Global Popularity 2012

Hat Tip to Gilad Atzmon Via Moonofalabama Comments.

Every year the BBC holds a worldwide opinion poll on the how several countries are perceived around the world. Each country is ranked either "positively" or "negatively" in terms of influence, essentially how much do they matter, and is their contribution good or bad?

The loser is obviously Iran with an average negative rating of 55%, and a positive of 16%. Pakistan came an unsurprising second last place at 51%, and North Korea and Isreal tying for third place at 50% of most negatively influential countries. Telling stuff.

I noted that South Africa was not in the list of respondent countries, so i was very surprised on page 26 to find that opinions on South Africa had been solicited. The global average view of South Africa's influence in the world? 37% positive and 25% negative, various regions displaying varying degrees of bias, Russia providing the highest percentage for the survey with 67% of them saying they have no opinion on us. Japan also shares their disdain.

We're a lot less popular than we were a year ago, clearly all the bad press is getting out to the international press. Unsurprising but clearly not ideal. Nigeria thinks we're great, but they like Isreal too, i truly wonder how a Nigerian perceives countries? SA = $? Likewise then for Isreal? Why does Nigeria like Isreal? It doesn't make sense. Mexico decided last year to hate us, going from 48% to 24% positive, in 1 year. I know of nothing to cause that, i (naively) thought Mexico had bigger problems?

http://www.deliberation.info/wp-content/uploads/2012/05/2012_bbc_country-rating-final-080512.pdf

Go read the full document, it's very enlightening, and while it doesn't address specifics of what has happened in the last year, it compares with the previous year's results, and seems to be a good reflection of how people see politics and world influence.