Opinion Around the World: Nine-Country AP/Ipsos Poll

Washington, DC -- The latest Associated Press/Ipsos Public Affairs nine-country survey finds considerable skepticism toward President Bush's inaugural pledge to end tyranny and promote democracy in the world. While people in the U.S. prefer to "Buy American," publics in other countries are less convinced that American products deliver value or that U.S.-based companies are desirable employers.

Majorities Say U.S. Should Not Take On Tyrannies, Promote Democracy Abroad

Half (53%) in the United States say their country should not take on the role of ending tyrannies and promoting democracy in the world, as do majorities in the other eight countries surveyed. Opposition is highest in France (84%), Germany (80%) and Canada (76% should not).

In the U.S., Republicans (68% should) mostly support this declaration, while Democrats are opposed (70% should not). But partisanship is not the only factor at work: women under age 35 are among the strongest advocates of promoting democracy (58% should), while older women disagree (61% should not).

Opposition is relatively stronger among younger adults in Mexico (71% of those age 25-34) and South Korea (71% of under-35s), as well as Spanish men under 35 (71%), and Canadian women under 35 (82%). Men over 35 in Canada (26% should), Britain (38%), Italy (43%), and Spaniards age 50 and up (31%) tend to be somewhat more positive than the average.

In France, public opposition to a U.S. role in promoting democracy spans most demographic groups. Germans are fairly consistently opposed, although views are more intense among supporters of the governing SDP/Green coalition (12% should, 87% should not) and less so among supporters of opposition parties (23%-72%).

Supporters of opposition (and largely leftist) parties in Canada (82%) and Italy (70%) say the U.S. should not take on this role, as do most Spanish supporters of the governing PSOE (70%). Conversely, supporters of the governing, right-leaning parties in Canada (36%), and Italy (59%) are more likely than the average to say the U.S. should take a role.

"Buy American" Resonates With U.S. Public

All things being equal, most Americans (93%; 76% strongly) agree that they would prefer to buy an American product. But purchasing decisions are not always clear - two-thirds (66%, from 57% in 2001) say that American products are more expensive, but about as many (71%) say American products are better quality. On balance, 72% disagree that American products are "not worth the money." Most (92%) also say they would also like to work for an American company.

There are some generational differences in attitudes toward buying American products. People under the age of 25 are more likely to disagree (16%, vs. 6% overall) that they'd prefer to buy American. Senior citizens (age 65+) are more likely to say American products are better quality (78%), but also that they are more expensive (76%).

Europeans And South Koreans Not Inclined To Buy American

Outside of the U.S., consumers show little inclination to prefer American products over competing items from other countries. Three-quarters or more in South Korea, Canada, Italy, France, Spain and Germany disagree that they would rather buy an American product, assuming quality and price were the same as that of other products available in their country. Britons also tend to disagree (56%; 40% agree), although views are not as intense as in the other European countries.

Unlike Europeans and South Koreans, over half of Mexicans (58%) say they would prefer American goods (37% disagree). Young adults (68% of 18-24 year olds) are especially likely to favor American products.

Since the last time this question was asked in all nine countries and in the November-December 2001 Ipsos World Monitor, there has been little change in Americans' preference for buying American, and the French and Italians' tendency not to express a preference for U.S. products. The British and Mexicans have grown more favorable toward U.S. goods, while South Koreans (-12 points), Germans (-19), Canadians (-28), and especially Spaniards (-78 points) are much less likely now than in late 2001 to prefer American products. The data points from September-October 2004 for Mexico, Britain, Canada and Spain suggest that these shifts are not very recent events.

Why Avoid U.S. Goods? For Some, It's Price; For Others, It's Quality

For Americans and Mexicans, quality appears to outweigh price when it comes to American products. Majorities in both countries say that American products are more expensive but also deliver better quality. South Koreans and Spaniards think American goods are more expensive but are not of better quality than other products on the market. Outside of the NAFTA countries, substantial numbers in Europe and South Korea do not answer these questions, indicating more limited awareness of or experience with identifiably American consumer goods.

The depreciation of the U.S. dollar may have contributed to a declining sense that American goods are relatively expensive. Compared to 2001, fewer Canadians (40%, from 53%), Mexicans (60%, from 69%), South Koreans (50%, from 59%), Germans (25%, from 47%), Italians (34%, from 45%), and Britons (29%, from 37%) say American goods are more expensive.

However, for European and Canadian publics in particular, the decisive factor for many consumers may not be price but quality. Canadians, Italians, the French, Britons and Germans say American goods are not more expensive than competing products, but majorities in these countries do not think American products are of higher quality.

Maybe They Are Not Better, But American Products are Still Competitive In spite of the doubts about the quality and price of American products, majorities in seven of these nine countries disagree that "American goods are not worth the money." In Italy and Spain, as many agree as disagree, with a substantial share volunteering that they don't know.

Mixed Views On U.S. Companies As Employers

It's no surprise that most (92%) Americans say they would like to work for an American company. Mexicans, Britons, Italians and South Koreans are divided. In Mexico, men under 35 (61%) are most interested in working for an American company. South Koreans under age 25 (57% agree) or 18 to 34 (53% agree) say they would like to work for an American company, whereas people between the ages of 50 and 64 (31%) or over 35 (35%) are less interested in doing so.

Majorities in Canada and the four continental European countries (excluding Britain) say they would not be interested in working for an American company. Yet, although percentages vary, young adults across all six countries are more likely than their elders to agree. Working for an American firm appeals more to people between the ages of 25 and 34 and between the ages of 18 and 24 in Canada (31% agree), France (42%), Germany (49%), Italy (61%), and Britain (58%). In Spain, adults under 35 (35% agree) are more open to this option than their elders (26%).

Other factors also impact interest in working for an American employer, including:

• Gender: Men in Canada (33%), Germany (41%), Italy (43%) and Spain (32%) are more likely to agree than women (Canada 16%; Germany 30%; Italy 32%; Spain 25%).
• Sector: Private sector employees in Canada (31%), France (31%), and Britain (60%) appear more open to working for a U.S. firm than public sector workers (Canada 17%; France 18%; Britain 49% agree).
• Profession: Managers in France (38%) and Spain (36%) are especially likely to agree that they'd like to work for an American company, whereas this option is more appealing to blue-collar workers in Italy (41%), and Great Britain (61%).

For more information on this press release, please contact: Janice Bell Director, Ipsos Public Affairs Washington, D.C. 202.463.7300

About Ipsos Public Affairs Ipsos Public Affairs, headquartered in Washington D.C., is a non-partisan, objective, survey-based research company made up of campaign and political polling veterans as well as seasoned research professionals. The company conducts strategic research initiatives for a diverse number of American and international organizations, based not only on public opinion research but often elite stakeholder, corporate, and media opinion research. It has offices in New York City, Chicago, San Francisco, and Washington, with affiliates around the world. Ipsos Public Affairs conducts national and international public opinion polling on behalf of The Associated Press, the world's oldest and largest news organization, and conducts the young voters poll for Newsweek.com. Ipsos Public Affairs is an Ipsos company, a leading global survey-based market research group.

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