The Theory Of American Exceptionalism

Howard Zinn defines American exceptionalism as the belief “...that the United States alone has the right, whether it be divine sanction or moral obligation, to bring civilization, or democracy, or liberty to the rest of the world, by violence if necessary.” The American exceptionalist ideology has domestic implications found in political rhetoric and within the founding of the United States. External implications of exceptionalism are evident in American foreign policy and militaristic interventions such as Vietnam and Iraq. A new definition of has arisen, highlighting the negative implications of exceptionalism, “Roast beef and apple pie explained exceptionalism but now we are back to moldy rye bread and water.”

It’s hard to define something big as democracy in few short words, but president Abraham Lincoln does it best by defining democracy as a “Government of the people, by the people, for the people” (Bleicherstrasse). The Merriam Webster Dictionary barely scratches the surface of what democracy really means. It tries to define democracy as “a form of government in which people choose leaders by voting, a country ruled by democracy, an organization or situation in which everyone is treated equally and has equal rights”, but democracy is so much more than that. For a government to be considered true democracy it must support these four key elements “A political system for choosing and replacing the government through free and fair elections, the active participation of the people, as citizens, in politics and civic life, protection of the human rights of all citizens, a rule of law, in which the laws and procedures apply equally to all citizens” (Diamond, 2004). If we go by this definition of democracy than America is not consider to be true democracy.

In the article “The Myth of American Exceptionalism” written by Stephen M. Walt, he writes about how, in its most basic form, America is not as exceptional as its citizens perceive it to be. He breaks down the article into smaller, albeit, rather unpalatable chunks ranging from, how what we may see as “exceptionalism” is not quite unlike what many other countries feel about themselves in their own patriotic views, to the belief that America is somehow a nation ordained and led by God. Being mindful that this is just a minute blurb of the entire meat of this article, I would like to begin by saying, for the most part, I agree.

Politics was also central in American labor movements. In the book, The Making of American Exceptionalism: The Knights of Labor and Class Formation in the Nineteenth Century, author Kim Voss shows how and why a successful labor movement never gained political strength as it did in England and France. The United States had similarities with its labor movements with its European counterparts. However, it was mainly because of the failure by the Knights of Labor that caused the American labor movement to go a different route. Unlike Europe, where labor movements were often supported, the United States did not support these groups. It did not witness the rise of a powerfully large socialist party either. The Knights of Labor emerged as a labor organization that welcomed all

Chapter 1: The Origins of American Political Principles Read Chapter 1: The Origins of American Political Principles Pre-Read: Read the introduction to Chapter 1. Then read the concluding section and skim the subject headings. Answer the questions below. Describe the authors' organization for Chapter 1. Is it organized topically or chronologically?

Exceptionalism is neither new, as explained above, nor exclusive to the United States. Several historical actors, such as Great Britain, France and the former Soviet Union claimed exceptionalist ideas (Ignatieff, 2005; Holsti, 2010). The current U.S. President Obama also stresses a similar point by stating that “I believe in American exceptionalism, just as I suspect that the Brits believe in British exceptionalism and the Greeks believe in Greek exceptionalism” (Obama, cited in Ceaser, 2012, p.4). However, exceptionalism purposed by the U.S. is different from those of other countries. Firstly, although each countries believe in their own uniqueness (Hoffmann, 2005), no country but the U.S. claims and attempts to discharge its missionary duty in international affairs. Regarding this point, Ignatieff (2005, p.13) states that the U.S.’s “desire for moral leadership is something more than the ordinary narcissism and nationalism that all powerful states display”. Secondly, the U.S. has embraced the exceptionalist ideas from the very outset of its history, while other great powers in history only started to adopt it in order “to justify their acquisition and maintenance of empires” (Davis and Lynn-Jones,1987, p.22). This fact implies that American exceptionalism is not mere political ideology, but national identity, which has strongly inherited among American public. In the U.S., where diversified people live together, it is not common language, religion or culture, but shared

Truly to utter the words, “I am American”, says something special. It brings out the thoughts of American exceptionalism, the call of justice. It reminds one of the historical events that our ancestors fought so deeply to establish a nation with the freedom that every man is born with. This is precisely what the American is characterized by, the willingness to stand up and fight for one’s rights. An American is one who stands for the good of his country and understands his rights. To be an American means to accept one’s job as part of the country because the ultimate goal is to preserve the ideals of the nation. It goes without question that without the efforts the people, a country can not establish itself as one of the best in the world. It brings

America is truly without a doubt seen as the land of opportunity. The way that America has evolved from the beginning of it’s time to now, is quite astounding. America went from a nation that held slavery to a nation that fights for equality. Although many use the word exceptionalism in various forms. Some say that exceptionalism is deemed as wonderful, others might say that it’s a mission. The concept of exceptionalism is seen as a great thing, one that many feel so patriotic about. While those against American exceptionalism might argue that America is not its own, and is quite in fact like the other nations before them. Even though for many the concept of American Exceptionalism might vary, America for the most part has evolved since the beginning of it’s time till now. And the changes are quite evident.

American exceptionalism is the idea that America is fundamentally different than any other nation. The term “American exceptionalism” is fairly new; it is recently popularized through political campaigns and speeches. According to Terrence McCoy’s article for The Atlantic, “How Joseph Stalin Invented ‘American Exceptionalism,’” Joseph Stalin invented the term “American exceptionalism.” Stalin did not use the term how politicians use it today; he used the term to describe America as inferior to the rest of the world’s nations, not vice versa as implied today. However, though the creation of the term was derogatory, the use today does not reflect that view. Rather, the view today implies that America is a fundamentally different nation that is

While some find us arrogant, condescending and imperialistic, those who have come to join us in America find that there is some truth in the notion that our country is unique. Nowhere else is the freedom to express and improve yourself so widespread, and no other country welcomes those seeking that freedom so openly. Assimilation to our culture is not forced, but it is the rare individual who does not welcome it once they are here. Many people consider themselves to be the best humans on the planet, or maybe the only ones chosen by their god to succeed, but nobody can claim to be as powerful and prosperous as Americans are. To us the idea of American Exceptionalism is not propaganda or a myth; it is the understanding that the only way to the make the most of oneself is to have the freedom to do so.

American Exceptionalism is a reflection of America’s long history, it is the understanding of judgment of other cultures through the standards of their own. America is thought to be the country that is made up of various races and ethnicities. The culture that is founded upon constitutional rights and the ticket of freedom. As the saying goes “God bless America”, many people will go forth to say it is the country that is superior to others because of its freedom and opportunity. The term “American exceptionalism” illustrates the belief that eventually ties upon Transcendentalism. American Exceptionalism is clearly defined as the value of the country, as America is charged with the care taking of the world from itself. In addition must sustain

If I had to choose on how I feel about American Exceptionalism I would have to lean more towards President Barak Obama, when he said that he is proud of American and what it has accomplished throughout the years but believes there is room for improvement and growth.

Notably, many people experience a different view of exceptionalism, which is rather negative about America. This contrary notion views America as being exceptionally bad, racist and even violence, no longer the country of hope. It is this concept that forms the basis of US foreign policy for the nation believes that God did not just command them to liberate their own country but even other nations. Is is believed to be the primary factor driving the global presence of United States military. The idea of exceptionalism claims that America is qualitatively different from any other country. It makes the country believe that they possess something that makes it more beneficial than other nations; its political and social superiority. According

Americans through the years of existence have adapted well to the radical changes throughout the world. Technology, independence and social equality are some of the diverse concepts the United States have adapted to and developed in order to become a more unified country. Our nation believes that it is exceptional when it comes to other countries worldwide. As can be shown through the popular reference to America as the ‘shining city on a hill’. The term “American exceptionalism” is derived from ideals held by many Americans throughout history. Different people have analyzed American exceptionalism through multiple literary devices. Works such as A Model of Christian Charity, What is an American and Acres of Diamonds illustrate the

Our nation’s history plays an important role in American society, it sets forth the foundation on which our morals and values are based on as Americans. If we truly are one united nation under God, and our morals and values are based on what history tells us, why is it then that there is so much disparity among the American people. One reason is that our history textbooks and what we are taught by educational leaders only emphasize American Exceptionalism. The history of our nation is not fully disclosed, it omits the nasty and ugly parts. It is time that the U.S. let their skeletons out of the closet, the truth needs to be told no matter how ugly or nasty it is. The period in history known as the Nadir of Race relations, 1890 through the1960’s between whites and blacks is a prime example of American Exceptionalism.