In their damning verdict of the States, Britons also said America was riven by class divides and racism, as well as being crime-ridden and obsessed with money.

The YouGov survey for The Daily Telegraph showed that Britons have never had such a low opinion of the leadership of the U.S.

As Americans prepare to celebrate the 230th anniversary of their independence on Tuesday, the poll found that only 12 percent of Britons trusted them to act wisely on the global stage. This is half the number of people who had faith in the Vietnam-scarred White House of 1975.

According to the poll, the majority of Britons think American culture and the actions of the present U.S. administration are making the world a worse place in which to live. A total of 77 percent of respondents disagreed with the statement that the U.S. is "a beacon of hope for the world."

More than two-thirds who offered an opinion said America was essentially an imperial power seeking world domination. And 81 percent of those who took a view said U.S. President George W Bus hhypocritically championed democracy as a cover for the pursuit of American self-interests.

In the YouGov poll, 54 percent felt the U.S. military was doing a bad job of helping to bring democracy to Iraq, and 67 percent thought American troops were failing to win "hearts and minds" in the country.

With much of the worst criticism aimed at the U.S. administration, 43 percent of the respondents view President Bush as a "terrible "leader, and 34 percent see him as a "pretty poor" leader.