Thanks to GWFacist
Global survey shows rejection of U.S. idea of democracy
By Meg Bortin
Wednesday, June 27, 2007
PARIS: Americans have historically held out democracy to the world as a value they cherish and a model of how to create a great nation.
But now the world has sent back an unflattering message. Asked by the Pew Global Attitudes Survey whether they liked or disliked American ideas about democracy, respondents in many countries replied in the negative, sometimes overwhelmingly so.
The result appeared to indicate that people in other nations are superimposing U.S. behavior abroad on the concept of democracy, tarnishing one of America's bedrock values, analysts said.
The question asked by Pew left plenty of room for interpretation: "And which of these comes closer to your view? I like American ideas about democracy, OR I dislike American ideas about democracy?"
In only 6 of the 38 nations or territories questioned previously did respondents indicate a more favorable view of American democracy, notably Jordan and the Palestinian territories.
Majorities or pluralities in 33 of 47 countries surveyed expressed dislike.
Senior statesmen and commentators in several key countries, asked about the result, said the findings mainly reflected discontent with U.S. foreign policy under President George W. Bush.
"I think that for people across the world today it is totally impossible to distinguish between America's ideas about democracy, the Bush administration's foreign policy, and Iraq," said Hubert Védrine, former foreign minister of France, where 76 percent of respondents expressed dislike for American-style democracy - more than in any country except Turkey.
"If you say 'American democracy,' that means the American idea that you can export democracy by force,' Védrine said. "People are against this."
For the world's image of American democracy to improve, he added, "I think it requires a new presidency. It is impossible with Bush."
In Pakistan, another U.S. ally, 72 percent of respondents professed dislike of American democracy and only 6 percent expressed support - the least of any of the 47 survey countries.
"I think it would be wrong to say that people in Pakistan don't like American ideas about democracy," said Talat Masood, a retired Pakistani general and analyst of political and military affairs.
"In fact, the majority have idealized American ideas about democracy. It's rather the selective way America is trying to impose its values of democracy in different countries. This is of great concern, and goes against the basic tenets of democracy.
"Like for instance in Pakistan, it is promoting a military dictator, whereas the people are yearning for democracy," he said, referring to the Pakistani president, General Pervez Musharraf.
"And it is seeking a favorable-result-oriented democracy. That means it wants people of its choice to be elected," Masood added. "It's extraordinary: The United States promotes democracy, but it is not prepared to accept the results of democracy."
In Egypt, where 56 percent of respondents answered the question in the negative, people "are not inspired with American ideas about democracy because they are refusing to accept democracy as a means to America's strategic ends," said Salama Ahmad Salama, a senior columnist for the newspaper Al Ahram. "There is the feeling that democracy has been promoted by the Americans just to serve certain political aims in the Middle East."
"On the other hand," Salama said, "other real democratic processes came out in places like Gaza, when Hamas won. The Americans didn't accept the results and started strangling and encircling and boycotting Hamas and its government.
"Egyptians were very disappointed and drew the conclusion that Americans were not sincere about their democratic agenda in the region."
Madeleine Albright, who was secretary of state under former President Bill Clinton and who co-chairs the Pew Global Attitude Project, linked the poll's findings to the war in Iraq.
"I think - this is my personal opinion - the problem is that democracy has been militarized in Iraq," she said. "Democracy looks like it is being imposed militarily."
Albright said that the Iraq war had damaged the reputation of the United States in many ways, and notably "our moral authority."
Elections, which were held in Iraq in 2005, "are necessary but not sufficient for democracy," she said. "You need to have the rule of law, a free press, the institutional structure, parliaments that work, participation. I happen to believe that political parties are important."
Even in Canada, America's neighbor and close ally, a majority - 51 percent - disavowed American ideas about democracy.
Jeffrey Simpson, national affairs columnist for the Toronto newspaper The Globe and Mail and a specialist on U.S.-Canadian matters, attributed the result to Bush's unpopularity there.
"The nature of the present administration and present incumbent colors views of the United States," Simpson said.
"Anything that has George Bush's name attached to it is going to evoke a negative response."
Asked how long it might take to improve the Canadian view of American democracy, Simpson noted that former President Bill Clinton had been "extremely popular" and said: "There is no reason to suggest that a change of government isn't going to change perceptions in this country." |
