Greatest country in the world

[politicus]

(Americans only)

American politicians and Conservative pundits often refer to the US as "the greatest country in the world". Do you agree with this statement? If you agree, what does "the greatest country" mean to you? Most powerfull, best place to live in, highest level of civilization (science, technology, culture etc.) or something else.

[Kuu ülevaade olulisematest]

There's no way that the answer could be yes unless one is referring to power alone.

[Pacific Councillor Big Wiggly Style]

I guess yes...

[fezzyfestoon]

I disagree with the question. And the focus put on this topic. Our preoccupation with it has led to so many of the reasons why America cannot be considered the best...if there was even a way to measure that.

[clarence]

Yes I do- and here I go firing a spitball when I am staring into the working end of a howitzer

I do not believe the USA is perfect- we have made many, many, many mistakes. But we have made most of these mistakes honestly in the pursuit of noble goals- and yes I consider our national security and national interests a noble goal. What I believe sets the USA apart from the British Empire (of the past- not in the past 70 yars or so) and the Romans and others throughout history who have had the greatest amount of power in the world is that we have used our power for good as opposed increasing our own power...

I believe no other nation on Earth has ever given up more of its money, sweat, or blood for the freedom of complete strangers... people call us the world's policeman and I agree that we should scale down our involvement in some conflicts that do not affect us directly- but that label shows that we have used our status as a superpower to fight injustice in the world where we see it...we haven't always been right but our intentions have been pure.

Even before we were a supoerpower, the idea of our nation has been more pure then any other in history-

"Give me your tired, your poor,
Your huddled masses yearning to breathe free,
The wretched refuse of your teeming shore.
Send these, the homeless, tempest-tost to me,
I lift my lamp beside the golden door!"

We chose to put those words on a monument to our freedom that greeted so many coming to us for that very reason... we chose those words over a glorification of ourselves or our leaders or rulers. Sure the founders were slaveowners and Lincoln nowadays would be considered a racist- but our country has always moved in the direction of equality and openness...

[I'm JewCon in name only.]

Yessir

[Kuu ülevaade olulisematest]

Yes, I'm sure the Chileans were very happy to see their freedom preserved thanks to the altruism of the United States.

[clarence]

Yes, I'm sure the Chileans were very happy to see their freedom preserved thanks to the altruism of the United States.

It is amazing to me that people like you will ignore every bit of language I put into my post... "we have made many, many, many mistakes" or "we haven't always been right"

If you were more intent on having a legitimate discussion as opposed to being a smartass we would get somewhere...

[Frodo]

Always has been and always will be the United States -the last, best hope of mankind.  Sounds like a cliche, but I believe every word of it. 

[Torie]

It depends on the weights one gives varies factors, and therefore is highly personal and subjective.  I shy away from making such claims myself. It just smacks of hubris. It is better to walk a bit more humbly before your God - even if you are an atheist.

[PASOK Leader Hashemite]

I'm not a conservative (obviously) but there is no such thing as the "greatest country in the world" unless you're a rah rah rah nationalist.

[Lіef]

Not by any objective measure, no.

[Boris]

Denmark is better

[Redalgo]

I do not consider the United States exceptional, yet the question being asked is so complex and values-sensitive that no completely objective conclusion can be reached. I feel every country is either great or has latent potential to become great depending on the metrics used and how they are weighted. Despite the many inequalities between countries, I make a sincere effort to respect, discover things to admire about, and try to take note of other things to criticize regarding them all.

[Gustaf]

I don't think it's the best country to live in right now, nor the one with the best system of government or policies. But overall in a historical context? Yes. And my definition of greatest is simply largest positive impact on the world.

For the record, I'd grant that cases could be made for other places as well but I think the US is a decent pick. 

[Pacific Councillor Big Wiggly Style]

Denmark Finland is better

FTFY

[greenforest32]

Definitely not.

[TheDeadFlagBlues]

I've always found these types of questions to be useless because of how different people with different ideologies interpret them but I'd say that there is a good case for America being the greatest country in the world. There's also a good case for India or China being the "greatest" country in the world.

[Governor Scott]

Yes I do- and here I go firing a spitball when I am staring into the working end of a howitzer

I do not believe the USA is perfect- we have made many, many, many mistakes. But we have made most of these mistakes honestly in the pursuit of noble goals- and yes I consider our national security and national interests a noble goal. What I believe sets the USA apart from the British Empire (of the past- not in the past 70 yars or so) and the Romans and others throughout history who have had the greatest amount of power in the world is that we have used our power for good as opposed increasing our own power...

I believe no other nation on Earth has ever given up more of its money, sweat, or blood for the freedom of complete strangers... people call us the world's policeman and I agree that we should scale down our involvement in some conflicts that do not affect us directly- but that label shows that we have used our status as a superpower to fight injustice in the world where we see it...we haven't always been right but our intentions have been pure.

Even before we were a supoerpower, the idea of our nation has been more pure then any other in history-

"Give me your tired, your poor,
Your huddled masses yearning to breathe free,
The wretched refuse of your teeming shore.
Send these, the homeless, tempest-tost to me,
I lift my lamp beside the golden door!"

We chose to put those words on a monument to our freedom that greeted so many coming to us for that very reason... we chose those words over a glorification of ourselves or our leaders or rulers. Sure the founders were slaveowners and Lincoln nowadays would be considered a racist- but our country has always moved in the direction of equality and openness...

This.

[dead0man]

No.  We've done a lot of things.  A lot of good things, a lot of great things...and we've done a lot of bad things and a lot of horrible things.  I don't think there is an answer to the "greatest country ever" question, but the odds would be against it being the US.

[ChairmanSanchez]

Yes I do- and here I go firing a spitball when I am staring into the working end of a howitzer

I do not believe the USA is perfect- we have made many, many, many mistakes. But we have made most of these mistakes honestly in the pursuit of noble goals- and yes I consider our national security and national interests a noble goal. What I believe sets the USA apart from the British Empire (of the past- not in the past 70 yars or so) and the Romans and others throughout history who have had the greatest amount of power in the world is that we have used our power for good as opposed increasing our own power...

I believe no other nation on Earth has ever given up more of its money, sweat, or blood for the freedom of complete strangers... people call us the world's policeman and I agree that we should scale down our involvement in some conflicts that do not affect us directly- but that label shows that we have used our status as a superpower to fight injustice in the world where we see it...we haven't always been right but our intentions have been pure.

Even before we were a supoerpower, the idea of our nation has been more pure then any other in history-

"Give me your tired, your poor,
Your huddled masses yearning to breathe free,
The wretched refuse of your teeming shore.
Send these, the homeless, tempest-tost to me,
I lift my lamp beside the golden door!"

We chose to put those words on a monument to our freedom that greeted so many coming to us for that very reason... we chose those words over a glorification of ourselves or our leaders or rulers. Sure the founders were slaveowners and Lincoln nowadays would be considered a racist- but our country has always moved in the direction of equality and openness...

This.

[Northeast Representative Goldwater]

Yes I do- and here I go firing a spitball when I am staring into the working end of a howitzer

I do not believe the USA is perfect- we have made many, many, many mistakes. But we have made most of these mistakes honestly in the pursuit of noble goals- and yes I consider our national security and national interests a noble goal. What I believe sets the USA apart from the British Empire (of the past- not in the past 70 yars or so) and the Romans and others throughout history who have had the greatest amount of power in the world is that we have used our power for good as opposed increasing our own power...

I believe no other nation on Earth has ever given up more of its money, sweat, or blood for the freedom of complete strangers... people call us the world's policeman and I agree that we should scale down our involvement in some conflicts that do not affect us directly- but that label shows that we have used our status as a superpower to fight injustice in the world where we see it...we haven't always been right but our intentions have been pure.

Even before we were a supoerpower, the idea of our nation has been more pure then any other in history-

"Give me your tired, your poor,
Your huddled masses yearning to breathe free,
The wretched refuse of your teeming shore.
Send these, the homeless, tempest-tost to me,
I lift my lamp beside the golden door!"

We chose to put those words on a monument to our freedom that greeted so many coming to us for that very reason... we chose those words over a glorification of ourselves or our leaders or rulers. Sure the founders were slaveowners and Lincoln nowadays would be considered a racist- but our country has always moved in the direction of equality and openness...

This.

[Hatman]

To those who think the US is the greatest country in the world, please indicate why your country is better than the following countries:

A) Canada
B) UK
C) France
D) Denmark
E) Norway
F) The Netherlands
G) Australia
H) New Zealand

Thank you.

[clarence]

To those who think the US is the greatest country in the world, please indicate why your country is better than the following countries:

A) Canada
B) UK
C) France
D) Denmark
E) Norway
F) The Netherlands
G) Australia
H) New Zealand

Thank you.

More of a role in the past century to advance freedom...

I think all these countries are great countries- including your nation of Canada which I have great respect and admiration for and have visited many times

[dead0man]

To those who think the US is the greatest country in the world, please indicate why your country is better than the following countries:

A) Canada
B) UK
C) France
D) Denmark
E) Norway
F) The Netherlands
G) Australia
H) New Zealand

Thank you.

I'm NOT saying we are better than them, but here is two things...checked the Soviets (admittedly with the help of the above) and put a bunch of men on the moon, got them back again.