Pro-Americanism

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Pro-Americanism (also called pro-American sentiment and Americophilia) describes support, love, or admiration for the United States, its government and economic system, its foreign policy, the American people, and/or American culture, typically on the part of people who are not American citizens or otherwise living outside of the United States. In this sense, it differs from Americanism (American patriotism), which can generally only be adhered to by American citizens or residents, although adherents of any of these may subscribe to overlapping concepts, such as American exceptionalism. Pro-Americanism is contrasted with Anti-Americanism, which is the fear or hatred of things American. [1]

Contents

Public opinion on the US (2022) .mw-parser-output .legend{page-break-inside:avoid;break-inside:avoid-column}.mw-parser-output .legend-color{display:inline-block;min-width:1.25em;height:1.25em;line-height:1.25;margin:1px 0;text-align:center;border:1px solid black;background-color:transparent;color:black}.mw-parser-output .legend-text{} < -40 -20 to -5 -4 to +4 +5 to +20 +20 to +34 +35 to +49 +50 to +64 > +65 Public opinion on the US.svg
Public opinion on the US (2022)
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History

18th and 19th centuries

In the late 18th century, European monarchical powers such as France and Spain viewed America positively, as an ally or potential ally against their imperial rival Great Britain, with both countries supplying aid to the American revolutionaries. However, the American Revolution also provided inspiration to the French Revolution and various revolutions against Spanish rule in Latin America. These connections would later be recognized with grand gestures such as France's donation of the Statue of Liberty (Liberty Enlightening the World) to the United States in 1886. European visitors such as Alexis de Tocqueville often wrote glowingly of American dynamism and liberty, and America's lack of immigration controls spurred mass immigration from Europe that established a positive image of America as a land of freedom and opportunity in the European imagination. Meanwhile, following the opening up of Asian nations such as Japan and China to international trade, many Asians viewed America more favorably as a less nakedly imperialist nation compared to the European powers. However, America's imperialist expansion into the Pacific following its victory in the Spanish–American War in 1898 eventually put it on a collision course with Japan.

20th century

America won gratitude and favor from many Europeans for coming to the defense of Western Europe twice in the First and Second World Wars, while earning ire from enemies such as Germany and Japan. America earned further approval from Europeans, and later Asian countries such as Japan and Taiwan, for standing against its ideological opponents the Soviet Union and Communist China in the Cold War. As part of the Cold War, America engaged in a global struggle with the Soviet Union to win hearts and minds, seeking to promote pro-Americanism in the developing world, often through foreign and military aid. Worldwide pro-American sentiment evaporated during America's protracted and unpopular war in Vietnam, with anti-American protests arising around the globe, but pro-American sentiment eventually made a comeback following America's withdrawal from Vietnam in 1975. America proved good at mollifying former wartime enemies, with former opponents such as Germany, Japan, and Vietnam all coming to embrace pro-Americanism by century's end. During the 20th century, Hollywood movies and other forms of popular culture proved a powerful vector for spreading American ideas and fomenting pro-American sentiments all around the world.

21st century

Countries around the world were highly sympathetic to the United States after the September 11 attacks, often viewing the attack on the U.S. as an attack on a free and open world. However, anti-American sentiments returned when the United States responded with highly unpopular wars in Iraq and Afghanistan. Pro-Americanism rose with the election of Barack Obama and fell with the election of Donald Trump before rising again with the election of Joe Biden and highly unpopular actions by America's adversaries such as Russia's invasion of Ukraine and China's antagonistic actions toward its neighbors.[ citation needed ]

Although peoples embracing pro-American sentiments have necessarily shifted over time, in tandem with changing geopolitical circumstances, since late 2010s pro-Americanism has been strong or growing in regions such as the United Kingdom, [2] Japan, [2] [3] India, [2] [4] Israel, [2] Kenya, Nigeria, [2] [5] South Korea, [2] [3] [6] Vietnam, [3] the Philippines, [3] and certain countries in central and eastern Europe. [2] [3] [7]

Results of Spring 2023 Pew Research poll [2] "Do you have a favorable or unfavorable view of the U.S.?"
(default-sorted by decreasing positivity of each country)
Country polledPositiveNegativeNeutralDifference
Flag of Poland.svg  Poland
93%
4%
3%
+89
Flag of Israel.svg  Israel
87%
12%
1%
+75
Flag of South Korea.svg  South Korea
79%
22%
1%
+57
Flag of Nigeria.svg  Nigeria
74%
20%
6%
+54
Flag of Japan.svg  Japan
73%
25%
2%
+48
Flag of Kenya.svg  Kenya
71%
22%
7%
+49
Flag of India.svg  India
65%
26%
9%
+39
Flag of Brazil.svg  Brazil
63%
22%
15%
+41
Flag of Mexico.svg  Mexico
63%
30%
7%
+33
Flag of Italy.svg  Italy
60%
37%
3%
+23
Flag of South Africa.svg  South Africa
59%
30%
11%
+29
Flag of the United Kingdom.svg  United Kingdom
59%
38%
3%
+21
Flag of the Netherlands.svg  Netherlands
58%
38%
4%
+20
Flag of Canada (Pantone).svg  Canada
57%
38%
5%
+19
Flag of Germany.svg  Germany
57%
40%
3%
+17
Flag of Indonesia.svg  Indonesia
56%
24%
3%
+32
Flag of Greece.svg  Greece
56%
40%
4%
+16
Flag of Spain.svg  Spain
55%
39%
6%
+16
Flag of Sweden.svg  Sweden
55%
41%
4%
+14
Flag of France.svg  France
52%
41%
7%
+11
Flag of Australia (converted).svg  Australia
52%
47%
1%
+5
Flag of Argentina.svg  Argentina
51%
29%
20%
+22

Pro-Americanism declined in the late 2010s in Canada, Latin America, the Middle East, and the European Union, due in part to the strong worldwide unpopularity of the Donald Trump administration. [8] However, pro-Americanism has risen sharply around the world in recent years, following the 2020 election of Joe Biden as America's new president, China's mishandling of the COVID-19 pandemic, and Russia's invasion of Ukraine in early 2022, with overall global views of the United States returning to positive territory once more. [9] [10]

Pro-Americanism by region

India

During the Cold War, India received extensive technological and military aid from the Soviet Union, leading the United States to provide aid to India's rival Pakistan and causing the rise of Anti-American sentiment in India. However, since the end of the Cold War, pro-Americanism has been growing in India, especially as both India and the United States have come to see China as a shared rival. Pro-Americanism is especially high among educated and high-income Indians, but is present among Indians of all classes. [4]

Japan

Following a brutal war in the Pacific between the two countries, pro-Americanism began to appear once more in Japan during the U.S. military occupation of Japan, which many Japanese came to view as having brought Japan freedom and democracy after years under a totalitarian military dictatorship. However, the presence of U.S. military bases remained a constant irritant, and the unpopular Vietnam War provided another source of anti-American sentiment in Japan. Nevertheless, since reaching a postwar nadir during the massive 1960 Anpo protests against the U.S.-Japan Security Treaty, pro-American sentiment has gradually risen in Japan, such that today, Japan is one of the most pro-American countries in the world. Historically, pro-Americanism was embraced by the "Old Right" in Japan, which sought to make common cause with the United States against worldwide communism, and aimed to gradually remilitarize Japan under the U.S. nuclear umbrella as a partner in the U.S.-Japan alliance, whereas the "Old Left, the "New Left," and the "New Right" tended to embrace anti-American sentiments in seeking immediate break with America and the expulsion of U.S. military forces from Japanese soil. However, recent decades have seen the eclipse of the Left in Japan and the ascendancy of "Old Right" ideas over those of the "New Right," as seen in the popularity of former prime minister Shinzō Abe, who embraced the "Old Right" ideas of his grandfather Nobusuke Kishi and worked closely with the United States in strengthening the U.S.-Japan alliance.

The Liberal Democratic Party, which plays a key role in de facto one-party system of Japanese politics, has been described as a "pro-American conservative". [11] [12]

Japan's far-right groups (" Uyoku dantai ") have been consistent in traditional anti-Chinese, anti-Korean, and anti-Russian sentiments, but after World War II, some far-right groups have actively embraced pro-Americanism; for example, the ultra-conservative Greater Japan Patriotic Party combines hard-line pro-Americanism with Japanese nationalism.

South Korea

Pro-American sentiment has been strong in South Korea throughout the postwar era, as the threatening presence of North Korea has led South Koreans to make common cause with the United States against communism, most notably in the Korean War and the Vietnam War. Pro-Americanism tends to be especially strong among older South Koreans and conservative South Koreans, with conservative parties often flying American flags alongside the South Korean flag at marches and political rallies. [6] Anti-American sentiment has appeared among younger South Koreans at times, especially in relation to crimes and accidents by US servicemen stationed in South Korea in the 1990s and early 2000s, [13] as well as the 2008 US beef protest in South Korea in which the United States was viewed as bullying South Korea into accepting imports of American beef, which some South Koreans viewed as unsafe. However, with China recently increasingly seen as a threat to South Korea, pro-Americanism has been once again on the rise. [13]

Taiwan

Taiwanese nationalists want to be free from opposition and threats from the People's Republic of China (PRC) to Taiwanese independence.[ citation needed ] Modern Taiwanese nationalists are therefore very friendly to the United States and support military, economic, and cultural cooperation.[ citation needed ] Taiwanese nationalism is often seen as "anti-imperialism" [14] [15] since it opposes Chinese imperialism, which denies Taiwan its right to self-determination, even though it does not oppose American imperialism, which is seen as friendly to Taiwan. [16] [17] The Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) is Taiwan's leading pro-American political party. [17] Lai Ching-te, the current president of Taiwan, has often been described as being "pro-U.S." in international media. [18] [19] [20] [21]

Taiwan's far-right parties, including the New Party, Patriot Alliance Association and Chinese Unification Promotion Party have anti-American attitudes due to their sympathy for the PRC and their support of Chinese unification, but the centre-right conservative Kuomintang has a rather favorable view of the United States. [22]

Africa

During the era of colonialism, Africans viewed the United States in a highly favorable light. Americans were seen as the "fearless guardians of freedom and equality" and the "conscience of the world" due to the United States' status as a powerful Western nation that was not involved in the colonization of Africa. Nigerian statesman and independence leader Nnamdi Azikiwe described the United States as "God's country", stating: "deep in my heart I can honestly confess that the United States of America has impressed me as a haven of refuge for the oppressed sections of humanity in Europe, Africa, Asia, and the rest of the world". African newspapers such as The Lagos Standard highly idealized early American leaders such as Thomas Jefferson and George Washington, while acknowledging but disregarding the fact that they were slave owners. African newspapers portrayed a highly mythicized life of African-Americans that made them seem equal and sometimes superior to whites. They praised African-American figures such as Booker T. Washington, Paul Robeson, and W.E.B. du Bois and highlighted the achievements of African-American entrepreneurs and farmers while often ignoring the racial segregation and discrimination that existed. [23]

See also

Related Research Articles

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<span class="mw-page-title-main">Anti-Americanism</span> Dislike of the United States and Americans

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<span class="mw-page-title-main">Anti-Japanese sentiment</span> Hatred or fear of Japanese people or culture

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<span class="mw-page-title-main">Korean nationalism</span> Political ideology

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<span class="mw-page-title-main">South Korea–United States relations</span> Bilateral relations

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<span class="mw-page-title-main">Anti-American sentiment in Korea</span>

Anti-American sentiment in Korea began with the earliest contact between the two nations and continued after the division of Korea and Korean War. Despite this, as of 2011, 74% of South Koreans have a favorable view of the U.S., making it one of the most pro-American countries in the world.

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<span class="mw-page-title-main">New Right (South Korea)</span> Political movement

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<span class="mw-page-title-main">Anti-American sentiment in China</span>

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Anti-American conservative is a political term used in Japan that refers to a case in which conservatives in the country display anti-American views diplomatically or culturally.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Pro-Republic of China</span>

Pro-Republic of China or simply pro-ROC is a political alignment that supports the Republic of China (ROC) in terms of politics, economy, society, and culture.

References

  1. ↑ JANE C. DESMOND, VIRGINIA R. DOMÍNGUEZ. Global Perspectives on the United States: Pro-Americanism, Anti-Americanism, and the Discourses Between. University of Illinois Press. p. 352.
  2. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 "International Views of Biden and the U.S. Largely Positive: 1. Overall Opinion of the U.S." June 27, 2023. Retrieved June 30, 2023.
  3. 1 2 3 4 5 "U.S. Image Suffers as Publics Around World Question Trump's Leadership". pewresearch.org. June 26, 2017. Archived from the original on July 25, 2019. Retrieved October 13, 2021.
  4. 1 2 "Indians Reflect on their Country & the World". Pew Research Center. March 31, 2014. Retrieved June 21, 2023.
  5. ↑ Devon Maylie and Leighton Walter Kille (December 1, 2014). "Pro- and anti-Americanism in sub-Saharan Africa". The Journalist's Resource. Retrieved June 21, 2023.
  6. 1 2 Donald Kirk (October 29, 2019). "Pro-America Sentiment in S. Korea Is Largely Ignored". Inside Sources. Retrieved June 21, 2023.
  7. ↑ "Public Opinion of the U.S." Pew Research Center. April 2018. Archived from the original on December 24, 2018. Retrieved April 29, 2019.
  8. ↑ Bort, Ryan (October 9, 2018). "Good News: International Confidence in American Leadership Has Plummeted". Rolling Stone . Archived from the original on June 13, 2021. Retrieved June 13, 2021.
  9. ↑ "America's Image Abroad Rebounds With Transition From Trump to Biden". June 10, 2021. Archived from the original on June 13, 2021. Retrieved June 13, 2021.
  10. ↑ "International Attitudes Toward the U.S., NATO and Russia in a Time of Crisis". June 22, 2023. Retrieved June 21, 2023.
  11. ↑ Hitoshi Tanaka (2020). Historical Narratives of East Asia in the 21st Century: Overcoming the Politics of National Identity. Routledge. ISBN   978-1-000-05317-3. ... Japanese Society for History Textbook Reform, founded in 1997, shared "anti-American conservative" convictions, rather than a "pro-American conservative" attitude similar to the LDP's political stance.
  12. ↑ Jeffrey M. Bale (October 4, 2017). The Darkest Sides of Politics, II: State Terrorism, "Weapons of Mass Destruction," Religious Extremism, and Organized Crime. Taylor & Francis. ISBN   978-1-317-65943-3. Following the election of Hatoyama as Prime Minister, the two parties merged in 1955 to become the Jiyuminshu To (Liberal Democratic Party or LDP), the highly conservative pro-American party which has almost single-handedly ruled Japan up to the present day.
  13. 1 2 Jang, Ye-ji (June 5, 2023). "When and why did Koreans go from anti-American to pro-US?". Hankyoreh. Retrieved September 20, 2023.
  14. ↑ Whitney Crothers Dilley (August 22, 2016). Feminism/Femininity in Chinese Literature. Brill. p. 49.
  15. ↑ Chih-ming Wang (2006). Transpacific Articulations: Study Abroad and the Making of Asia/America. University of California, Santa Cruz. p. 204.
  16. ↑ "Viewing Taiwan From the Left". Jacobin magazine . January 10, 2020. Archived from the original on December 26, 2020. Retrieved May 6, 2020.
  17. 1 2 Kuan-Hsing Chen (March 26, 2010). Asia as Method: Toward Deimperialization. Duke University Press. p. 188. ISBN   978-0-8223-9169-2.
  18. ↑ "Dramatic Week in Taiwan Leaves Pro-US Candidate as Frontrunner". Bloomberg News . November 24, 2023. Retrieved June 1, 2024.
  19. ↑ "How the outcome of Taiwan's presidential election could impact South Korea". The Hankyoreh . January 15, 2024. Retrieved June 1, 2024. With a pro-US politician winning Taiwan's top office, South Korea will likely face a bigger diplomatic burden in managing its relationship with China
  20. ↑ "Taiwan Elections 2024: Why results of these polls are crucial for global economy". WION . January 13, 2024. Retrieved June 1, 2024. Taiwan elections 2024: The election sees the pro-U.S. and anti-China Democratic Progressive Party candidate Lai Ching-te leading the polls against the Kuomintang candidate Hou Yu-ih, who is seen as more accommodating towards Beijing.
  21. ↑ "Biden administration puts pressure on China to halt military drills near Taiwan". The Hill . May 26, 2024. Retrieved June 1, 2024. China started new military exercises near Taiwan only a few days after it swore in its new pro-U.S. leader.
  22. ↑ "Taiwan's KMT Looks to Boost Ties With US: The head of Taiwan's opposition party, Eric Chu, wants the world to know his party is "consistently" pro-American". The Diplomat . June 10, 2022. Retrieved June 1, 2024.
  23. ↑ Gēršônî, Yeqûtî'ēl (1997). Africans on African-Americans: the creation and uses of an African-American myth (1st ed.). New York, NY: New York University Press. ISBN   9780814730829.
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