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Iran, Israel and Pakistan – most unpopular countries in the world

Every year, since 2005, the BBC World Service commissions an international poll that ranks the popularity of various countries. It surveys more than 13,000 people across 21 countries. The three most unpopular countries in this survey this year (as they were in last year’s) are Iran, Israel and Pakistan. Iran is universally viewed, it appears, as a demon. Iran seems to have few friends in the world. Israel was negatived viewed by 19 out of the 21 countries polled. It scored a positive result in the US and a divided score in Russia only . The results were recorded prior to the Gaza incursion, the situation would only be worse given the increase in anti-Semite violence around the globe after that conflict. Pakistan also scored very negatively, as it is also on every one’s radar, particularly post the attacks in Mumbai in November 2008.

What is interesting is that these three are all, to one degree or another, democracies. So the democratic process, as a measure of popularity, is subservient, it appears, to the domestic and foreign policy of the countries involved. Two are Muslim, two are in the Middle East, all are immersed, to some extent, in militaristic campaigns, and the three as a result are almost universally disliked. Others not performing well in the survey include China, Russia and North Korea. Some of these are naturally viewed with suspicion by others around the world. All are militarily strong. Is it the threat factor that motivates those polled to rank these countries so poorly?

In terms of the movers and shakers on the list, the US still has a negative standing, but has improved moderately since Obama’s victory. However, at a macro level almost twice as many countries still disapprove of the US than approve, though its standing among European countries remain mainly unchanged. Russia has slid markedly in terms of world approval seemingly in correlation to its more aggressive foreign policies in the last 12 months. The Europeans in fact lead the pack in terms of their approval rating with Germany heading the list, and the UK marked as improved with a 7 point lift in its rating.

So what conclusions can one draw from the poll findings? The survey tends to reflect global suspicions of the agendas of the unpopular sovereign states. The findings are relatively consistent across surveyed countries – a demonized country is viewed as such relatively consistently across the world. The results should be reviewed soberly by the countries called for improvement. The people appeared to care less about the type of government but more about its policy set. Of the bottom 6 countries, 4 are nominally democratic forms of governance. It also appears that international implications rather than regional concerns were the prinmary drivers of the results, although the growing disapproval raking for Russia is to a degree a reaction to European regional tensions. It appears, when it comes to foreign policy, the world does watch and listen, so maybe there is a hope for us all yet.