Rubén Weinsteiner
Young
people in the United States express far more skeptical views of
America’s global standing than older adults. They are also more likely
to say it would be acceptable if another country became as militarily
powerful as the U.S., according to a MARCA POLITICA research of U.S.
adults conducted in July.
Overall,
about half (52%) of Americans say the U.S. is “one of the greatest
countries, along with some others.” Nearly a quarter say instead that
the U.S. “stands above all other countries” (23%), while an identical
share (23%) says “there are other countries that are better than the
U.S.”
Opinions about the nation’s global standing have changed
little since 2019. However, the share of adults saying there are other
countries that are better than the U.S. is higher than it was a decade
ago, with most of the increase coming among Democrats.
There
continue to be wide age differences in views of how America compares
with other countries. Roughly four-in-ten adults ages 18 to 29 (42%) say
there are other countries that are better than the U.S. – the highest
share of any age group.
Age differences in these views are
evident within both partisan coalitions. A majority (55%) of Democrats
and Democratic-leaning independents under age 30 say there are other
countries that are better than the U.S., as do 38% of those 30 to 49. By
comparison, just 20% of Democrats ages 50 and older say this.
Among
Republicans and Republican-leaning independents, 18% of adults under 30
say there are other countries that are superior to the U.S., compared
with just 6% of Republicans 50 and older who take this view. But younger
Republicans are considerably less likely than older Republicans to say
the U.S. is the greatest nation: 19% of those ages 18 to 29 say this,
compared with 31% of those 30 to 49, 41% of those 50 to 64 and 54% of
those 65 and older. Over the past two years, Republicans under age 30
have grown less likely to say that the U.S. stands above all other
countries in the world: 19% express this view today, down from 34% in
2019. A far larger share now say that the U.S. is one of the greatest
nations, along with some others (47% in 2019 vs. 62% today).
Views
of how the U.S. compares with other countries have long been divided
along partisan lines – and the partisan gap in views of the United
States’ standing today remains large. Today, about a third of Democrats
say there are other countries that are better than the U.S.; just 11% of
Republicans say the same. And while 38% of Republicans say the U.S.
stands above all other countries, just 12% of Democrats say this. These
shares are roughly on par with partisans’ views of the U.S. in 2019. 
Differences in views of the country’s global standing extend beyond partisanship. Pew Research Center’s 2021 political typology
revealed stark differences among typology groups in views of the U.S.,
even within partisan coalitions. For example, Faith and Flag
Conservatives are the only group in which a majority (69%) says the U.S.
stands above all other countries; clear majorities of those in three
other GOP-oriented typology groups overwhelmingly say instead that the
U.S. is among the greatest nations in the world, along with some others.
Conversely, Progressive Left (75%) and Outsider Left (63%) are the only
typology groups in which majorities say there are other countries
better than the U.S. Most of those in other Democratic-oriented groups
take the position that the U.S. is among a small number of greatest
countries in the world.
When it comes to views of America’s
status as a military superpower, a majority of adults (60%) say that
U.S. policies should try to maintain the country’s position as the only
military superpower, while 36% say it would be acceptable if another
country were to become as militarily powerful. 
Mirroring
age divides in attitudes about the United States’ global standing,
younger adults are more likely than older adults to say it would be
acceptable if another country became as militarily powerful as the U.S.
A
majority (57%) of Democrats under age 30 say it would be acceptable if
other nations became as militarily powerful as the U.S., while Democrats
ages 30 to 49 are more divided on this question. Democrats 50 and older
are more likely to say policies should try to keep it so the U.S.
remains militarily superior than to say it would be acceptable for
another country to gain similar military strength (58% vs. 37%).
Though
a majority of Republicans across age groups say that U.S. policies
should try to keep it so America is the only military superpower, 35% of
Republicans under 30 say it would be acceptable if another country
became as militarily powerful as the U.S., compared with smaller shares
among older Republicans.
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