American Diplomacy

American Diplomacy

Volume I, Number 2, 1996

 

Public Opinion on Human Rights in American Foreign Policy (Part II)—Table 9

Attitudes Toward Human Rights Issues in the Chicago Council of Foreign Relations Surveys of the General Public: 1974-1986:
The Impact of Party [% Agree strongly + Agree somewhat]


It is morally wrong to back military dictatorships that deny basic rights, even if we have military bases in those countries. 1974* 74 75 77 72
The United States may have to support some dictators because they are friendly toward us and opposed to the Communists. 1982 63 72 60 60
We should take a more active role in opposing the policy of apartheid—that is, racial segregation—in South Africa. 1974 34 28 34 36
1978 40 31 43 44
1982 45 37 44 49
Support total or partial economic sanctions on South Africa 1986* 57 55 56 59
How the Soviet Union handles the treatment of Jews or other minority groups is a matter of internal Soviet politics and none of our business. 1974 41 37 42 42
1978 49 54 47 49
The U.S. should put pressure on countries which systematically violate basic human rights. 1974* 68 70 70 67
1978* 67 66 70 70
Differences significant at the .001 level unless indicated otherwise by asterisk [*].