The least that can be said about contemporary anti-Americanisms is that they seem to be occupying a growing space on the political horizon of Western Europe. It is therefore justified to attempt an examination of its possible causes and relative importance, a less easy task than it seems. The most appropriate seems to be to examine the pseudometaphoric character of anti-Americanism applied to the politics of nations and, on the other hand, its convincing credentials of anthropomorphic fallacy. The concept of "anti-Americanism" is more closely related to this than to metaphor, since it attributes human feelings, attitudes, affections and suspicions to the nation-state. Historical experience indicates that it is unwise to base foreign policy on such fallacies; however, some cases, such as the anti-American boom in the upper strata of European society, present characteristics that deserve study.
Keywords:
Anti-Americanism, United States, Western Europe, Anthropomorphic Fallacy, Anti-Semitism
Author Biography
Claudio Véliz
Historiador; fundador y primer director del Instituto de Estudios Internacionales de la Universidad de Chile; profesor de las Universidades de Melbourne, Australia, y Boston, Estados Unidos.
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