Austrians see the US as the biggest threat to world peace, according to a sociological survey by the magazine “Pragmaticus“, published today and quoted by the Austrian news agency APA, BTA reported.
Thirty-seven percent of survey participants say the US poses the biggest threat to world peace, while 33% say Russia is the biggest threat. In a similar survey published two years ago, Russia was a threat to peace for 60% of respondents, compared to 15% who said the US was.
“After World War II, the US was an economic, political and cultural role model for Austria and Europe. This picture has almost completely changed“, sociologist Peter Hayek commented on the results of the survey.
“Now only one in five has a positive opinion of the United States, while three-quarters perceive it in a negative way. The share of those who have a very negative opinion of the United States has more than doubled in the last two years, from 14 to 29%“, Hayek added.
According to the sociologist, the United States is viewed critically above all among citizens with left-wing beliefs.
“While in the past the United States was perhaps seen as more conservative, more puritanical or more rigid in the exercise of power politics, it was also considered radically democratic. It is precisely this image of democratic radiation that has been damaged, as the US is increasingly perceived as an authoritarian and irresponsible state,“ the Austrian sociologist analyzes.
When asked which country will be the next global superpower, only 16% of the survey participants indicated that the US will maintain its leading position in economic and political terms. In first place on this issue is China, which, according to 46% of those surveyed, will be the next leading world power in 2036, unlike Russia, India or the European Union.
The survey was conducted by the "Unique Research" institute on the occasion of the 250th anniversary of the founding of the US, and it covers a representative sample of 835 people with the right to vote in Austria.