia? .................................................................... 9
America: Better Place to Live than Russia? ................................................................................. 10
Should Russia Copy America in the Running of its Economy? ................................................... 11
What Things About America Should Russia Aspire to Achieve? ................................................ 12
Which country/organization is more dangerous to world peace?................................................. 13
Was America Right to Invade Iraq?.............................................................................................. 14
What Russia Thinks of America 3
The Study
The study was conducted by Russian Research in May-June 2003 on a national representative
sample of 1000 adults aged 18+ in Russia.
The following are highlights of the study commissioned by ICM for the BBC2 programme
“What the World Thinks of America” that was broadcast on 17 June 2003.
Please send all enquiries about the data to Russian Research Ltd at the following address
Russian Research Ltd.
9-13 Cursitor Street
London EC4A 1LL, UK
Tel: +44 (0)20 7242 3223 Fax: +44 (0)20 7430 0658
ig@russianresearch.net
www.russianresearch.net
What Russia Thinks of America 4
Attitudes towards the USA and President George Bush
Questions:
In general how would you say you feel towards America? Would you say your attitude towards America is …
And thinking specifically about President George Bush of America, would you say your attitude towards
President George Bush is …
1. Very favourable
2. Fairly favourable
3. Fairly unfavourable
4. Very unfavourable
5. Neither favourable nor unfavourable
6. Don’t know
Russians may like America but they do not like President Bush. While some 48% said they feel
favourable or very favourable towards America only 25% felt so towards President Bush. On the
contrary, while some 49% felt unfavourably or very unfavourably towards President George
Bush, only 28% did so towards America.
1 2 3 4 5 6
1 2 3 4 5 6
0% 20% 40% 60% 80% 100%
America
President Bush
Attitudes towards the USA and President Bush
1 Very favourable 2 Fairly favourable
3 Fairly unfavourable 4 Very unfavourable
5 Neither favourable nor unfavourable 6 Don’t know
What Russia Thinks of America 5
Perception of American Policies
Questions
I would like to read out a list of some important world issues. Based on what you know, do you yourself
agree or disagree with American policy on…
1. Agree
2. Disagree
3. Don’t know
Graph 2
12.2 49.8 38.0
17.9 65.5 16.6
20.2 21.9 58.0
21.5 38.2 40.4
28.2 35.4 36.4
41.6 44.7 13.7
0% 10% 20% 30% 40% 50% 60% 70% 80% 90% 100%
Israel and Palestine
Nuclear Proliferation
Global Warming
World Poverty
Spread of AIDS
Terrorism
Perception of American Policies
1 Agree 2 Disagree 3 Don’t know
In general our respondents either did not agree with the American policies that we asked them
about (see. Graph 2 above) or did know about them. The most “agreeable” American policy is
the one on Terrorism (some 42% agreed but 45% disagreed), the least “agreeable” policy is the
one on Israel and Palestine. But note the remarkable 65% of those who did not agree with
America’s policy on Nuclear Proliferation! Another notable finding is that between 36% and
58% of respondents said they did not know about America’s policies on AIDS, Israel and
Palestine, World Poverty and especially Global Warming. The best known policies were the ones
on Terrorism and Nuclear Proliferation. Is America best known for its military might than for
anything else?
What Russia Thinks of America 6
Perception of Americans
Question:
Which of the following best describes Americans?
Arrogant or Humble?
Antagonistic or Friendly?
United or Divided?
Religious or not Religious?
Free or Un-free?
Graph 3
32.3 33.3 20.2 14.2
53.7 27.4 6.5 12.4
58.3 22.1 5.9 13.8
67.1 9.9 10.3 12.6
71.4 14.5 4.6 9.5
0% 10% 20% 30% 40% 50% 60% 70% 80% 90% 100%
Antagonistic or Friendly
United or Divided
Religious or not Religious
Arrogant or Humble
Free or Un-free
Perception of Americans
First Second Neither Don’t know
Most of our respondents thought of Americans as being free, arrogant, religious, united and
equally antagonistic and friendly.
What Russia Thinks of America 7
Some Statements about America
Questions:
Here are some things people have said about America. For each one I read out please say whether you
agree or disagree. PROMPT: Is that strongly or slightly?
a) “America is a force for good in the world”
d). “America now feels it is the only superpower in the world and they can do what they like”
1. Agree strongly
2. Agree slightly
3. Disagree slightly
4. Disagree strongly
5. Don’t know
Graph 4.
1
3.6 2:11.2 3: 15.3 4: 62.3 5:7.6
1
47.0 2: 14.3 3:8.2 4: 27.7
5 : 2.8
0% 20% 40% 60% 80% 100%
America is a force for
good in the world
America now feels it is
the only superpower in
the world and they can
do what they like
America: A Force for Good or Selfish Superpower?
1 Agree strongly 2 Agree slightly 3 Disagree slightly 4 Disagree strongly 5 Don’t know
Most of our respondents (47%) believed that America felt it was the only superpower in the
World and did what it wanted. On the contrary, 62% of respondents did not think that America
was a force for good in the world.
What Russia Thinks of America 8
America’s Products: What people like and dislike
Question:
Generally speaking, would you say you tend to like or dislike?
American Movies
American Television
American Popular Music
American made Clothing
American Food
American Drinks
American Internet websites
1. Like
2. Dislike
3. Don’t know
Graph 5
8.0 10.5 81.5
9.9 70.8 19.3
11.7 44.7 43.5
19.4 58.8 21.8
28.4 58.5 13.0
31.6 58.4 9.9
46.3 22.1 31.6
0% 10% 20% 30% 40% 50% 60% 70% 80% 90% 100%
Internet websites
Food
Television
Drinks
Popular Music
Movies
Clothing
What American Products?
Like Dislike Don’t know
Our respondents tended to like American made clothing … and to dislike everything else on the
list. American Food and Drinks, Popular Music and Movies were the most disliked American
products (though about 1 in 3 of our respondents liked American Movies and Popular Music).
Not very many people liked American Television, however not very many knew about it either.
American Internet websites were the least known American Product for our respondents, a
massive 82% did not know about it. The last result should not be surprising as only about 10% of
Russians have access to the Internet.
What Russia Thinks of America 9
Which country is more cultured: America or Russia?
Question
Do you think that Russia is more cultured than America? NB. ‘Cultured’ should be taken to mean showing or
having good taste, manners, upbringing and education
1. Yes, Russia is more cultured
2. No, Russia is less cultured
3. Don’t know
Graph 6
56.3
31.2
12.5
-
10.0
20.0
30.0
40.0
50.0
60.0
Russia is more cultured than America
Which Country is More Cultured: America or Russia?
Russia is more cultured Russia is less cultured Don’t know
The majority (56%) of our respondents thought that Russia was more cultured than America;
however 1 in 3 respondents thought that America was more cultured than Russia.
What Russia Thinks of America 10
America: Better Place to Live than Russia?
Questions:
Overall, do you think that America is a better place to live than (name of country)?
1. Yes, America is a better place to live than (name of country)
2. No, America is not a better place to live than (name of country)
3. Don’t know
Q12. If you had the chance, would you like to live in America?
1. Yes
2. No
3. Don’t know
Graph 7
1%12%
7%
1%
67%
2%
1%
7%
1%
The majority of our respondents (67%) do not think that America is better place to live than
Russia and they do not want to live in America.
What Russia Thinks of America 11
Should Russia Copy America in the Running of its
Economy?
Question:
As far as you understand it, do you think that the way America runs its economy should be copied in this
country or not?
1. Should be copied
2. Should not be copied
3. Don’t know
Graph 8
25.1
60.1
14.7
-
10.0
20.0
30.0
40.0
50.0
60.0
70.0
The way America runs its economy should be copied in Russia
Should Russia Follow America in the Running of its Economy?
Should be copied Should not be copied Don’t know
The majority of our respondents (60%) did not want Russia copying the way America runs its
Economy, and 25% did it.
What Russia Thinks of America 12
What Things About America Should Russia Aspire to
Achieve?
Question:
Which of the following things about America do you think your own country should aspire to achieve?
1. American standards of freedom of expression for the people
2. The economic opportunities for people
3. Military power
4. Democratic institutions
5. Scientific and technological innovation
6. American popular culture
7. None of these
Graph 9
4.3
13.7
22.2
26.8
28.9
46.2
54.2
- 10.0 20.0 30.0 40.0 50.0 60.0
American popular culture
None of these
American standards of freedom of expression
Democratic institutions
Military power
Scientific and technological innovation
The economic opportunities for people
Russia Should Aspire to Achieve the Following Things
American
Not surprisingly the majority of our respondents believed that Russia should aspire to achieve the
economic opportunities for people (54%) and the degree of scientific and technological
innovation which people enjoy in America (46%). The Russians were more sceptical about
whether Russia should aspire to have military power similar to that in America (29%). Only
about one third of our respondents wanted democratic institutions and freedom of expression
being set in Russia to equal that in the USA. And the least desirable feature of America turned
out to be American popular culture.
What Russia Thinks of America 13
Which country/organization is more dangerous to world
peace?
Question:
Which of these two do you think is the more dangerous to world peace and stability?
America or North Korea – READ OUT
America or China – READ OUT
America or Russia – READ OUT
America or Al Qaeda – READ OUT
America or France – READ OUT
America or Iran – READ OUT
America or Syria – READ OUT
1. America
2. The second
3. Neither
4. Don’t know
Graph 10
25.0 48.7 2.7 23.6
52.9 25.0 6.6 15.6
58.3 19.6 4.9 17.2
61.6 9.8 4.6 24.0
62.8 15.4 5.0 16.8
74.1 7.2 8.4 10.3
76.7 4.0 7.4 11.9
0% 10% 20% 30% 40% 50% 60% 70% 80% 90% 100%
America or Al Qaeda
America or China
America or Iran
America or Syria
America or North Korea
America or Russia
America or France
Which Country/Organization is More Dangerous to the World
Peace?
America The country/organization Neither Don’t know
The majority of respondents thought that America poses more danger to the world peace than
any of the countries on the list. Only Al Qaeda was regarded as more dangerous than America.
What Russia Thinks of America 14
Was America Right to Invade Iraq?
Question:
Do you think that America was right or wrong to invade Iraq?
1. Right
2. Wrong
3. Don’t know
Graph 11
10.4
81.0
8.5
-
10.0
20.0
30.0
40.0
50.0
60.0
70.0
80.0
90.0
America was right or wrong to invade Iraq
Was America Right to Invade Iraq?
Right Wrong Don’t know
An overwhelming majority of our respondents (81%) thought that America was wrong to invade
Iraq.
What Russia Thinks of America
Table of Contents
The Study
Attitudes to the USA and President Bush
Perception of American Policies
Some Statements about America
America's Products: What Russians Like and Dislike
Which Country Is More Cultured
America: Better Place to Live than Russia?
Should Russia Copy America in the Running Its Economy?
What Things About America Russia Should Aspire To Achieve?
Which Country Is More Dangerous To World Peace?
Was America Right to Invade Iraq?