The latest Pew Global Attitudes Project global survey finds that America's standing in the world has continued to deteriorate:
The Obama era has coincided with major changes in international perceptions of American power – especially U.S. economic power. The global financial crisis and the steady rise of China have led many to declare China the world’s economic leader, and this trend is especially strong among some of America’s major European allies. Today, solid majorities in Germany (62%), Britain (58%), France (57%) and Spain (57%) name China as the world’s top economic power.
Indeed, it is not just those who live beyond our shores who feel this way, as the following table attests [red and blue annotations mine]:
Admittedly, most analysts would consider a one-percentage point differential to be the satistical equivalent of a dead heat, but even so, the fact that most Americans no longer see a large gap in our favor is not a good sign.
Michael J. Panzner
