Harris Poll Results
While the United Nations may be over 60 years old, not everyone is familiar with it and the work that it does. In fact, just one-quarter of Germans (25%) and French adults (28%) say they are familiar compared to a plurality of British adults (40%), half of Spaniards (48%), a majority of Italians (55%) and almost two-thirds of Americans (64%). While they may not all be familiar with what it does, people in these six countries all believe that the UN does good work. Three–quarters of French adults (75%), two-thirds of Italians (69%), Germans (67%) and Britons (65%) and at least three in five Spaniards (63%) and Americans (60%) all say the UN does more good than harm.
Other findings regarding attitudes on the United Nations include:
- Among Americans, when they think of the United Nations, and the work it does, being peace keepers is the first thing that comes to mind for 30% of them, followed by being a mediator (8%), countries banding together (8%) and ineffectual (7%);
- While some may have called over time for the United States to not be such a major player in the UN, this is not an opinion shared by most. At least two thirds of Germans (68%), Britons (73%), Spaniards (75%), French adults (76%), Americans (77%) and Italians (79%) all believe it is important for the US to be an active member of the United Nations;
- When it comes to raising the standards of living around the world, majorities of adults in France (53%), Italy (63%), Great Britain (63%), the U.S. (64%),and Spain (64%) and just under half of Germans (47%) believe the UN does contribute to raising these standards of living;
- At least two-thirds of French adults (73%), Germans (72%) Spaniards (71%), Italians (68%) and Britons (66%) and 61% of Americans believe that the United Nations is central to solving conflicts in the world.
- One place where Americans and Europeans differ is on the location of the UN headquarters. While three in five Americans (61%) believe it should remain in the United States, almost half of Spaniards (49%) and pluralities in Germans (44%), Great Britain (42%), France
Americans believe there are certain roles the United Nations should play:
- When asked how important it is that the UN plays a role in seven different areas, not surprisingly, strong majorities of Americans say it is important for them to play all these roles. At least eight in ten say it is important for the UN to provide humanitarian aid in the times of crisis (85%), advocate for and protect human rights (84%), peacekeeping (83%), preventing conflicts (80%) and resolving conflicts (80%). Three-quarters of Americans (77%) think it’s important for the UN to reduce poverty while 64% say it is important for the UN to confront climate change; and,
- When it comes to which is the one area where the United Nations can make the most difference, 19% of Americans believe it is providing humanitarian aid in times of crisis,18% say it is peacekeeping, 13% believe it is advocating for and protecting human rights while12% say it is resolving conflicts.
TABLE 1
FAMILIARITY WITH THE UNITED NATIONS
"How familiar are you with the United Nations and the work that it does?"
Base: All EU adults in five countries and U.S. adults
|
United States |
Great Britain |
France |
Italy |
Spain |
Germany |
|
|
% |
% |
% |
% |
% |
% |
|
|
FAMILIAR (NET) |
64 |
40 |
28 |
55 |
48 |
25 |
|
Very familiar |
16 |
3 |
3 |
3 |
6 |
2 |
|
Somewhat familiar |
48 |
37 |
25 |
52 |
42 |
23 |
|
NOT FAMILIAR (NET) |
36 |
60 |
72 |
45 |
52 |
75 |
|
Not that familiar |
26 |
42 |
64 |
38 |
40 |
59 |
|
Not at all familiar |
10 |
19 |
8 |
6 |
12 |
16 |
Note: Percentages may not add up to 100% due to rounding
TABLE 2
UNITED NATIONS DOES HARM OR GOOD?
"Which statement is closer to your own opinion?"
Base: All EU adults in five countries and U.S. adults
|
United States |
Great Britain |
France |
Italy |
Spain |
Germany |
|
|
% |
% |
% |
% |
% |
% |
|
|
MORE GOOD THAN HARM (NET) |
60 |
65 |
75 |
69 |
63 |
67 |
|
The UN does much more good than harm |
24 |
20 |
17 |
28 |
17 |
26 |
|
The UN does somewhat more good than harm |
36 |
45 |
57 |
42 |
46 |
42 |
|
MORE HARM THAN GOOD (NET) |
20 |
11 |
5 |
14 |
13 |
16 |
|
The UN does somewhat more harm than good |
10 |
8 |
4 |
10 |
11 |
11 |
|
The UN does much more harm than good |
10 |
3 |
1 |
4 |
2 |
5 |
|
Not at all sure |
20 |
24 |
20 |
17 |
24 |
16 |
Note: Percentages may not add up to 100% due to rounding
TABLE 3
THE WORK THE UN DOES
"When you think of the United Nations and the work that it does, what are the top one or two things that come to mind?"
Unprompted responses
Base: All U.S. adults
|
Total |
Familiar with UN |
Not familiar with UN |
|
|
% |
% |
% |
|
|
World peace/peace keepers |
30 |
34 |
24 |
|
Mediator for communication between nations/peace talks |
8 |
10 |
5 |
|
Countries banding together/making world policies |
8 |
9 |
6 |
|
Ineffectual |
7 |
10 |
2 |
|
Humanitarian aid |
5 |
7 |
3 |
|
Hunger relief |
5 |
6 |
2 |
|
UNICEF/Children’s aid |
4 |
6 |
1 |
|
Helping third world/underdeveloped countries |
4 |
5 |
3 |
|
Offers aid in times of need/disaster relief |
4 |
5 |
2 |
|
Sanctions/policing/enforcing policies |
3 |
4 |
3 |
|
Liaison to help countries cooperate |
3 |
3 |
3 |
|
Corrupt/Malfeasance/Crooks |
3 |
4 |
1 |
Note: Only responses given by at least 3% shown
TABLE 4
IMPORTANT FOR US TO BE ACTIVE MEMBER OF UNITED NATIONS
"Please indicate if you agree or disagree with the following statement – It is important for the United States to be an active member of the United Nations."
Base: All EU adults in five countries and U.S. adults
|
United States |
Great Britain |
France |
Italy |
Spain |
Germany |
|
|
% |
% |
% |
% |
% |
% |
|
|
AGREE (NET) |
77 |
73 |
76 |
79 |
75 |
68 |
|
Strongly agree |
58 |
33 |
26 |
30 |
40 |
31 |
|
Somewhat agree |
19 |
39 |
50 |
49 |
34 |
38 |
|
DISAGREE (NET) |
15 |
11 |
11 |
14 |
12 |
17 |
|
Somewhat disagree |
6 |
8 |
7 |
10 |
7 |
12 |
|
Strongly disagree |
9 |
4 |
3 |
5 |
6 |
5 |
|
Not at all sure |
8 |
16 |
14 |
7 |
13 |
14 |
Note: Percentages may not add up to 100% due to rounding
TABLE 5
UNITED NATIONS RAISES STANDARDS OF LIVING
"Please indicate if you agree or disagree with the following statement – The United Nations contributes to raising the standards of living around the world."
Base: All EU adults in five countries and U.S. adults
|
United States |
Great Britain |
France |
Italy |
Spain |
Germany |
|
|
% |
% |
% |
% |
% |
% |
|
|
AGREE (NET) |
64 |
63 |
53 |
63 |
64 |
47 |
|
Strongly agree |
23 |
14 |
8 |
14 |
16 |
8 |
|
Somewhat agree |
41 |
49 |
45 |
49 |
48 |
39 |
|
DISAGREE (NET) |
24 |
17 |
32 |
29 |
25 |
39 |
|
Somewhat disagree |
13 |
13 |
26 |
20 |
16 |
27 |
|
Strongly disagree |
11 |
4 |
6 |
9 |
9 |
11 |
|
Not at all sure |
13 |
20 |
15 |
9 |
11 |
15 |
Note: Percentages may not add up to 100% due to rounding
TABLE 6
UNITED NATIONS CENTRAL TO SOLVING CONFLICTS
"Please indicate if you agree or disagree with the following statement – The United Nations is central to solving conflicts in the world."
Base: All EU adults in five countries and U.S. adults
|
United States |
Great Britain |
France |
Italy |
Spain |
Germany |
|
|
% |
% |
% |
% |
% |
% |
|
|
AGREE (NET) |
61 |
66 |
73 |
68 |
71 |
72 |
|
Strongly agree |
24 |
18 |
20 |
21 |
26 |
23 |
|
Somewhat agree |
37 |
48 |
53 |
46 |
45 |
49 |
|
DISAGREE (NET) |
29 |
18 |
18 |
26 |
20 |
18 |
|
Somewhat disagree |
14 |
14 |
14 |
19 |
13 |
13 |
|
Strongly disagree |
15 |
5 |
5 |
8 |
7 |
6 |
|
Not at all sure |
10 |
16 |
9 |
6 |
9 |
10 |
Note: Percentages may not add up to 100% due to rounding
TABLE 7
UNITED NATIONS SHOULD REMAIN HEADQUARTERED IN US
"Please indicate if you agree or disagree with the following statement – The United Nations should remain headquartered in the United States."
Base: All EU adults in five countries and U.S. adults
|
United States |
Great Britain |
France |
Italy |
Spain |
Germany |
|
|
% |
% |
% |
% |
% |
% |
|
|
AGREE (NET) |
61 |
25 |
29 |
40 |
33 |
34 |
|
Strongly agree |
34 |
6 |
3 |
10 |
9 |
10 |
|
Somewhat agree |
26 |
19 |
26 |
30 |
25 |
25 |
|
DISAGREE (NET) |
21 |
42 |
42 |
42 |
49 |
44 |
|
Somewhat disagree |
10 |
28 |
31 |
27 |
25 |
28 |
|
Strongly disagree |
11 |
14 |
11 |
15 |
24 |
16 |
|
Not at all sure |
18 |
32 |
29 |
18 |
17 |
22 |
Note: Percentages may not add up to 100% due to rounding
TABLE 8
ROLE UN SHOULD PLAY IN DIFFERENT AREAS
"How important is it that the United Nations play a role in the following areas?"
Base: All U.S. adults
|
Important (NET) |
Very important |
Somewhat important |
Not Important (NET) |
Not that important |
Not at all important |
Not at all sure |
|
|
% |
% |
% |
% |
% |
% |
% |
|
|
Providing humanitarian aid in times of crisis |
85 |
65 |
20 |
7 |
3 |
4 |
8 |
|
Advocating for and protecting human rights |
84 |
63 |
21 |
9 |
4 |
5 |
7 |
|
Peacekeeping |
83 |
63 |
21 |
8 |
3 |
5 |
8 |
|
Preventing conflicts |
80 |
58 |
22 |
11 |
4 |
6 |
9 |
|
Resolving conflicts |
80 |
56 |
23 |
12 |
6 |
7 |
8 |
|
Reducing poverty |
77 |
49 |
28 |
15 |
8 |
7 |
8 |
|
Confronting climate change |
64 |
36 |
28 |
26 |
13 |
13 |
11 |
Note: Percentages may not add up to 100% due to rounding
TABLE 9
PLACE WHERE UN CAN MAKE THE MOST DIFFERENCE
"Thinking of the same list of areas, which is the one area where the United Nations can make the most difference?"
Base: All U.S. adults
|
|
Total |
Familiar with UN |
Not familiar with UN |
|
% |
% |
% |
|
|
Providing humanitarian aid in times of crisis |
19 |
22 |
15 |
|
Peacekeeping |
18 |
17 |
19 |
|
Advocating for and protecting human rights |
13 |
14 |
10 |
|
Resolving conflicts |
12 |
12 |
11 |
|
Preventing conflicts |
9 |
9 |
9 |
|
Reducing poverty |
6 |
6 |
5 |
|
Confronting climate change |
3 |
3 |
2 |
|
None of these |
7 |
9 |
2 |
|
Not at all sure |
14 |
8 |
26 |
Note: Percentages may not add up to 100% due to rounding
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