Americans and the World UN attitudes 2002

Americans and the World UN attitudes 2002

United Nations

General Attitudes Towards the UN

The majority is strongly supportive of the UN and of US participation in it.

Strengthening the UN

The majority of Americans would like the UN to be stronger. Only a small minority are concerned that a stronger UN might compromise US sovereignty. Support for strengthening the UN exists though most Americans appear to grossly overestimate the magnitude of UN activities. Even some proposals for giving the UN the power to tax receive strong majority support.

Paying UN Dues

A majority favors the US paying its UN dues in full, including its UN peacekeeping dues. Candidates who favor paying UN dues are viewed more favorably than those who do not.

UN Dues as a Portion of the Federal Budget

The majority feels the US spends too much on UN dues as a portion of the budget. However, this feeling appears to be largely based on misperceptions. When asked to specify an appropriate portion of the budget to go to the UN, most Americans set a level much higher than the actual amount,and when informed of the actual amount, a strong majority favors either maintaining or increasing it.

UN Dues Relative to Other Countries

The majority feels the US spends too much on UN dues, relative to other major countries. However, this feeling appears to be based largely on misperceptions. When informed about what portion of UN dues the US pays, relative to other countries, and how it is set, the majority finds it appropriate.

Withholding Dues to Press for UN Reforms

For the most part, a majority does not support withholding dues as a means of pressing the UN to make reforms, but if reforms are guaranteed an overwhelming majority would then support paying the dues.

Family Planning Aid and UN Dues

The public is divided about funding international family planning organizations that discuss abortion with their clients; however, a strong majority opposes attaching to UN dues legislation an amendment with such restrictions.

Using Military Force Through the UN

In the event that it is necessary for the US to use military force, whenever possible, a strong majority prefers to act through the UN rather than unilaterally. A plurality even prefers acting through the UN over acting through NATO.

Family Planning Assistance Through the UN

A strong majority supports the US and other countries providing assistance for family planning through the United Nations.

Reservations About the UN

The strongest reservations Americans have about the UN are about whether it is doing a good job in performing its functions. Assessments of UN performance have varied over the last decade. A strong majority has felt that the UN has been too passive in peacekeeping operations. However, the majority does not view the UN as worse than other major public institutions.

Population

Attitudes About World Population Growth

An overwhelming majority correctly perceives the world's population as growing and believes that world population growth is a significant problem. However, this majority is divided as to how pressing this problem is-both as a general matter and in terms of security and environmental concerns.

Foreign Aid for Family Planning

An overwhelming majority believes that population growth is a serious contributor to the economic problems of the developing world. A very strong majority supports the US providing aid to assist people in poor countries with family planning. Support is more mixed, however, when the goal is framed in terms of the goal of getting developing countries to reduce their birthrates.

Family Planning Assistance Through the UN

A strong majority supports the US and other countries providing assistance for family planning through the United Nations.

Family Planning and Abortion

Only a small minority thinks that providing family planning services leads to an increase in abortions. For most, the terms 'family planning' or 'birth control' do not imply abortion. The public is divided about whether the US should fund abortions as part of family planning or should fund international family planning organizations that use non-US money to fund abortions.

Family Planning Aid and UN Dues

The public is divided about funding international family planning organizations that discuss abortion with their clients; however, a strong majority opposes attaching to UN dues legislation an amendment with such restrictions.

From: Americans and the World <listserv@americans-world.org>
Subject: U.S. Public Attitudes on the United Nations
American public attitudes on the United Nations is the focus of the newest release of the Americans and the World website (http://www.americans-world.org). On the website you will find a comprehensive analysis that integrates all publicly available polling data on this topic.
Americans and the World is developed and maintained by the Program on International Policy Attitudes (PIPA), a joint program of the Center on Policy Attitudes and the Center for International and Security Studies at Maryland at the School of Public Affairs, University of Maryland.
The analysis covers:
General Attitudes Toward the UN; Strengthening the UN; Paying UN Dues; UN Dues as a Portion of the Federal Budget; UN Dues Relative to Other Countries ; Withholding Dues to Press for UN Reforms; Family Planning Aid and UN Dues; Using Military Force Through the UN; Family Planning Aid Through the UN; Reservations About the UN
Over the coming weeks and months PIPA will be releasing additional reports on such subjects as Russia, Africa, global warming, international trade, international women's issues, America's role in the world, human rights, the Middle East, and many other topics. Gradually we will build a comprehensive resource on US public opinion on international issues.
Our hope and expectation is that this will provide a valuable resource for policymakers, journalists, researchers, non-governmental organizations, students, and all individuals who would like to know more about American public opinion.
Americans and the World is made possible by grants from the Rockefeller Foundation, the Tides Foundation, and the Compton Foundation.