“New data from the Harvard Youth Poll shows the vast majority of young people have little interest in increasing America’s role in ‘global politics’, and instead prioritize a slate of domestic issues.”
The latest Harvard Youth Poll has some sobering numbers for neoconservatives who have used an American exceptionalism argument to justify costly and deadly U.S. military involvement abroad for decades. In the wake of the deeply unsatisfying end to the 20-year U.S. occupation of Afghanistan, increasing numbers of Americans on both sides of the political aisle are rejecting the neocon argument and demanding America First non-interventionist foreign policy.
New data from the Harvard Youth Poll shows the vast majority of young people have little interest in increasing America’s role in ‘global politics’, and instead prioritize a slate of domestic issues.
The poll, released December 1st, found only 20% of eighteen to twenty-nine year-olds say “improving America’s standing on the international stage” is one of their top three issues for a successful presidency. Even among young Republicans, “improving America’s standing on the international stage” is only in the top three issues to one-third of them, and it is the number one priority to just 4%.
Instead, domestic issues like, “strengthening the economy”, “bringing the country together”, and “improving healthcare” are much more important issues to young people.
Below is the percent of young people who selected the given responses in their criteria for a successful presidency from the Harvard Youth Poll.
As shown below, “improving America’s standing on the international stage” is more of a priority for young Republicans than it is for young Independents or young Democrats. However, even among young Republicans who have more sympathy for a globalist argument, “improving America’s standing on the international stage” is only in the top three issues for one-third and is only the number one priority for 4% of young Republicans.
“Improving America’s standing on the international stage is only the number one priority for 4% of young Republicans.”
When asked if the United States should “be the leader of the free world” a tenet which has been used to justify countless costly foreign interventions, a large partisan divide emerges again.
While about half of young Democrats (49%) and 41% of young Independents embrace this core tenet of globalist ideology, 72% of young Republicans believe the U.S. should “be the leader of the free world.”
However, it is important to distinguish between leadership defined as setting a positive example for the rest of the world, and spending American taxpayer dollars on foreign aid and foreign military intervention to the tune of billions of dollars a year.
Market Research Foundation’s comprehensive study on Generation Z (young people born after the mid-1990’s who are in their teens and early twenties), found substantial support for cutting foreign aid and limiting foreign intervention among young Republicans, Independents, and Democrats.
Our research shows Gen Z favors an inward-focused approach to public policy that puts the needs of Americans first and largely rejects nation-building.
Sixty-eight percent of Gen Z Republicans, an equal share of Gen Z Democrats (68%) and 71% of Gen Z Independents say the U.S. should stay out of international conflicts and only become involved when we are forced to. Notably, less than half of young people say they could support a candidate who supports foreign war efforts.
“Sixty-eight percent of Gen Z Republicans, an equal share of Gen Z Democrats (68%) and 71% of Gen Z Independents say the U.S. should stay out of international conflicts and only become involved when we are forced to.”
MRF found 85% of Gen Z Republicans, 74% of Gen Z Independents, and 65% of Gen Z Democrats support an overtly America First policy agenda, defined as putting the needs of Americans ahead of those of other countries.
Questions framed in terms of the financial tradeoff between domestic economic concerns and intervening in foreign affairs earned overwhelming support for non-interventionalist policies.
“Questions framed in terms of the financial tradeoff between domestic economic concerns and intervening in foreign affairs earned overwhelming support for non-interventionalist policies.”
Eighty-two percent of Gen Z respondents agreed with the statement: “If the government spent as much time dealing with economic problems at home as it does on the problems of foreign nations, our economy would be much better off.”
Sixty-eight percent of young people agreed with the statement: “I don’t like seeing money that we can be using on our country’s needs being used on another country.”
On the issue of foreign aid, 82% of Gen Z Republicans, 73% of Gen Z Independents, and 66% of Gen Z Democrats would like to see a reduction in foreign aid in favor of spending on U.S. based programs.
“Eighty-two percent of Gen Z Republicans, 73% of Gen Z Independents, and 66% of Gen Z Democrats would like to see a reduction in foreign aid in favor of spending on U.S. based programs.”
A full 70% of young people agree U.S. involvement in other nations often results in chaos for Americans and other nations.
Below is a summary of Generation Z’s views on a series of foreign policy statements.
A majority of young people have high domestic priorities and are less interested in promoting a U.S. global leadership role. A small faction of primarily young Republicans think the United States should be the leader of the free world, but when asked directly about foreign intervention and foreign aid, a majority of young Republicans actually oppose both. While some young Republicans do think the U.S. should be the leader of the free world, this position appears nuanced, and may refer to leading by example rather than with military force and U.S. tax dollars.
