Germany tops global popularity poll for major countries

[Maciamo]

Since 2005 GlobeScan has been conducting a Country Ratings Poll for the BBC, asking 26,000 people around the world whether they had a positive, neutral or negative opinion about other countries. The 2013 survey has just been released and reviews 17 countries with data from 25 countries.

Germany, which was the 2nd most popular country last year, came on top of the 2013 poll, overtaking Japan. 59% of the people surveyed had a positive image of Germany, and only 15% a negative one. Countries with the most favourable views of Germany were Ghana (86%), France (81%), the UK (78%), Australia (76%) and South Korea (76%). Countries with the least positive votes were unsurprisingly Greece (25%), but also India (27%) and Pakistan (29%). Indians, however, tend to vote overwhelmingly neutral for most countries. The highest percentage of people actually perceiving Germany negatively were found in Greece (52%), well ahead of Turkey (28%) and Pakistan (26%).

Japan fell in 4th position due to both a decrease in positive views (-7%) and an increase in negative views (+6%). The image of Japan has deteriorated most strongly in the EU, especially in Spain (-26%) and Germany (-28%), although the report does not explain why that is.

The United Kingdom performed quite well, gaining 4% of positive views overall and reaching the 3rd position after Germany and Canada. The biggest fans of Britain were Ghana (88% positive), Nigeria (75%), the USA (74%), Kenya (70%) and Canada (69%). The least favourable were Greece (27%), Peru (30%), Turkey (31%), and Brazil (33%). Among those who disliked the UK downright, the Greeks (38% negative) and Turks (40%) also came on top. It is ironic for Turkey since Britain has always been Turkey's staunchest supporter in its quest for EU membership.

The French are the ones who have the best opinion of themselves (76%). Not breaking news... After them, it is the Ghanans (68%), South Koreans (64%) and Canadians (60%) who view France most positively. Those who dislike the most France are the Turks (a whopping 64% !), Mexicans (43%), Britons (34%) and Americans (33%). It would be worth investigating why so many Turks dislike France. A lot of Turks have a negative image of Western countries, but France fares even worse than the USA (disliked by 59% of Turks), and considerably worse than the UK (40% negative) or Germany (28%). There are also less Turks who dislike Iran (57%), China (53%), North Korea (51%) or Russia (46%) than France. The Turks were only more negative about Israel (81%).

Here is the summary.

 

[Maciamo]

It's also interesting to check the proportion of people from each country who thought their own country had a positive influence on the world. Here is the ranking:

Canada : 84%
Brazil & China : 77%
France : 76%
UK : 66%
USA & India : 65%
Germany & South Korea : 64%
Russia : 58%
Japan : 45%
Pakistan : 38%

Note that people from South Africa, Israel, Iran and North Korea were not surveyed, although respondents in other countries had to give their opinions about them.

The Japanese are the humblest respondents, considering that they are the only country for which other nationalities have a more positive image of them (51%) than they do themselves (45%) ! Perhaps that it one trait that makes them so likeable. Japan has topped several times the poll as the most liked country.

On the other hand, the Canadians, Chinese, Brazilians and French have the highest opinions of their own country's positive influence in the world. But is it deserved in some cases ? To know that I have calculated the gaps between people's perceived image of their own country and what the rest of the world think.

Nationals positive image minus others positive image for each country:

1) China (35% more positive votes from the Chinese than the global average for China)
2) Brazil & India (31% gap)
3) Canada (29% gap)
4) Russia & South Korea (28% gap)
5) France (27% gap)
6) Pakistan (23% gap)
7) USA (20% gap)
8) UK (11% gap)
9) Germany (5% gap)
10 Japan (-6% gap)

Overall it looks like developing countries with booming economies are more likely to have a disproportionately good image of themselves. The Canadians and the French are exceptions; they really think that their country has a more positive influence in the world than others think (perhaps unfairly). The Germans have the closest image of themselves compared to what others think of them.

 

[LeBrok]

. The Canadians and the French are exceptions; they really think that their country has a more positive influence in the world than others think (perhaps unfairly). The Germans have the closest image of themselves compared to what others think of them.

There is probably 10 million French descendants in Canada. Might have the bearing on narcissistic tendencies of this country.

 

[oriental]

WWII would have greatly affected Germany and Japan's outlook. They both have good things to brag about.

 

[Grubbe]

WWII would have greatly affected Germany and Japan's outlook. They both have good things to brag about.

It's a long time now since WWII - new generations have grown up who have nothing to do about it. All nations have the right to be proud of good achievements.

 

[Grubbe]

I see that none of the Scandinavian countries are in the poll (except en bloc in EU). Perhaps just as well – no news is good news! J

 

[oriental]

I meant they felt guilt. Japan has not yet owned up to their WWII atrocities. America let them easy unlike the Germans. All those American movies and TV shows stereotyped Germans as idiots or villains. I was brought up with those shows so within my psyche those images linger. Can you imagine how many people in the world were affected by American films? In Asia we hardly knew about WWII but those post-war films filled us in.

 

[LeBrok]

WWII would have greatly affected Germany and Japan's outlook. They both have good things to brag about.

What is surprising how fast tow big villains of WWII turned around to become shining examples of trust in international communities. I'm even more optimistic about our future now.

Should we thank USA for turning them around?

 

[Grubbe]

I meant they felt guilt. Japan hasnot yet owned up to their WWII atrocities. America let them easy unlike theGermans. All those American movies and TV shows stereotyped Germans as idiotsor villains. I was brought up with those shows so within my psyche those imageslinger. Can you imagine how many people in the world were affected by Americanfilms? In Asia we hardly knew about WWII but those post-war films filled usin.

Oh, I know about these movies and tv shows, we have seen them in Europe, too. And they served a purpose back then (whether one agrees or not). But, as I said: It's a long time since the war, no point in hanging on to it indefinitely.

 

[oriental]

Amazing the five countries in Southeast Asia - Thailand, Taiwan, Vietnam, Cambodia and Laos not in the survey. They were certainly affected by the Japanese.

 

[ElHorsto]

I meant they felt guilt. Japan has not yet owned up to their WWII atrocities. America let them easy unlike the Germans. All those American movies and TV shows stereotyped Germans as idiots or villains. I was brought up with those shows so within my psyche those images linger. Can you imagine how many people in the world were affected by American films? In Asia we hardly knew about WWII but those post-war films filled us in.

True, it is no coincidence that almost all James Bond villains were played by german actors. But in recent decades stereotyping of Germans has actually turned to very positive in Hollywood and other media shows. Many other nationalities became more subject to bad stereotyping meanwhile, depending also on the current political agendas.

 

[Maciamo]

Amazing the five countries in Southeast Asia - Thailand, Taiwan, Vietnam, Cambodia and Laos not in the survey. They were certainly affected by the Japanese.

Why is that amazing. There are over 200 countries on Earth and only 16 are in the survey. Italy, Spain, Mexico, Egypt or Indonesia are not part of it either.

 

[LeBrok]

Why is that amazing. There are over 200 countries on Earth and only 16 are in the survey. Italy, Spain, Mexico, Egypt or Indonesia are not part of it either.

He's probably meant, what victims of Japanese invasion of WWII think of Japan now. It would be interesting to see if Japane have same good ratings as Germany in Europe from their WWII victims.

 

[Maciamo]

He's probably meant, what victims of Japanese invasion of WWII think of Japan now. It would be interesting to see if Japane have same good ratings as Germany in Europe from their WWII victims.

The two countries that suffered most from the Japanese in WWII are Korea and China, and both gave their opinion of Japan in the survey. The full report gives the details. Only 17% of Chinese and 21% of Koreans had a positive opinion of Japan. On the other hand, the Indonesians were the most enthusiastic respondents about Japan (82% positive) of any country. I expect Malaysia, Thailand and Cambodia to be somewhere in between Indonesia and South Korea, but a closer to Indonesia. Probably around 60% positive.

As the admin of another forum about Japan, I have noticed that spammers posting very offensive and angry comments about Japan were almost exclusively from China and South Korea, based on their IP addresses.

 

[oriental]

James Bond villains

Gert Frobe was one of my favourites. Actually one of my friends look exactly like him. He was Polish though. That Japanese wrestler was something. Sean Connery said he was very strong and he easily lifted Sean (190-200 lbs., I guess) threw him right across the room. That hat was something. I liked Horst Bucholz in 'Magnificent 7'. I liked the way he shot his pistols with both hands. He was in a movie with a storyline in Istanbul but the movie was not very good. The last time I saw him was in Bertilucci's "A beautiful life" or something. He gained weight and played a Nazi.

I have mixed feelings about the Japanese. Personally I have always experienced friendliness. However, the old war films show how brutal they were. My uncle warned me about being too friendly with the Japanese. In Canada they were removed from British Columbia, their properties expropriated and they were scattered across Canada. My landlady in Toronto was Japanese and very helpful. She married a Scottish guy and her kids look very attractive. Individually she and her husband are above average in looks.