Recent issue of The Economist (March 29) presents a very interesting picture of mutual British-American relations, as well as the attitudes of both nations. Apparently, the Atlantic Ocean is much more than the ancient Mare Interior, despite announcements of George W. Bush or Gordon Brown, about shared values.
British society is far more liberal than the cousins. In some cases even Tories are further to the left than Dems. Particularly spectacular differences refer to the issue of religion - that 80% of Yankees believe in God I knew, but that 60% of them take the existence of hell for granted surprised me, and that 40% explain the life on Earth by the Genesis left me in utter astonishment. 40% of Yankees consider homosexuality as a sin, and 35% regard a sinful behaviour also premarital sex... Europeans' views, obviously, could hardly be more different.
Conditions for military action do not divide Anglosaxons, fair enough, with the exception of the orthodox GOP supporters, keen to use army to solve diplomatic stalemates. Britannia does not rule the seas any longer and Brits are aware of that. On the other hand, Americans are more likely to "bomb, bomb, bomb Iran" to prevent the mullahs from building weapons of mass destruction. 74% of Yankees is convinced that in certain terms waging a war is legitimate to secure justice and order of law. Europeans are traditionally against that attitude - the Munich Agreement (1938) is the best example.
Yankees believe also that globalization has a destructive impact on national economy - obviously, it is difficult to convince otherwise "ordinary people", who are afraid of offshoring. It is similar in Europe, however Britons, leaving in much more open society, are more aware of globalization results.
A typical Yankee - that is not an inhabitant of any metropolis on either coast - is still a conservative, religious nationalist, ready to fight for his property with a gun. The old Polish diaspora is not any different. It is not surprising that president Lech Kaczyński feels like at long-gone home in America.
Original text posted at April 9 at polarwombat.wordpress.com. More in The Economist (Anglo-Saxon attitudes).
