Similarities and Differences Between American and European Values

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Similarities and Differences between American and European Values Kat L SOC 315 Professor Norsworthy November 22, 2013 Similarities and Differences between American and European Values Although the demographics of the United States (U.S.) are extremely diverse and ever- changing, approximately eighty-percent of American citizens are of European descent. So this means that we as Americans have the same values as our European counterparts, right? Not necessarily. This paper will examine the similarities of our U.S. values and beliefs, as well as explore the differences that make us unique. The U.S. is considered a “superpower” to other nations and its military forces are often involved in peacekeeping and humanitarian missions. In an article entitled The Globalization of Politics: American Foreign Policy for a New Century, authors Lindsay and Daalder observe that “[a] growing perception that Washington cares only about its own interests and is willing to use its muscle to get its way has fueled a worrisome gap between U.S. and European attitudes. European elites increasingly criticize the United States as being morally, socially, and culturally retrograde— especially in its perceived embrace of the death penalty, predatory capitalism, and fast food and mass entertainment.” (2003). Despite the European elites’ opinion of U.S. military involvement in global issues, the general attitude regarding their use of force for the betterment of other societies is not that far behind the U.S. acceptance rate of seventy-five-percent. According to the Pew Research Global Attitudes Project (2012), seventy-percent of Brits condone the use of military force to maintain order in other countries. A little over half the citizens in both France and Spain agree that military intervention is sometimes needed to maintain order. Germany had the lowest acceptance rate of

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