American Exceptionalism

First Globals are the age group least likely to approve of the U.S. taking action on its own. For example, they are more likely to believe that UN Security Council approval is needed to wage war against another country. More than a third (38%) of First Globals would seek UN approval , compared to about a quarter of all other age groups. In roughly the same numbers, First Globals would seek the approval of NATO countries before taking military action against another country.

However, while multilateralism is more prevalent among First Globals than other age groups, unilateralism is still the most popular option. A plurality of First Globals would not seek UN Security Council (44%) or approval of NATO members (43%) for military action against another country.


People usually give two types of justification for unilateralism. One is the idea that U.S. can do it alone because it, like any other country, has a right to act in its own best interest. The other is the belief that the history of freedom and democracy in the U.S. makes it morally superior to other counties, and therefore gives it a moral right to do it alone – a right that other countries do not have.