These are some of the results of a Harris Poll of 3,423 U.S. adults conducted online between February 2 and 8 by Harris Interactive.
When it comes to how powerful the U.S. is, there is a generational difference. Slightly under half (49 percent) of those who are 62 and older say the U.S. is very or extremely powerful compared to other nations, while 62 percent of Echo Boomers (those aged 18 to 30) say the same. There is also a gender difference on this issue. Men are more likely than women to say the U.S. is extremely or very powerful (63 percent vs. 50 percent), while women are more likely than men to say the U.S. is generally powerful (32 percent vs. 24 percent).
When it comes to respect, there is also a difference in opinion depending on generation. While almost half (47 percent) of Baby Boomers say the U.S. is not at all well-respected throughout the world, just one-third (32 percent) of Generation X and one-quarter (24 percent) of Echo Boomers feel the same way.
So which would be better for the U.S. to do - reduce its involvement in world events or increase it? Over six in 10 (63 percent) say it would be better to reduce the involvement of the U.S. in world events while just 16 percent say it would be better to increase it. Here, education plays a factor as the more education one has, the more likely they are to say increase involvement. Almost one-quarter (23 percent) of those with a post-graduate degree say it would be better for the U.S. to increase its involvement compared to 13 percent of those who have a high school degree or less.
The Role of Politics
One thing is clear throughout this overall issue - political party definitely factors into one's beliefs. Almost three-quarters (73 percent) of Republicans say the U.S. is extremely or very powerful when compared to other nations; half (49 percent) of Democrats and 52 percent of Independents believe the same. When it comes to how well-respected the U.S. is, half of Democrats say the U.S. is not at all well-respected throughout the world, as do two in five Independents. While only one in five Republicans say the U.S. is not at all well-respected, they fall mostly to the middle as one-third say the U.S. is somewhat well-respected and the same number say the U.S. is generally well-respected.
Across the political parties, very few believe the U.S. is extremely or very well-respected. As to what the U.S. should do, a majority of all three parties says involvement in world events should be reduced, but it is just half (51 percent) of Republicans who say this compared to two-thirds (66 percent) of Independents and 71 percent of Democrats.
The issue becomes, what is more important - to be the most powerful or to be the most well-respected? Depending on how one answers that questions, the United States is either doing well or doing extremely poorly.
TABLE 1
POWER OF U.S. - BY GENERATION AND GENDER
"How powerful do you feel that the U.S. is compared to other nations?"
Base: All adults
Generation Gender
Echo Baby
Total Boomers Gen X Boomers Matures Male Female
(18-30) (31-42) (43-61) (62+)
% % % % % % %
Total Powerful (NET) 57 62 57 57 49 63 50
Extremely powerful 23 25 25 23 21 30 17
Very powerful 33 37 32 34 28 33 33
Generally Powerful 28 26 28 28 30 24 32
Total Not Powerful
(NET) 15 12 14 15 21 13 18
Somewhat powerful 14 12 12 13 18 12 15
Not at all powerful 2 * 2 2 3 1 2
Note: Percentages may not add up to exactly 100% due to rounding.
* Less Than 0.5%
TABLE 2
POWER OF U.S. - BY POLITICAL PARTY
"How powerful do you feel that the U.S. is compared to other nations?"
Base: All adults
Total Party
Rep. Dem. Ind.
% % % %
Total Powerful (NET) 57 73 49 52
Extremely powerful 23 36 15 24
Very powerful 33 37 34 28
Generally Powerful 28 19 31 32
Total Not Powerful (NET) 15 8 20 16
Somewhat powerful 14 7 17 15
Not at all powerful 2 1 2 2
Note: Percentages may not add up to exactly 100% due to rounding.
TABLE 3
U.S. AS RESPECTED NATION
"How well-respected do you feel that the U.S. is throughout the world?"
Base: All adults
Generation Party
Echo Baby
Total Boomers Gen X Boomers Matures Rep. Dem. Mod.
(18-30) (31-42) (43-61) (62+)
% % % % % % % %
Total Well-Respected
(NET) 7 6 8 7 6 13 2 6
Extremely
well-respected 2 1 2 2 * 4 * 1
Very well-respected 5 5 6 5 6 9 2 5
Generally
Well-Respected 20 22 24 17 20 33 11 18
Total Not
Well-Respected (NET) 73 72 68 76 74 53 87 76
Somewhat
well-respected 35 47 36 29 33 33 36 35
Not at all
well-respected 38 24 32 47 41 20 50 40
Note: Percentages may not add up to exactly 100% due to rounding.
* Less Than 0.5%
TABLE 4
U.S. INVOLVEMENT IN WORLD EVENTS
"Which do you think would be better for the U.S. to do?"
Base: All adults
Total HS or Some College Post
Less College Grad Grad Rep. Dem. Mod.
% % % % % % % %
Increase the involvement
of the U.S. in world
events 16 13 16 19 23 28 10 13
Reduce the involvement
of the U.S. in world
events 63 66 62 63 57 51 71 66
Not at all sure 21 21 22 18 20 22 19 21
Note: Percentages may not add up to exactly 100% due to rounding.