Are Americans arrogant?

“We have all heard of Young America. He is the most current youth of the age. Some think him conceited, and arrogant; but has he not reason to entertain a rather extensive opinion of himself? Is he not the inventor and owner of the present, and sole hope of the future?”

Abraham Lincoln

It’s an age-old accusation. The Ancient Greeks suffered from it, so did the Romans, Spanish Conquistadors, Ottomans, Prussians, and the empire-building British. The weak and colonized can be relied upon to call dominant powers arrogant. Americans are merely the latest recipients of the label. Unilaterally opting out of climate control and land-mine treaties only fuels this widespread perception. Ditto American treatment of the U.N. – it’s my way or the highway.

Arrogant people think their ways are superior. When you are the mightiest nation in the world, that’s a tough trap to avoid. Then you get criticized for being overbearing and presumptuous. When American tourists presume foreigners automatically speak English – voila! That’s arrogance.

The Evidence

Source: Pew Research Center, Global Attitudes Survey, 2002

• Does America pay much attention to the wishes of other countries when it acts in the world? Just over a quarter of Americans think so (perhaps naivety should be another American stereotype). Grateful Kuwaitis and Israelis agree. In all other countries, most people see United States policy as largely selfish. Percent of French people who detect American altruism: one.

• But it’s not just resentful and envious foreigners who reckon America is arrogant. Gallup asked Americans themselves whether the A-word applies to their country. A whopping 68% said yes.

• So much for labeling. The acid test of arrogance is whether Americans really think their ways are better. According to the Pew Center’s polls, 60% agree with the statement “our people are not perfect, but our culture is superior to others.” Only 37% of the allegedly arrogant French think this way, and a mere 33% of the newly humble British. But here’s the surprise. America’s 60% is low by international standards. 86% of Mexicans have superiority complexes. The proud people of Mali are similarly afflicted while 90% of South Koreans know their ways are best. American arrogance is actually below average. We just see it in action more often.

America versus Americans
Around the world, America’s influence has been growing. People know it and in many ways they like it – movies, songs, brands, food, attitude. They’re less thrilled about the impact of American enterprise and they’re sharply negative about America’s government. But the United States’ most popular exports are Americans themselves. With few exceptions (like Palestinians and Turks), the peoples of the world really like Americans.

This may be unique in the history of empires. Superpower leaders have always been despised as arrogant blow-hards, and America is no exception. Around the globe, nobody gets burned in effigy more often than the U.S. President. But such an overly warm welcome doesn’t extend to regular Yanks. They may be large and loud and prudish, but they’re not particularly arrogant. America yes, Americans no.

Want to dig deeper?
The Pew Research Center's ongoing surveys capture the evolution of attitudes around the world towards the United States.
Pew Research Center