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Surveys On
Trading With Poor
Countries
Most Americans perceive that
poor countries do not get a net benefit from international trade, and
support giving poor countries preferential trade treatment. A strong
majority supports lowering trade barriers with poor countries on a
reciprocal basis.
Americans perceive that poor countries are
not getting a net benefit from international trade. Asked in the October
1999 PIPA poll to evaluate international trade for "people in poor
countries" on a scale of 0-10, the mean response was 4.74--meaning that on
average, the negatives of international trade were viewed as outweighing the
benefits for poor countries. Only 32% of respondents said they thought that
trade was more positive than negative for the poor. [1]
Americans show high levels of support for
various ideas for extending the benefits of globalization to poor countries.
An idea currently under discussion at the WTO for giving poor countries
preferential trade treatment received strong support in the PIPA survey,
even when it was suggested it might threaten some American jobs. [2]
Another idea explored in the October 1999
PIPA poll was to transfer trade quotas from wealthier countries to poor
countries. Respondents were introduced to the debate on the issue as
follows:
Some people say that we should give more of
these quotas to poor countries, especially those that presently receive US
foreign aid, because this would help their economies and may even help some
foreign aid recipients get to the point that they will not need aid. Others
argue that this is not a good idea because we may have to take quotas away
from the wealthier countries that presently have them, and this could be
politically sensitive.
Seventy-two percent said they favored the
idea while 21% were opposed. A January 1995 PIPA poll posed the same
question and found 69% support. [3]
Americans also show a readiness to lower trade barriers with poor countries
on a reciprocal basis. A 1998 PIPA poll asked, "As a general rule, if a
country that is poorer than the US says it will lower its barriers to
products from the US if we will lower our barriers to their products, should
the US agree or not agree to do this?" A strong 64% said they would be
willing to lower trade barriers with poor countries on a reciprocal basis.
This is in contrast to the October 1999 PIPA poll that asked the same
question about "low-wage countries." In this case only 50% said they were
willing to do the same with low-wage countries. [4]
Of course poor countries are also generally low-wage, but apparently, when
countries are clearly defined as poor this offsets some of the concerns
about wage competition.
Consistent with this view, there is public
support for opening up trade with African countries. According to a May 1998
Epic-MRA poll, 56% agreed that the US should pass legislation to open up
trade with the African continent, while just 28% opposed it. Interestingly,
this was true even though 40% thought such a deal would mostly benefit
Africa and just 10% of the public thought a trade deal with Africa would
mostly benefit the US. [5]
It seems that Americans think that a failure
to allow trade with poorer countries may increase the demand for foreign
aid. Before the passage of the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA),
a September 1993 NBC/Wall Street Journal poll found that 54% thought it
likely that, if NAFTA was not passed, "we would have to give more foreign
aid and loans to Mexico in order to support their economy," while only 38%
disagreed. [6]
Actual Questions and Sources:
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[1] (Now, on the same
scale, I'm going to ask you to rate how positive or negative
international trade is for certain groups or people. Remember, 0 is
completely negative, 10 is completely positive, and 5 is equally
positive and negative. (How about for…)
People in poor countries |
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Mean |
4.74 |
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Median |
5.00 |
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Don't know / refused |
4.9% |
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Organization: PIPA
Dates: October 1999 |
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[2] Currently there are
efforts to find ways to help the very poorest countries in the world
other than giving them direct aid. One idea being discussed is for the
wealthier countries to allow in more of the products from these very
poor countries. Some say that this would be a good idea because it would
help these poor countries get on their feet, and because their imports
would still be no more than one percent of all imports, it would cost
the wealthy countries very little. Others say that allowing in more
goods from these very poor countries is a bad idea because it might
threaten the jobs of American workers producing the same kinds of
products. Do you think it is a good idea or bad idea to allow in more
products from the very poorest countries? |
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Good idea |
63% |
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Bad idea |
30 |
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Don't Know/Refused
|
7 |
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Organization: PIPA
Date: October 1999 |
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[3] At present, the US
limits the import of goods from countries by giving countries a limited
number of quotas, which give them the right to sell a certain number of
products in the US. At present, most of these quotas go to countries
that are not poor. Some people say that we should give more of these
quotas to poor countries, especially those that presently receive US
foreign aid, because this would help their economies and may even help
some foreign aid recipients get to the point that they will not need
aid. Others argue that this is not a good idea because we may have to
take quotas away from the wealthier countries that presently have them,
and this could be politically sensitive. Do you favor or oppose the idea
of giving poor countries more of such quotas? |
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Favor |
71.5 |
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Oppose |
21.4 |
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Don't Know |
6.5 |
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Refused |
.5 |
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Organization: PIPA
Date: October 1999 |
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Now I would like you to
consider an idea for how the U.S. could better help poor countries, but
in a way that would not cost any additional tax dollars. At present, the
U.S. (United States) limits the import of goods from countries by giving
countries a limited number of quotas, which give them the right to sell
a certain number of products in the U.S. At present, most of these
quotas go to countries that are not poor. Some people say that we should
give more of these quotas to poor countries, especially those that
presently receive U.S. foreign aid, because this would help their
economies and may even help some foreign aid recipients get to the point
that they will not need aid. Others argue that this is not a good idea
because we may have to take quotas from the wealthier countries that
presently have them, and this could be politically sensitive. Do you
favor or oppose the idea of giving poor countries more of such quotas?
|
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Favor |
69% |
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Oppose |
22 |
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Don't know/refused
|
10 |
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Organization: PIPA
Date: JAN 1995 |
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[4] As a general rule,
if a country that is poorer than the US says it will lower its barriers
to products from the US if we will lower our barriers to their products,
should the US agree or not agree to do this? |
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Agree |
64% |
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Not agree |
29 |
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Don't know/refused |
7 |
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Organization: PIPA
Date: April 1998 |
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QUESTION SERIES:
1. In general, if another country is willing to lower its barriers to
products from the US if we will lower our barriers to their products,
should the US agree or not agree to this? |
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Should agree
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64.0 |
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Should not agree
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28.7 |
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Don't Know |
6.5 |
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Refused |
.8 |
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[If "should agree" in
Q1]
2. Here are two statements: Tell me which one you most agree with:
A. The US should lower its barriers even if other countries do not,
because consumers can buy cheaper imports and foreign competition spurs
American companies to be more efficient.
B. The US should only lower its barriers if other countries do, because
that is the only way to pressure them to open their markets.
|
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Statement A |
28.1 |
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Statement B |
69.4 |
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Don't Know |
1.9 |
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Refused |
.6 |
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[If chose Statement B in
Q2]
3. As a general rule, if a country that has LOWER WAGES than the US says
it will lower its barriers to products from the US if we will lower our
barriers to their products, should the US agree or not agree to do this? |
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Agree |
71.2 |
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Not agree |
23.9 |
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Don't Know |
4.3 |
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Refused |
.5 |
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Should lower barriers
unconditionally |
18.0 |
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Lower reciprocally, even
with low wage |
31.6 |
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Lower reciprocally, not
with low wage |
10.6 |
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Should not lower
barriers |
28.7 |
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Don't Know |
9.7 |
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Refused |
1.4 |
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Organization: PIPA
Date: October 1999Refused 1.4
Organization: PIPA
Date: October 1999 |
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[5] Do you think we
should pass Africa trade legislation that would open up our trade with
that continent or not? |
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Yes |
56% |
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No |
28 |
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Don't know |
16 |
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Organization: Penn,
Schoen & Berland Associates / Democratic Leadership Council
Date: AUG 2, 1998 |
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Part of President (Bill)
Clinton's recent trip to Africa was to promote expanded trade and
economic investment in African countries. Which of the following
statements best describes what you feel will be the overall impact of a
closer trade relationship between the United States and African
countries...will only benefit African countries, will only benefit the
United States, it will mostly benefit African countries, it will mostly
benefit the United States, it will benefit all countries equally, or it
will benefit no
country? |
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Only benefit African
countries |
12% |
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Only benefit the United
States |
3 |
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Mostly benefit African
countries |
28 |
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Mostly benefit the
United States |
7 |
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Benefit all countries
equally |
39 |
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Will benefit no country
|
6 |
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Undecided |
5 |
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Organization: Epic-Mra /
Women In International Trade
Date: MAY 1, 1998 |
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[6] Now I would like to
read you some statements that have been made about what may happen if
the North American Free Trade Agreement (with Mexico and Canada) is not
passed. Please tell me whether you agree or disagree with each
statement.)... We would have to give more foreign aid and loans to
Mexico in order to support their economy. |
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Agree |
54% |
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Disagree |
38 |
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Not sure |
8 |
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Organization: Hart And
Teeter Research Companies / NBC News, Wall Street Journal
Date: SEPT 1993 |
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The polling
data comes from a variety of sources and is available at http://www.americans-world.org
We thank PIPA for creating the site and making it available for public use
and we recommend their site at
http://pipa.org
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