Is there a lot of anti-Americanism in the U.K.?

Question

Do the Brits typically dislike Americans in general or just everything Bush and the government have done post-9/11?

What is it about Americans that people hate so much? the politics and government or Americans altogether?

Answer 1

Thank god most Americans are like me and could care less if the Brits hate us or not. Doesn't effect me one way or another.

Answer 2

I don't dislike Americans.

I dislike the "We're the greatest country on God's Earth, we saved your azzez in World War II blah de blah" tripe that some of them spout.

I think Bush is a dangerous psychopath.

And I also hate the way some of them are so insular. An American penpal I had as a teenager didn't even know what a £ sign was! She assumed we used "dollars" like "everyone else does"!! I live in Wales and she used to address her letters to me "Wales, England" lol! Its shocking that some of them are so ignorant. And she was supposedly a well educated girl who'd gone to a private school.

But most Americans are alright.

Answer 3

It’s a world thing not just in the UK. When you're the biggest "player" you get the most attention and criticism whether it is deserved or not. Two examples I have seen in the UK is England getting more flak than is really deserved as the biggest and most populated nation in the UK (where the Celtic countries have proportionally more power and many Scots run many English affairs) another is when I worked for what was the largest UK insurance company at the time press misgivings about any industry misdemeanours was directed at my employers whether they were the perpetrators or not.
To be honest I believe a more favourable image of American is held in Britain than some other European countries and any misgivings held would be matched by more positive opinions on your country.
What doesn’t go down well to the European viewer is the perception of America being rather insular, but there are also many parochial people this side of the Atlantic too. Another view is that in the UK very left and right wing groups are rather muted. As much as we would find the left wing nature of some continental countries intolerable we are equally uncomfortable with how right-wing some Americans seem to be and the fact that American has a disproportionate amount of underprivileged people to its wealth and no national healthcare as is seen in Canada the UK and elsewhere (bizarrely the system means is more spent in tax dollars per head on healthcare than in other countries and people pay on top for their health insurance).
On the international side of things American may have made mistakes (as did Britain when it tried to be the world's policeman), but thank god someone is out there powerful enough to defend democratic ideals.
Every country has it good points as well as bad points and what I like about American apart from its natural beauty is the friendliness of the people, their enthusiasm, lack of cynicism and a get up and go dating from the pioneers that has allowed your country to thrive. There is a lot in American life I wish I could take back to the UK. Every time I go there (apart from the miserable and humourless immigration officials at JFK airport) I enjoy it thoroughly and have made many wonderful friends there over the years.

Answer 4

I am an American and I wish I lived in England. It just seems so much better than here... I can't stand the people here. I love the British culture. Most Americans throw their rights in your face and believe that is an excuse to be ignorant and say things that need not be said and do thing that need not be done... that is why we are amongst the most hated.

Answer 5

I think Blairs unconditional backing of Bush and the deeply unpopular Iraq war has generated a lot of this.
A problem with American people is they know just about everything and have to be superior about everything and take the attitude of a philistine to the rest of the world.

Answer 6

the British people dont hate America. we have a few loud mouthed morons who talk sh*t. but then so do you. the truth is. British people knew Blair was lying about the reasons for the war with Iraq and didnt want any part of it. we are still angry about the lies and deception of the Blair government and see the labour party as traitors to the British people. most of us think the lot of them should be charged with treason. we are inundated with violent hate fueled Muslims 'thanks to the war' and were all watching our country get ripped apart by immigrants who dont give a sh*t about what damage they do. all this disaster started with the election of the labour party.( the biggest mistake the British people ever made) Blair siding with Bush in this war. but signing our right of controle over to the EU resulted in us being flooded with Muslims here. some people lump America into the Blair dissaster. i suppose you can well understand the anger of the British people. the labour party has virtualy destroyed our country. theres no way that Britain will be recognisable after labour have finished.

Answer 7

I'm American and spend tons of time in London and am terribly embarrassed by the American tourists. They are for the most part rude and pushy although the is getting better as the dollar becomes weaker against the pound. It stops a lot of the really embarrassing uneducated ones and their waist /fanny packs as they can't afford England.

As a part time resident all the Brits who I know are wonderful people and have nothing against Americans. They are not fond of our government but neither am I.

Answer 8

I don't think there's hatred of your race.It's more the tourists with their loud bragging that people here assume you're all like that when I know they're not.It's the same as when the British go abroad and how they come across and act when tourists.When I lived on the continent the expats were embarressed how they acted abroad and wanted nothing to do with them,I can see why the British are hated everywhere. It's the same senario.

Answer 9

Perhaps there are a few stupid people who say they hate the Americans, but on the whole I doubt it.
I personally think that Bush along with Blair and now Brown should clean up their own countries and make life a bit more bearable for their own people before they go in and take over other countries.

Answer 10

Lots of anti US sentiment in the UK at the moment. Mainly because of Bush.

Hes viewed by the country as a bumbling buffoon, who panders to the oil and automotive industries while the world chokes in US smog. Pulling out of Kyoto a few years ago was a mistake and made you guys appear very arrogant to the concerns of the rest of the world.

Other reasons:

I personally agree with the Iraq war, but there is a very vocal anti-war crowd in the UK who don't, and seek to discredit Bush and the US at every turn. They think they're in the majority and represent the views of the country, and so you hear them bleating a lot more than everyone else.

Theres also a huge amount of support for the Palestinians and their bomb wrapped children, who are painted as little innocent cherubs by the liberal left in this country. The US of course supports those evil baby eating Israelis.

Oh and finally (there are other reasons but I cant be ar5ed to list them) - you sold us a lot of dodgy subprime mortgage stuff, and in many cases its just blatant fraud. Now your judges are protecting the interests of American home owners rather than the foreign banks who bought the investments in good faith. Pretty sh1tty deal for Mr Foreigner.

Personally - I like the US. Were in this together, and it makes me very angry when I see people in this country never ever giving you the benefit of the doubt, while happily seeing the good in terrorist states and cultures, and 'understanding' the people who are blowing our tubes and airports up. Its crazy.

Answer 11

Not all British people hate the Yanks.
I hate the Yanks for using the word Brit.
Stop using Brit and I`ll stop using Yank and Redneck.