01 Oct Surprising Poll Numbers on American Attitudes Toward the UN
Here’s a recent poll from the Hudson Institute on how Americans view the United Nations. Hudson predictably plays up the negative responses (e.g., 71% believe the UN “needs to be significantly reformed”). But most of those answers were given in response to what look like leading questions (e.g., do you agree with the statement, “[the UN] needs to be significantly reformed”). Check out the last question, which looks more by way of smearing the UN than taking a poll.
But the responses to more open-ended questions were surprisingly positive. Albeit by a slim margin, more respondents had a favorable than an unfavorable view of the institution (Q5). On which is better at “protecting international peace and security,” the US or the UN, the US edged out the UN by only 5%, 50% to 45% (Q9). And a whooping 73% agreed that the US should take a more active role in the UN, as the best way for us to influence world affairs (Q12).
Other answers show continued skepticism, but we knew that already. Is it possible there’s more goodwill out there for international institutions than the conventional wisdom would have us believe?
This poll is ridiculous. Questions 24/25 and 27/28 in particular are just incredible. Question 24 asks whether the persons polled agree that the US receives good value for its contribution to the UN budget. So does question 25, except in that it gives a number to said contribution (in capital letters!). In effect, question 25 asks all those who supported the UN on Q24 to think again. That is not a way of asking, but of making opinions. (Incidentally, I would suggest that the UN have been set up to benefit the aggregate of the international community, not necessarily every state individually [although the greater good would eventually reflect on every member of that community], so asking whether the US receives good value may be to miss the whole point of international organisation) Same goes for Q28, which might as well have read: “do you mindless UN lackeys still support the expansion of UN premises at New York if you consider just how much you will have to pay for this?” Now, I’m sure they could have come up with very significant numbers of people with anti-UN feelings on any fair poll, but this poll, unfair as it is, is… Read more »