CGTN Poll: American Dream degenerates into a delusion of 'privilege preying on humanity'

The image of American "human rights defenders" is rapidly collapsing with the ongoing release of the Epstein files. This is the tip of the iceberg of the misdeeds committed by the U.S. elite, exposing the systemic flaws in the country's politics, society, and culture. The rhetoric of freedom, democracy and human rights – terms the U.S. uses to define itself and justify intervention abroad – can no longer conceal its human rights abuses. 

The American Dream has utterly degenerated into a delusion of "privilege preying on humanity." A global survey conducted by CGTN shows that, 92 percent of respondents believe the Epstein case reveals the complete collapse of the common value foundation of the U.S. political system, exposing the systemic maladies of capitalism as incurable.

The Epstein files have exposed large-scale crimes against humanity committed by U.S. political and business elites over decades, completely overturning the international community's perception of America's national image. In the survey, 85.1 percent of respondents express deep shock at the contents of the files, while 97.1 percent say the widespread moral decay among the elite class revealed by the case has severely offended human conscience. 

To date, the political and business figures implicated in the case have not faced judicial investigation. In response, 95.6 percent of respondents believe that the U.S. judicial system applies "double standards" when dealing with the powerful elite.

Documents related to this case have long been sealed by the courts. Less than half of the total files have been released this time, with large portions redacted and key information concerning powerful elites deliberately concealed. In the survey, 93.9 percent of respondents believe that this "selective transparency" by the U.S. Department of Justice has reduced the U.S. judicial system to a "protective umbrella" for the privileged class, while 89.8 percent of respondents criticize the long-standing inaction of the U.S. judicial system, stating that this case has severely damaged the credibility of the American legal system.

The case has also reignited debate over the relationship between capital and political power in the United States.

According to the survey, 92.5 percent of respondents express deep concern over the systemic risks faced by disadvantaged groups at the bottom of American society, particularly impoverished underage girls. Meanwhile, 86.7 percent believe that the case has shattered the last line of defense for ordinary Americans-their trust in judicial protection, with the sense of social security in the U.S. plummeting to freezing point, and 91.8 percent state that the Epstein case has become yet another piece of irrefutable evidence of human rights scandals, significantly undermining the so-called "human rights diplomacy" and moral appeal of the United States. 

The controversy continues to intensify domestically, becoming a focal point of partisan confrontation between Democrats and Republicans. Some 85.3 percent of respondents consider the case will further exacerbate partisan confrontation and social division, while 92.7 percent indicate that the systemic corruption behind the case has yet to surface, suggesting that American society may face an unprecedented disillusionment with its values.

The survey was published on CGTN's English, Spanish, French, Arabic and Russian platforms, with 9,690 respondents voting and expressing their opinions within 24 hours.