AMERICAN EXCEPTIONALISM 1

AMERICAN EXCEPTIONALISM

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Exceptionalism is defined as the condition of being different in the norms. American

exceptionalism has been defined by Soviet commander Joseph Stalin to critique the American

communists who perpetuated that their pollical climate was unique and brand it as

‘exception’ to some elements contained in the Marxism theories. It was the belief “that the

United States is qualitatively different from other developed or superior countries in terms of

national credo, unique origin, distinctive religious and political institutions and historical

evolution (Robert, 2014). The history of exceptionalism traces back to industrial revolution in

Europe where the democracy was established against the monarchy. After the end of the

world war, the involvement turned their tide into a positive exceptionalism.

Since it was established, America has indeed been very successful regarding its

economy and political system. Americans believe that their rise to power originated from the

founding fathers' political foresight, the assets of the U.S. Constitution, the precedence

positioned on discrete freedom, the hard work and creativity of the American (Robert, 2014).

However, the truth behind America's success must do more with good luck than any unique

American qualities. The United States of America was fortunate enough that the whole

landmass was excessively provided with natural resources and navigated by sturdy

waterways. It was also fortunate enough to originate far away from other powerful nations

and that the Native Americans were not as much of progressive and extremely vulnerable

illnesses of the Europeans, making it easier for the natives to have their land taken. Also,

America was fortunate that its development across the continent was impressively simplified.

Its global importance was guaranteed due to the powerful European nations being at war for

much of its early history, especially during first and second world war. Thus, a bigger share

of America's prosperity has started from factors outside its alleged extraordinary

characteristics, making one inquiry if the nation has such characteristics that make it from

different countries (Ignatieff, 2009).

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Since American exceptionalism implies that the United States is a democracy, those who

agree with this belief view the country as an earthly realm that includes people of all nations

enjoying liberty and equal rights. While this does indeed have some truth to it since various

citizens of different races and cultures live together and interact with each other daily, it does

not necessarily imply that all Americans are equal when comparing it to other countries.

Seymour Martin Lipset, the author of the book, American Exceptionalism: A Double-Edged

Sword, provides an explanation that US is more democratic than Europe and then compares

the United States to Canada and Britain, which are two other nations that are known to be

egalitarian. Canada would appear to be more elitist, law-abiding, and statist than the United

States, but more anti-statist, violent, and egalitarian than Britain. Also, the United States is

not as involved in the economy as other countries are and devote less of its income to welfare

despite being viewed as the wealthiest country. In addition, the U.S. does not have a feasible,

class-conscious, radical political movement and its trade unions, which have been gradually

diminishing since the 1950s, are weaker than those of most other nations. And so, comparing

America's egalitarian society to those of other countries challenges the ideology of of this

theory and makes us question the country's uniqueness (Ignatieff, 2009). This belief made the

US to start war in Iraq and the war on human rights is carried out using this rhetoric.

The claim about America being a democratic nation would make it appear a very

liberal one, even though many views it as a conservative country (Robert, 2014). Even

though conservatism is frail in the U.S. compared to other nations, such as Europe and

Canada, where it is associated with the rise of the welfare state, it does not necessarily mean

that the U.S. is very liberal either since both old and young American citizens never adopted

liberalism to describe America's unique society as the American government has been present

long before the term "liberal" developed in Napoleonic Spain and referred to a particular

group in mid-nineteenth-century England. George Grant, a typical conservative scholar from

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Canada, stressed that American citizens who consider themselves to be conservatives are

outdated liberals whose focus on independence from governmental interference is more

connected to nineteenth-century liberalism than old-fashioned conservatism (Ignatieff, 2009).

He also criticized that, with its importance on the assets of competition and relations to

business ideology, American conservatism concentrates on individual rights and obligations,

but not common ones. Since America's conservatives are said to be old-fashioned liberals, it

can be implied that America is indeed a democratic nation with qualities of both liberalism

and conservatism. 
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References

Ignatieff, M. ed., 2009. American exceptionalism and human rights. Princeton University

Press.

Robert R. Tomes 2014 American Exceptionalism in the Twenty-First Century, Survival,

56:1, 27-50, DOI: 10.1080/00396338.2014.882150