British Attitudes To Americans And To America

What's the source of all the talk about the rise in Anti-Americanism in this country? Despite reports regularly appearing these days in certain sections of the British media, Americans are liked by more people in Britain than at any time in past three decades.

Four in five of the British public, 81%, now agree that "I like Americans as people", a substantial increase from the 69% who agreed in 1989 and 1991 and the 66% who said the same back in 1986. Only 11% now disagree.

There has been a similar increase in the number saying that "I think we can learn a great deal in this country from America": half the public, 50%, now agree that we can learn a lot from America, while 44% disagree; in 1991 the majority view was the other way, with 54% disagreeing and only 39% agreeing, a swing of 11% over the decade.

Nevertheless, while the British feel they can learn from Americans, few would want to be more like them. Only one in five, 19%, agree that "We would be better off if we were more like the Americans in many respects", and only a quarter, 26%, say they would like to live in America if they could not live in Britain. Neither figure has changed much over the years. America remains a popular holiday destination, though, with two-thirds of the public (68%) agreeing "I would like to go on holiday in America".

America seems less important to Britain than does Europe to the majority of the public, but more recognise America's importance than at any time since the mid-eighties and for the first time significantly more British adults give prominence to America than to the Commonwealth. Half the public, 50%, say that of Europe, America and the Commonwealth, Europe is the most important to Britain; 29% feel America is the most important and 19% the Commonwealth.

This is the first time, in a series of polls stretching back to 1969, that America has had more than a narrow lead over the Commonwealth, perhaps indicating an important shift in British priorities. This is supported by the analysis by age of the respondents to the poll.

About one in five of the British adult population is aged 65+, and their support level for the importance of the Commonwealth is half again as high as those under 65. Interesting that America gets the greatest support from the young (under 35) and the over 65s, while Europe is acknowledged as the more important by the middle aged. There is also quite a disparity by social class. By more than two to one, those in middle class occupations believe Europe the more important, while among the other half of the population who are in working class occupations, the USA is thought to be the more important by a ratio of four to three.

The moral to this story: don't believe everything you read in the Guardian!

Q Which of these - Europe, the Commonwealth or America - is the most important to Britain? 160 1969* 1984 1986 1989 1991 1993 1996 2002 160 % % % % % % % % Europe 21 39 39 50 52 57 45 50 Commonwealth 34 25 26 21 22 18 22 19 America 34 26 29 19 19 15 22 29 Don't know n/a n/a n/a 10 7 10 11 2 *Gallup Poll Q Please tell me whether you agree or disagree with each. "I like Americans as people" 160 1986 1989 1991 2002 160 % % % % Agree 66 69 69 81 Disagree 16 16 18 11 Don't know 18 15 13 8 Net agree +50 +53 +51 +70 "I would like to go on holiday to America" 160 1986 1989 1991 2002 160 % % % % Agree 64 66 69 68 Disagree 34 32 29 31 Don't know 2 2 2 1 Net agree +30 +34 +40 +37 "I think we can learn a great deal in this country from America" 160 1986 1989 1991 2002 160 % % % % Agree 46 40 39 50 Disagree 44 52 54 44 Don't know 10 8 7 6 Net agree +2 -12 -15 +6 "I would like to live in America if I could not live in Britain" 160 1986 1989 1991 2002 160 % % % % Agree 31 23 24 26 Disagree 62 73 72 71 Don't know 7 4 4 3 Net agree -31 -50 -48 -45 "We would be better off if we were more like the Americans in many respects" 160 1986 1989 1991 2002 160 % % % % Agree 22 15 16 19 Disagree 67 78 78 75 Don't know 11 7 6 6 Net agree -45 -63 -62 -56 Source: MORI, most recent MORI Telephone Surveys interviewed a representative quota sample of 1,001 British adults aged 18+, by telephone on 25-27 October 2002. Data were weighted to match the profile of the population.	160	160