Do you view the United States as the greatest country in the world?

The USA is among the historic greats (the UK, the Byzantine Empire, etc), but it's a bit difficult to say we're currently the greatest country in the world. We're certainly the greatest military force in the world, and our global influence on culture is unmatched.

But what a weird question that is, when you think about it. A country like Denmark, for example, isn't concerned with being the "greatest country" in the world, as if it's a contest, but it certainly takes measures to sustain and increase the standard of living of its people (which the USA does not seem to care as much about).

The USA has the best economy, the strongest military, and the highest quality health care in the world. It has the most social mobility for hard working, responsible, sane people.

Although it doesn't do a very good job of dealing with people who are lazy, irresponsible, or crazy. It has high rates of teenage pregnancy, teenage sex, out of wedlock births, and divorce. Its health care is too expensive, due to overregulation. It has too many frivolous lawsuits, for lack of tort reform. It has big problems with teenage alcohol abuse because its drinking age is the highest in the world. And its education system is garbage.

The USA's gun laws are too restrictive. In that sense, Switzerland's policies have proven to be better.

The USA's drug war is incredibly damaging. In that sense, Portugal's policies have proven to be better.

The USA overuses antibiotics. Norway's policies have proven to be better in preventing antibiotic-resistant bacterial infections, and even in preventing bacterial infections that are not antibiotic-resistant.

The USA has laws that try to protect endangered animals, and they actually end up hurting them. In that sense, Zimbabwe's policy on elephants have proven to be better.

Overall verdict? It's the greatest country in the world. USA! USA! USA!

This is a very tough question to get n proper answer for because it is very subjective; after all, what do you mean by greatest?

If you are asking is it the greatest from a sentimental standpoint then most U.S. citizens are going to say yes while most non U.S. citizens are going to say no (presumably because they are going to feel their own country is the "greatest")

Beyond the sentimental side of the question it is still difficult because there are so many potential factors that have to be looked at. Certainly it cannot be argued that the U.S. is the greatest country in the world when it comes to healthcare for example; however, likewise it certainly can be argued that the U.S. is the greatest country militarily. Economically the U.S. could both be argued to be and to not be the greatest country in the world depending on what factors you feel are most important; do you look at GDP, strength of the middle class, trade, etc). There are dozens of different factors you could look at an then dozens of different sub-factors in each one of those that you could consider in trying to answer this question; which of course means at the end of the day there is no real definite answer to this question - simply many different opinions (even those who agree it is or it isn't are going to do so for different reasons).

I live in the U.S. it's gotten bad I admit not like most countries and the way our gov. acts it's just shameful.

The U.S. certainly was the greatest country in the world when it was lead by the people for the people but it has steadily declined as it has become for the corporations by the corporations. Citizens are afraid of the police, the government spy us all, and the current policy seems to be a race to get to the perfect Orwellian state.

The most troublesome thing I have about the NSA is that it has enabled someone super control of the world. Everything we do be it on the phone, internet, or another communication means is being processed by some guy. Of course they are also saving records of individuals that come to prominence and try to find dirt which gives someone out there plenty of dirt to manipulate/convince someone to act a certain way. This to me is very unsettling, just imagine someone running to be president of a heavily catholic country and someone from the CIA gives him a packet full of his picture and conversation with a gay lover and have him wrapped around his hands. I just do not like this power grabbing play and what it means for the world of politics.

Not anymore, It was long ago when our leaders watched out for their people first before watching out for their pockets. To much corporate take overs in our capital. Only way this mess is going to change is when we remove every bad apple that keeps stinking up the bushel.

I've been in many others countries, and I cannot say with confidence that the U.S. is 'best' - in some ways it is better than some other countries, in other ways worse.

Too limited a choice range.

Yes, the U.S. WAS the greatest country on the planet.

Yes, the U.S. could still be the greatest country on the planet.

Is the U.S. in the leading role of all nations on the planet what the corporations really want?

No, it is not what they want. The corporations want all countries to be third world countries, hence, there will be NO greatest country on the planet anymore. There will be, however, the ruling class and the slave class... and that's a lot closer than you'd think.

I disagree with this statement so much that I would go as far to say that the United States it one of the worst country's. The United States is the only country on earth to have deployed a nuclear weapon on civilian targets. They watch everything there people do and send you to secret prisons where they will torture you, and yet the worst thing is that they say they are doing this to protect the peoples freedom.

Exploiting weaker countries isn't really that great, you know!