Customer Reviews

Hating America: A History

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It was the humorist Art Buchwald who captured, in 1957, the American predicament; following a survey on what made people dislike America, he concluded: "If Americans would stop spending money, talking loudly in public places, telling the British who won the war, adopt a pro-colonial policy, back future British expeditions to Suez, stop taking oil out of the Middle East, stop chewing gum, ... move their bases out of England, settle the desegregation problem in the South ... put the American woman in her proper place, and not export Rock n' Roll, and speak correct English, the tension between the two countries might ease."

Barry Rubin and Judith Colp Rubin have written an excellent book on what appears to be a timeless obsession -- hating America. What emerges most strongly from their narrative is not only how constant the hatred for America has been, but rather how adaptive -- tailored on an America that was emerging and marginal, to growing and influential, to powerful and omnipresent. This mutating anti-Americanism, always new and always old, has been passed down from the birth of the republic to the present day.

The early forms of anti-Americanism, the Rubins write, revolved around the European belief that the North American habitat was unwelcoming to civilization, producing inferior animals and inferior humans. While this took time to recede, the anti-American tide soon took issue with American manners, intellect, and social organization. Only in the twentieth century can there be a trace of hating America for what it does, rather than what it is; and even then, it is never fully convincing.

The themes that emerge most strongly from the book is how Europeans we born with a fear of America -- a fear that its democratic politics would infest their continent, a fear that its dynamic society would pose an alternative to their own, a fear that their people who be magnetized to the American sociopolitical and economic model at the expense of the European one.

If fear is one word that comes to mind when reading this book, impossibility is another -- the impossibility of Americans being loved. Much of the anti-American sentiment in France and the Soviet Union was hardly affected by America's assistance to those countries in World War II. America has been dubbed as infidel and fundamentalist, isolationist and omnipotent, naïvely optimistic and crudely calculating. Time and again, America has been charged with things it did not do or for things that others were more guilty of. Why has there been no enduring anti-Britishism, anti-Frenchism, anti-Russianism, or anti-Germanism?

The answer to this question lies as much with the nature of the American experiment and the character of its society as with anything America does in the world. What people dislike about America is what is good about it, rather than what is bad: its optimism, dynamism, practicality, diversity, tolerance. If this is so, then the American hopes for reversing this age-old obsession seem futile. For however the intensity of anti-Americanism in some places varies with American actions, its underlying appeal is timeless -- the product of political forces who fear America, what it stands for, and what it might mean for them.

Americans want to be loved. We know that we are nice people, and we are puzzled when we watch TV and see obvious evidence that there are people out there that don't like us. Until this book came along, what I had not recognized was how long this had been going on (1600's). Nor had I realized how much official Government policy in many countries, often as an excuse to cover up their own problems, is anti-American.

Much of the book covers the religious aspects. In Europe America is seen as a conservative religious fanatical society. In the Islamic countries as a heathen Great Satan out to wipe out Islam. It kind of makes you wonder just why so many people seem to be willing to go to almost any extreme to come to the United States.

This is a very thought provoking book, well resourced, well documented.

The preface states, "This book in no way seeks to suggest that all criticism of America constitutes anti-Americanism or is invalid." It then defines the content as being restricted to
anti-American views of non-Americans who may have a justifiable opposition to US actions, but that these differences of opinion are not the root cause for prejudice against America.

The early chapters were entertaining and the explaination given that the US was a threat to the established order of other countries is certainly accurate. To keep repeating the same theme, fear and jealousy of the US, in each chapter caused me to loose my enthusiasm.

As the book entered our modern times, I felt that the authors should have discussed in more detail how US policies brought about anti-Americanism rather than continuing to use the above mentioned fear/jealousy rationale.

I anticipated a read that would help me better understand the world's attitude of us which in a small way it did. I was disappointed that we are portrayed more as victims of propaganda, a continually misunderstood nation that bears no responsiblity for its image.

This powerful book characterizes hatred of America. We see some of the aspects of this hatred, including finding fault with America no matter what it does. To many anti-Americans, if we do something, we're meddlesome. If we don't, we are shirking our duty. Either way, we're arrogant, aloof, ignorant, fanatical, power-crazed, and so on.

But there is more to it than the blame that gets attributed to a caricature of the United States. There have to some reasons for anti-Americanism that have to do with America, and not with its detractors. And there are.

As we see in this book, those who defend America are often accused of praising America even when it is wrong, and acting as if we are always right. But are our specific policies and our presumed confidence in them really the reasons why those who hate America dislike us? The Rubins make a good case for there being a different primary cause.

We draw the ire of many anti-Americans simply for being ourselves and doing well. And while we Americans often criticize ourselves when we make mistakes, we do so far less frequently when we do things well. That is why we can appear to others to act as if we are right all the time: when they dislike what we do, it is often because we know we're doing something positive. As the Rubins say, quoting Bernard-Henri Levy, "...Anti-American sentiment we see today, not only in Europe but in the world at large, hates not what is bad in America but what is good ... what they hate is democracy. They hate sexual freedom and the rights of women. They hate tolerance. They hate the separation of religion and state. They hate modernity."

Obviously, one could argue that these attributes of America are not always totally positive. But they are an important constituent of a very successful society. And the Rubins point out the attraction to others, both of such a society and of the success of that society.

Some reviewers feel that anti-Americanism has to have more to do with American policies. But I feel the Rubins have made a very good case for this not being the main problem. Obviously, one can unthinkingly claim that America is always right. But our society is more than willing to look at itself. Those who always admit to American misdeeds, even when we are falsely accused, are, in my opinion, no better than those who never admit to being wrong.

I think the authors have made some excellent points, and I like the material about anti-Americanism from earlier times.

I recommend this book.

I have lived in the US, I have studied there with a Fulbright Scholarship and I wish my children to study there. When I picked up the book it was therefore because I was looking for answers. Yes, I also perceive anti-Americanism in Europe and I was wondering where it may come from. Especially I have always been intrigued by how otherwise intelligent people could ever compare the atrocities of for example the Soviets with what the US did.
The book starts with a rather tedious review of anti-American sentiment in the 18th and 19th century. Sources are mostly long-forgotten writers and politicians. If anti-Americanism was the mainstream of European sentiment, why are there no more mainstream authors quoted? The positive comments on America are not put into the right perspective, e.g. Goethe is quoted with a pro-American sentiment as 'the popular German author' which negelects the fact that he is considered by most to be the pre-eminent German writer of all times. Karl May, an extremely popular writer of novels about America and possibly to most printed German author, who left a deep and lasting imprint on millions of German children, is totally left out of the picture.
The book also covers in depth anti-American feelings in South America, the former East Block and the Middle East. Yet especially government - instigated anti American feelings are not a very worthwhile topic. After all, repressive regimes have always needed external enemies on which to blame their own shortcomings. In China this is not only the US but also Japan, in Argentina it was the UK etc.
When moving to more recent history, other questionable quotes and assertions are made: For example it is mentioned that 85% of French have an unfavourable view of G.W. Bush, while 93% have an unfavourable view of Bin Ladin. This is highlighted to underline European anti-American feelings. How can these dastardly Europeans hold Bush in similar contempt as bin Ladin? Yet if I perceive myself being asked if I hold a favourable view of Bin Laden, I would probably answer with a 'no', the sames as I would answer if asked the same question about Mr. Bush. This does not imply at all that both are remotely comparable, it only says that i do not like either of them.
Anti American statements are quoted in great length without naming authors or source. The German Chancellor Schroeder is mentioned as gaining re-election on an anti-American platform, though actually his was an anti-Iraq war platform, quite a distinction.
Therefore the book fails, as it does not address the question why sane and intelligent people could remotely compare the USSR with the US (for example). The key reason usually given (in the case of Europe) that the European intellectuals are afraid of the American model, as in the US the intellectuals influence is less than in Europe. Yet is it believable that European intellectuals would consciously say that the American model challenges their pre-eminence and therefore needs to be discredited? Can all and everything be explained by jealousy, as the authors do, chapter after tedious chapter?
Curiously the authors neglect to consider two facts:
Firstly, maybe the aversion to the US can simply be explained by size. After all, the 500 pound Gorilla is bound to bruise some minor monkeys when it moves. The Gorilla might see this as an inevitable result of his existence, the minor monkeys will certainly take affront and see it as a personal insult. Thus the US cannot escape, due its very existence, attracting animosity. By quoting so many minor intellectuals and politicians the authors betray a prickliness unbecoming the worlds superpower. If one is Gulliver, one should not complain about each and every Lillipudlians pinprick.
Secondly the authors dismiss to easily the impact the Bush administration had. Why did the wave of sympathy after 9/11 subside so rapidly? The authors themselves quote several surveys showing the drop in approval of the US in Europe between 1993 and 2003. One cannot compare Guantanamo to the Gulag or Auschwitz, as the book rightly claims. But - the US should also be judged against a higher standard than Hitler or the USSR.
Thus the book comes to a far too easy conclusion, the picture of a perpetually victimized nation. While some of this may be true, some is also due to specific policies, a topic left unexplored.

This illuminating book investigates the history and nature of anti-Americanism in a scholarly but entertaining manner. It proves wrong both the argument that the policies of the USA provoke hatred and the one that claims envy of liberty and democracy as the root cause. Anti-Americanism in fact preceded the founding of the USA.

The concept is defined as containing some or all of the following: blaming the USA for all the evils of the world, huge exaggeration of the imperfections in and a false depiction of American society and distortions about US policy. These are accompanied by an irrational hatred and wild contradictions in their articulation.

Different chapters examine various historical stages of anti-Americanism, while others look at this phenomenon in specific regions like the Middle East and Latin America. A chapter is devoted to those types that are promoted by oppressive collectivist ideologies like communism and fascism.

The book provides evidence of the weird negative perceptions of the USA held by many famous European artists and intellectuals down the ages, including, Hegel, Kant, Sigmund Freud, George Bernard Shaw, French scientist the Comte de Buffon, French philosopher Voltaire and French politician Talleyrand.

At first, these European intellectuals considered the natural environment of the new world as inferior. Later they found fault with the people who were classless and had no reverence for aristocracy. The 3rd phase started when America became a powerful player on the world stage.

In the 20th century, new varieties were propagated by the totalitarian regimes of Europe. While the Cold War lasted, the phenomenon was somewhat subdued in Western Europe because of the Soviet threat, but it returned with a vengeance after the collapse of the evil empire.

The main proponents of anti-Americanism are intellectuals who see American culture as undermining their own influence or posing a challenge to their own societies. They are successful in spreading this propaganda because of their preponderance in academia and the media.

It is no coincidence that France, with its deeply entrenched anti-Semitism, also has the most prominent history of anti-Americanism. These evil notions go hand in hand as the authors point out. In essence, they are manifestations of hatred for Judeo-Christian civilization.

Other informative books on this subject include Anti-Americanism by Jean Francois Revel, Understanding Anti-Americanism by Paul Hollander, The Anti-Chomsky Reader by David Horowitz and Peter Collier, Hating America by John Gibson, Sinisterism by Bruce Walker and Unholy Alliance: Radical Islam and the American Left by David Horowitz.

And I suggest anyone reading this take it with a grain of salt.
The opening disclaimer of what is and is not "anti-americanism" is nice, but definitions coming from Israelis does raise the hairs on the back on my neck since there has been such a concerted effort by some Israelis to seperate American from American. Not to mention the effort to seperate America from every one in the world except...guess who?...Israel.
I gave it two stars from being not totally overt in the popular gimmick of .."everyone hates you and even some Americans hate America but...drum role...it's not because of what you do, it's because your rich and free.

If you like your propaganda served straight up, bypass this book...on the other hand if you like served with umbrellas and a cherry on top this is for you.