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Russians on the USA

by Brit Muscovite

We find it very important to know what do other people think about us. Do you agree? With this purpose I’d like to start today a new theme in this blog - attitude of russian people to different countries and nations. Before you go to Moscow, let you inform about.

Article by Bavin P. www.fom.ru

Russians on the USA

According to the latest POF poll findings, over 80% of Russians can name of the current president of the United States. Among university graduates, the number reaches 94%.

Indeed, the most famous American in Russia today is President George W. Bush: he received 37% of mentions in responses to the open-ended question «What prominent Americans do you know?» It is sometimes difficult to say which George Bush was actually meant: George Bush Sr. or Bush Jr. Ranking second in the awareness list is former U.S. President Bill Clinton – his name is mentioned by 26%. 5% of responses mention former American presidents: Ronald Reagan (8%), John F. Kennedy (7%), George Washington, Franklin D. Roosevelt and Abraham Lincoln, with Washington and Lincoln being especially popular among university graduates (they were named by 16% and 17%, respectively).

Among famous Americans who are not directly related to politics, Russians were most likely to name Arnold Schwarzenegger (6%), followed by Madonna, Michael Jackson and Marilyn Monroe.

Two and a half years ago, the Public Opinion Foundation conducted a survey on the most famous Americans in Russia. If we compare the 2001 and 2003 lists, we see two significant points. While in Feb. 2001, Bill Clinton topped the awareness list, receiving 42% of mentions (bearing in mind that he had left the White House shortly before the survey was conducted), first on the awareness list now is George W. Bush (37%). The second distinction is the presence of Arnold Schwarzenegger: while in Feb. 2001 he received only 1% of mentions, this figure has now risen to 6%. (It is worth noting that the above figures don't imply that exactly this number of Russians know Schwarzenegger (like other Americans mentioned in this survey). These figures are obviously higher: 6% named him as one of the "most famous people in America."). This growth in awareness was most likely caused by his candidacy for governor of California (In the opinion of some experts, this awareness was boosted by the film "The Terminator", shown on Russian TV this summer.). Analysis of the list of the most famous Western leaders (Among the most famous Frenchmen that Russians named were Gen. de Gaulle and Jacque Chirac; among the best-known Germans they referred to Helmut Kohl and Adolf Hitler.

The level of interest in the U.S. can be indirectly determined by responses to the question: «Would you like to visit the United States?» 40% expressed a willingness to see the U.S.A., and 50% said they have no such desire. 55% of young adults wish to visit the U.S., while only 22% of middle-aged people would do so. The most attractive cities for potential Russian tourists are New York (11% in the sample, or 28% who voiced a desire to travel to the U.S.), Washington (5% and 13%, respectively) and Los Angeles (4% and 9%). One-quarter of those who would like to visit the U.S. said it didn't particularly matter where they went.

The trends in Russian attitudes on America can be traced in the breakdown of responses to the question «Is the United States friendly or unfriendly towards Russia?» 37% regard the U.S. as a friendly state, and 48% consider it to be unfriendly. Those who are most likely to view America as a friendly state are basically Putin supporters (44%), residents of megapolises (48%), and young people (42%). The opposite view is more likely to be held by Zyuganov followers (67%), and the older generation (54%).

Analysis of the «friendliness» trend shows that it reached its peak in Feb. 2002 (shortly before the Olympics in Salt Lake City). We can state that Russians have more or less overcome the period of «unfriendliness» towards the United States, apparently caused by sports scandals and U.S. military actions in Iraq.

Typically, regional experts sometimes exaggerate the scale of Russian prejudices against the United States. In their opinion, 30% of Russians consider the U.S. to be a friendly state, i.e. they regard negative attitudes on the U.S. to be somewhat more deeply rooted in Russian society than it really is.

Space exploration and fighting international terrorism are seen to be two issues where Russia and America can best work together – this view is held by over 40% of respondents. One-quarter of those polled believe Russia and the U.S. successfully collaborate in trade, with the same percentage (21%) mentioning economics in general. Young respondents (18-35) are more likely to mention investment and business (30%, against 21% in the sample), while middle-aged people (36-50) are inclined to refer to joint space projects (50% vs. 42% on average) and disarmament (21% vs. 12%).

As the table demonstrates, respondents judging the United States to be a friendly state are more prone to mention successful spheres of cooperation as fighting terrorism, economics, investments and the settlement of international conflicts. Meanwhile, the general estimation of Russian-U.S. relations has virtually no effect on the recognition of mutual achievements in trade and space.

By appraising Russian-U.S. cooperation in general, a relative majority of those polled (39%) chose the option «forced by circumstances to be partners» as best describing the state of Russian-American collaboration. Among university graduates, this point of view is held by 57%. Some 19% of respondents regard the two nations as being «more enemies than partners,» with 16% viewing them as «equal partners.» The shares of people holding opposite views (the two nations are friends/enemies) are quite small, accounting for 5% and 4%, respectively. While Zyuganov supporters are most likely to view Russian-U.S. relations as being exclusively negative, Putin followers are more prone to regard them as «equal partners» (23%, vs. 16% average in the sample).

As the table below demonstrates, the border between positive and negative evaluations of Russian-U.S. relations lies between the wordings «equal partners» and «forced partners.»

Among those considering the United States as a friendly state, 51% appraise relations between them as close and equal, and 41% evaluate them as a forced partnership or rivalry. We can assume that respondents who picked the alternative «more enemies than partners» seem to be dissatisfied with the current state of relations between the two countries.

As far as those who appraise U.S. as an unfriendly state, the majority (75%) believe the two countries are forced to maintain good relations, while their goals and interests on the international scene do not coincide.

When comparing Russia and the U.S. in terms of athletic and cultural achievements, Russians display a great optimism about their national accomplishments. Respondents were given a list and asked to choose the three countries they believe to be most successful in sports and culture. In both areas, Russia was put in first place. When it comes to sports achievements, Russia received (48%), with the U.S. second (32%), slightly ahead of Germany (29%). In terms of cultural achievements, however, the U.S. is not seen as a serious rival. 31% put Russia among the first three nations that have gained considerable cultural achievements, with France placing second (29%), and Germany third (27%). On the whole, Russians give a very low rating to American culture; only 8% ranked it among the three cultural leaders.

Paradoxically, the low rating of American cultural achievements goes along with a high level of interest in it.

Over half of those interviewed (59%) claim to be insufficiently informed about life in the U.S. Some 25% want to know more about science and technology; 23% say they know little about American culture. Remarkably, both young and middle-aged people are equally interested in American culture (26% and 25%), while among the elderly, interest is somewhat lower (18%). The low assessment of American culture apparently stems from stereotyped perceptions of the United States in general.

America's image in the Russian mass consciousness takes a different shape

For 23% of those surveyed, the USA is "a rich and wealthy country" with "a highly developed economy and advanced technology", where "rich and well-to-do people" live (14% of the Russian population mentioned America's wealth, and 10% noted its successful economy). Notably, poorer respondents are especially prone to emphasize America's material well-being (28%).

Such judgments show a positive emotional attitude towards America. On the whole, positive statements account for 30% of all responses, including ones describing the USA as a "free, democratic and civilized country; a state where the law works" (5%); "Russia's partner and ally" (2%). Another 2% openly show sympathy for America: "I've loved this country since my childhood"; "the country where I'd like to live".

Negative attitudes show in 27% of responses. These are mostly statements pertaining to U.S. international policy: "the global hangman"; "a boa that devoured half the world"; "dictators of their worldview".

The majority of statements concerning U.S. foreign policy describe it as "aggressive", "police-like". Such judgments amount to 12% of the sample's total, but they are up to two times as numerous in responses from Zyuganov backers (24%), and also from respondents with a higher education (17%).

Eight percent of those surveyed have negative feelings about the USA in general: "I'd like it to be covered with water"; "I can't stomach them, I strongly dislike that country".

Two further groups comprising 3% of respondents each describe the USA as "an enemy and a rival of Russia", or else as a country whose people are allegedly "bad and impudent"; "permissive"; "trash".

Positive and negative components of America's image correlate nicely with judgments concerning whether it is friendly or unfriendly towards Russia. Thus, respondents who say the USA is a friendly state are more prone to speak of it as an economically powerful and prosperous country, while those who regard America as unfriendly towards Russia associate it with an "aggressive international policy" and express negative feelings about it.

Neutral judgments with no emotional coloring were uttered by 15% of respondents who defined the USA merely as "a foreign country" or referred to historical and symbolic associations, such as "the star-spangled flag"; "McDonald's"; "Cadillac"; "whisky"; "jeans"; "the Statue of Liberty", "George Washington, Clinton".

Finally, there is a group of associations we termed "indefinite" or "ambiguous". This group accounts for 14% of all answers, and comprises statements associating America with the Iraq war, September 11, or describing it as "a powerful nation". Obviously, such judgments were meant to be either positive or negative, but we lack indications of their intended meaning.

Comparing the breakdown of responses to this open-ended question that were secured now and in February 2001, the percentage of respondents associating America with its international policy has doubled (6% to 12%). As was said earlier, the overwhelming majority of such responses contain sharply negative judgments.

Unlike in 2001, a small group of respondents (2%) has emerged who consider America to be "Russia's partner and ally". Insignificant as it is in quantitative terms, this group's emergence is a sign that Russian-U.S. cooperation is slowly finding approval.

The percentage of respondents describing America as an economically developed country with high living standards fell from 26% to 20%, as did the share of those mentioning American consumer goods, advertising and other details of the American way of life (8% to 4%).

Compared with February 2001, it is possible to say that America's image is to a greater extent conditioned by its foreign policy than its reputation as a prosperous nation exporting its culture around the world.

The image of an "average American" largely corresponds with the image of the country in general. 15% of those surveyed believe that a normal American is no different from other people: "a normal human being"; "common people are alike everywhere".

In the opinion of 13% of those surveyed, a normal American is wealthy: "a well-to-do person who has a house, several cars and all kinds of electronic stuff"; "a rich or fairly wealthy person".

Some respondents emphasize the role of the state in providing this wealth: "a wealthy person, because they go there and get their welfare and can live on it and even buy cars"; "a person who is protected by the state and doesn't fear the future".

According to 5% of those surveyed, Americans are "patriots" and "law-abiding citizens", which is probably because of their happy symbiosis with the state. On the whole, positive features of all kinds ("industrious", "civilized") account for 13% of all judgments on Americans. But 11% of respondents suggested negative traits: self-approval (4%), stupidity (3%), aggressiveness and impudence (2%), greed, laziness, etc.

Thus, negative and positive judgments amount to roughly equal shares. There is also a large share (15%) of neutral statements.

Attitudes on America as a whole and towards the imaginary `typical American' largely correlate with each other. Respondents tending to emphasize positive traits in America's people more often than others (32%, against the sample's average of 20%) say the USA is a "wealthy country". Those who accentuate mostly negative personal characteristics in Americans predominantly associate the USA with an "aggressive foreign policy" (32%, against the sample's average of 12%).

Speaking of a typical American's features, 9% of respondents state these are "drive and efficiency" or "material well-being".

Twice as often (45%, against the sample's average of 23%) as average, respondents describing a typical American as a well-to-do person say the USA in general is a country with high living standards.

POF's surveys show both the Russian attitudes towards the USA and their judgments concerning relations between the two countries are subject to contextual oscillations. Over the last six months, since the end of full-scale warfare in Iraq, we have observed a steady growth in positive attitudes towards the United States.

This instability is largely due to the complex nature of the American in Russian minds. This image has two basic components: the USA is seen as the world economic leader and a country where wealthy people live; it is also considered the "global policeman" and an aggressive state pursuing world domination.

Obviously there is no immanent contradiction between the two; on the contrary, they exist in a kind of pair relationship. It is possible to suppose that both concepts are simultaneously present in the mass consciousness, and are actualized alternatively in changing contexts. Every time the respondent is confronted with an issue, he has a choice to make, whether to opt for the "positive (socioeconomic)" or the "negative (political)" concept of America. This ambivalence of the image explains its significant contextual oscillations.

On the one hand, this situation never prevents Russians from approving of the rapprochement between the two nations. On the other hand, it won't allow an absolutely positive attitude towards the USA to gain ascendance, since every new sign of America's economic strength will enhance fears of its world domination, and every failure in U.S. foreign policy will not just simply the `aggressive' component of the country's image, but also go a long way towards shattering the «positive» myth about America's omnipotence, which is based on its economic prosperity.

Whatever the feelings, Russians show a strong interest in American life, especially in terms of culture, though they love to `camouflage' their curiosity by deprecating the quality of American cultural products, such as movies, etc. We believe this paradoxical attitude is explained by Russians' tendency to compare their own country with the USA in all areas, from everyday life to foreign affairs, from the number of Olympic medals to the per capita number of cars. This leads to a kind of inferiority complex emerging in the mass consciousness. The natural wish to compare the two countries confronts the `great power complex' which is still held by many Russians and bars them from comparing themselves and their mother country with anyone.

WOULD YOU PLEASE TELL US, WHAT CITY IS THE CAPITAL OF THE USA?