# But Why Is the USA So Unpopular In Russia? **URL:** \ **Category:** Great Debates\ **Created:** [March 9, 2016, 6:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/but-why-is-the-usa-so-unpopular-in-russia/748382 "2016-03-09T06:20:20Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![chaika](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chaika/32/405_2.png) [@chaika](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/chaika)\ **Post date:** [March 9, 2016, 2:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/but-why-is-the-usa-so-unpopular-in-russia/748382/21 "2016-03-09T14:29:28Z")
The mainstream media in Russia feeds the country a steady diet of anti-U.S. rhetoric. It is always useful for any country to have a convenient scapegoat, and the U.S. generally serves that purpose in Russia. The specific objections these days mostly relate to the U.S. response to Russia’s annexation of Crimea and the ongoing conflict with Ukraine (but the larger context always has to do with geopolitical power and influence). Economic sanctions have hit hard, despite the constant repetition by Putin et al. that the economy is strong and growing. It’s a clever strategy for Putin’s government to blame the U.S. and Europe for all Russia’s woes, thus deflecting criticism of their own policies. It is absolutely true that anti-Americanism is quite intense in Russia these days. I have personally never seen it at this level. Obama is a frequent target of extreme (often overtly racist) vitriol, but he is merely a symbol of the larger picture. ---
**Author:** ![Smeghead](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/f1d935/32.png) [@Smeghead](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Smeghead)\ **Post date:** [March 9, 2016, 2:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/but-why-is-the-usa-so-unpopular-in-russia/748382/22 "2016-03-09T14:31:18Z")
I’m not an expert by any means, but I did recently watch a BBC documentary in which a political reporter with many years’ experience whose name escapes me traveled all around Russia. According to him, the attitude he encountered in the overwhelming majority of people all over was nostalgia for the good old days of the Soviet Union. People don’t seem terribly concerned about the corruption and infringement of democratic rights that they see all around them. They’d rather see Russia return to its “rightful” place as a world power. FWIW. ---
**Author:** ![Hector\_St\_Clare](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/b5ac83/32.png) [@Hector\_St\_Clare](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hector_St_Clare)\ **Post date:** [March 9, 2016, 2:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/but-why-is-the-usa-so-unpopular-in-russia/748382/23 "2016-03-09T14:38:47Z")
> [@Mijin](#): > > I’d say it’s more specific than that. The Kremlin is insanely good at disseminating their own version of events and getting the russian people to buy it (even when the entire rest of the international community take a different view and seem to have all the empirical data on their side). > > This often includes negative conspiracy theories about the US. We could discuss why they do this, but for the purpose of this thread it’s enough to say that they do, and are very effective in building cynicism towards the US. > > I’d say if anti-americanism is at a high right now, it’s probably due to Syria. The Kermlin needs to describe events such that Russia’s intervention is an unequivocal good. And since their objectives conflict somewhat with America’s that must mean that America must be doing something at least partially evil. > (Before anyone cries out that this is what all governments do: there’s a difference between trying to put events in a positive light in a country with a free press, and Russia happily making up facts and not allowing anyone to say otherwise) Quite a lot of Russians disagree with the Kremlin line on any number of things. The problem (for us) is that when they do, they usually disagree in a nationalist or a communist direction, not in the direction of liberal-democratic capitalism. If Putin were to disappear from the scene tomorrow and Russia was to have a genuinely free election it’s likely they would become less liberal and pro-western, not more. ---
**Author:** ![Mijin](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mijin/32/9369_2.png) [@Mijin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mijin)\ **Post date:** [March 9, 2016, 2:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/but-why-is-the-usa-so-unpopular-in-russia/748382/24 "2016-03-09T14:57:46Z")
I’m not sure I agree with that, but anyway, it seems tangential to what I was saying. I was saying that there is not much of a free press in Russia. What news Russians get on state media often includes scapegoating and conspiracy theories, and you can guess which country is often referenced. ---
**Author:** ![XT](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/xt/32/456_2.png) [@XT](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/XT)\ **Post date:** [March 9, 2016, 4:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/but-why-is-the-usa-so-unpopular-in-russia/748382/25 "2016-03-09T16:21:29Z")
> [@](#): > > But Why Is the USA So Unpopular In Russia? Putin, basically. If I have time I’ll dig up the article and video on this I’ve used before, but if you look at US popularity in Russia, it suddenly collapsed around 2011, going from over 50% approval to in the 30% and then dropping steadily from there. Basically, Putin et al started a concerted anti-US propaganda push. Why? Well, that’s more speculative, but probably because he needs external enemies that the Russian people can identify with, and since they have been primed for half a century or more to see the US as the enemy, it gives Putin an easy scapegoat for all his fuckups. And, of course, there have been real tension points like the Crimea and Syria, as well as NATO allowing in countries that used to be under Russia’s thumb and Russia still feels they have a gods given right to have under their thumb. ---
**Author:** ![XT](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/xt/32/456_2.png) [@XT](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/XT)\ **Post date:** [March 9, 2016, 4:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/but-why-is-the-usa-so-unpopular-in-russia/748382/26 "2016-03-09T16:22:49Z")
> [@Alessan](#): > > On the face of it, that’s an interesting video, but a careful observer can note certain indications that Putin is lying. It’s subtle, but if you watch carefully his lips are moving, which is always a good indication Putin is lying. But you can’t tell up\_the\_junction this…he loves the guy and thinks he’s a hero. Standing up to the bad old USA and all that. ---
**Author:** ![up\_the\_junction](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/f1d935/32.png) [@up\_the\_junction](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/up_the_junction)\ **Post date:** [March 9, 2016, 4:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/but-why-is-the-usa-so-unpopular-in-russia/748382/27 "2016-03-09T16:37:18Z")
> [@Alessan](#): > > On the face of it, that’s an interesting video, but a careful observer can note certain indications that Putin is lying. I would imagine you count yourself among those careful observers, perhaps of both Putin and “them”. How would a careful observer describe the certain indications they noted? ---
**Author:** ![bump](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/7c8e57/32.png) [@bump](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bump)\ **Post date:** [March 9, 2016, 5:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/but-why-is-the-usa-so-unpopular-in-russia/748382/28 "2016-03-09T17:00:13Z")
Seems to me that a lot of it seems to be backlash against what they perceive as anti-Russian policies, and US interference/opposition. The funny thing is, that most of it is really anti-“international asshole behavior” policies, and not enacted or envisioned with a particular axe to grind against Russia or its people. But if you don’t have a terribly free press, it’s hard for that to actually come out very far into the open, and people will tend to believe what they repeatedly hear. So if they hear about how awesome Russia is, and how the US is dicking them around for no reason/because we can, they’re going to grow to disapprove of us, when in fact, we’re penalizing asshole shenanigans like annexing the Crimea, massive interference/intervention in the Ukrainian civil war, and doing their own unilateral bullshit in Syria instead of joining the international coalition. ---
**Author:** ![Sitnam](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/6a8cbe/32.png) [@Sitnam](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sitnam)\ **Post date:** [March 9, 2016, 5:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/but-why-is-the-usa-so-unpopular-in-russia/748382/29 "2016-03-09T17:08:34Z")
Their economy is hurting in part from US led sanctions on their banks all because their government is protecting Russians living under Ukrainian domination. At least that’s how the general public sees it. Putin wouldn’t see so bold if it wasn’t see easy to sell to the public. ---
**Author:** ![Alessan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/alessan/32/465_2.png) [@Alessan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Alessan)\ **Post date:** [March 9, 2016, 5:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/but-why-is-the-usa-so-unpopular-in-russia/748382/30 "2016-03-09T17:28:10Z")
> [@up\_the\_junction](#): > > I would imagine you count yourself among those careful observers, perhaps of both Putin and “them”. How would a careful observer describe the certain indications they noted? XT nailed it. ---
**Author:** ![BrainGlutton](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/82dd89/32.png) [@BrainGlutton](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BrainGlutton)\ **Post date:** [March 9, 2016, 6:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/but-why-is-the-usa-so-unpopular-in-russia/748382/31 "2016-03-09T18:27:36Z")
> [@Alessan](#): > > Nationalism. > > They believe that Russia is destined to be the most powerful country in the world, and America is the one holding them back. It’s pretty simple, really. America has to be their enemies, because otherwise they’d have to take responsibility for their own failings. “There are at the present time two great nations in the world—allude to the Russians and the Americans— All other nations seem to have nearly reached their national limits, and have only to maintain their power; these alone are proceeding—along a path to which no limit can be perceived.” – Alexis de Tocqueville ---
**Author:** ![dougie\_monty](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/439d5e/32.png) [@dougie\_monty](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dougie_monty)\ **Post date:** [March 9, 2016, 6:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/but-why-is-the-usa-so-unpopular-in-russia/748382/32 "2016-03-09T18:35:02Z")
I used to work with a German-born carpenter who was in the German Army in World War II and was a POW in Russia. He told me that the U.S. exploited quite a few countries economically after the war. In other words, from what he said, Russia isn’t the only country the U.S. has done wrong. ---
**Author:** ![QuickSilver](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/quicksilver/32/7832_2.png) [@QuickSilver](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/QuickSilver)\ **Post date:** [March 9, 2016, 7:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/but-why-is-the-usa-so-unpopular-in-russia/748382/33 "2016-03-09T19:10:20Z")
Perhaps it’s not so much about the fact that Russians lacks sufficient appreciation of America, but more about America’s insecurity and need to feel admired by Russia, and the rest of the world. ---
**Author:** ![Velocity](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/velocity/32/18006_2.png) [@Velocity](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Velocity)\ **Post date:** [March 9, 2016, 7:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/but-why-is-the-usa-so-unpopular-in-russia/748382/34 "2016-03-09T19:15:01Z")
Let’s turn this question around: If you were Russian, why would you think positively of America? ---
**Author:** ![XT](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/xt/32/456_2.png) [@XT](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/XT)\ **Post date:** [March 9, 2016, 7:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/but-why-is-the-usa-so-unpopular-in-russia/748382/35 "2016-03-09T19:25:29Z")
> [@Velocity](#): > > Let’s turn this question around: If you were Russian, why would you think positively of America? Why did they [before 2011](http://www.pewglobal.org/2015/06/23/1-americas-global-image/) (see second chart titled Negative Views of US in Russia)? Why did it change so radically after that? [QUOTE=dougie\_monty] I used to work with a German-born carpenter who was in the German Army in World War II and was a POW in Russia. He told me that the U.S. exploited quite a few countries economically after the war. In other words, from what he said, Russia isn’t the only country the U.S. has done wrong. [/QUOTE] Well, obviously. I mean, look at what an economic wasteland West Germany was, and what a utopia East Germany was. Hell, the East Germans practically had to rebuild West Germany from scratch to get them spun up to any sort of economic standard, and are still fighting tooth and nail to get them going decades after the reunification. 😛 [QUOTE=QuickSilver] Perhaps it’s not so much about the fact that Russians lacks sufficient appreciation of America, but more about America’s insecurity and need to feel admired by Russia, and the rest of the world. [/QUOTE] And Russian insecurity has nothing to do with any of this of course. It’s all the US simply wanting to feel loved by the Russian people that is the issue, obviously. ---
**Author:** ![QuickSilver](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/quicksilver/32/7832_2.png) [@QuickSilver](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/QuickSilver)\ **Post date:** [March 9, 2016, 7:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/but-why-is-the-usa-so-unpopular-in-russia/748382/36 "2016-03-09T19:36:56Z")
> [@XT](#): > > And Russian insecurity has nothing to do with any of this of course. It’s all the US simply wanting to feel loved by the Russian people that is the issue, obviously. Russians are famously insecure nationalists. The poll numbers don’t surprise me in the least. I just wonder if Russian pollsters ask these questions about themselves. ---
**Author:** ![bump](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/7c8e57/32.png) [@bump](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bump)\ **Post date:** [March 9, 2016, 7:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/but-why-is-the-usa-so-unpopular-in-russia/748382/37 "2016-03-09T19:38:43Z")
> [@dougie\_monty](#): > > I used to work with a German-born carpenter who was in the German Army in World War II and was a POW in Russia. He told me that the U.S. exploited quite a few countries economically after the war. > In other words, from what he said, Russia isn’t the only country the U.S. has done wrong. Yeah, that Marshall Plan was exploitative for sure. ---
**Author:** ![XT](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/xt/32/456_2.png) [@XT](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/XT)\ **Post date:** [March 9, 2016, 7:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/but-why-is-the-usa-so-unpopular-in-russia/748382/38 "2016-03-09T19:39:25Z")
> [@QuickSilver](#): > > Russians are famously insecure nationalists. The poll numbers don’t surprise me in the least. I just wonder if Russian pollsters ask these questions about themselves. It’s not exactly healthy to ask the wrong sorts of questions in Russia, especially if they negatively reflect on Putin. So, I doubt it. ---
**Author:** ![DrCube](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/a3d4f5/32.png) [@DrCube](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DrCube)\ **Post date:** [March 9, 2016, 7:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/but-why-is-the-usa-so-unpopular-in-russia/748382/39 "2016-03-09T19:50:08Z")
I live here and I’m not very happy with the US. I can totally sympathize. ---
**Author:** ![RickJay](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/bb73d2/32.png) [@RickJay](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RickJay)\ **Post date:** [March 9, 2016, 7:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/but-why-is-the-usa-so-unpopular-in-russia/748382/40 "2016-03-09T19:55:56Z")
> [@bump](#): > > Yeah, that Marshall Plan was exploitative for sure. Doing good things doesn’t make people forget bad things. That isn’t how life works. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/but-why-is-the-usa-so-unpopular-in-russia/748382.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/but-why-is-the-usa-so-unpopular-in-russia/748382.md?page=3)