Have Americans given up on America?

Global-power experts have predicted the rise of China for some time, but Americans already seem to think China’s eclipsed the U.S. According to a new Pew survey, 44 percent of Americans consider China the world's No. 1 economic power, while only 27 percent say so of America. (Just last year, the respective rankings were reversed.) Has America given up on being No. 1?

China has stolen our mojo: Can-do Americans used to be “famous for their energy and workaholism,” says David Brooks in The New York Times, but now the “astonishingly optimistic” Chinese are the ones who “salivate for the future." According to the poll, 86 percent of Americans see China heading in the right direction; less than half of respondents feel the same way about the U.S.

“The nation of futurity”

The Week

Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.

SUBSCRIBE & SAVE

Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters

Join more than 350,000 subscribers and keep yourself informed with a selection of The Week’s most interesting, enlightening and entertaining stories - plus daily puzzles.

Join more than 350,000 subscribers and keep yourself informed with a selection of The Week’s most interesting, enlightening and entertaining stories - plus daily puzzles.

Sign up

America is afraid: Viewing China as No. 1 economically is unprecedented, says Emily Badger at Miller-McCune. And a 53 percent majority of Americans view China’s emerging power as a “major threat” to the U.S. That doesn’t mean we want to deal with it, though—a record 49 percent said the U.S. “should mind its own business” internationally.

“A nation of ostriches and peacocks”

At least we still have military dominance: Though 41 percent say the U.S. plays a less important role on the world stage than a decade ago, says Bruce Drake in Politics Daily, we’re not feeling weak. A strong 63 percent still pick the U.S. as the world’s leading military power.

“As U.S. expands role overseas, survey finds isolationism on the rise”