AAMERICAN MERICAN

EEXCEPTIONALISMXCEPTIONALISM? ? ?? ? ?

What does it mean to be What does it mean to be “exceptional”?“exceptional”? Alexis de Tocqueville was a visiting Alexis de Tocqueville was a visiting

political philosopher from France.political philosopher from France. Was impressed with America’s Was impressed with America’s

commitment to democracy.commitment to democracy. Thought America was an Thought America was an

“exceptional” nation.“exceptional” nation.

– Indeed, our greatness consists Indeed, our greatness consists precisely in the fact that we are precisely in the fact that we are making it up as we go along -- that making it up as we go along -- that we are perpetually in the process of we are perpetually in the process of devising ourselves as a people.devising ourselves as a people.

– Robert Pinsky, former Poet LaureteRobert Pinsky, former Poet Laurete

““All civilizations rest on myths,All civilizations rest on myths,

but in America myths have exceptionalbut in America myths have exceptional

meaning....meaning....

America is different. It is the only peaceful America is different. It is the only peaceful multi-racial civilization in the worldmulti-racial civilization in the world””

- - Theodore White,Theodore White, journalistjournalist

AAMERICANMERICAN

EEXCEPTIONALISMXCEPTIONALISM

Myth...?Myth...? ....or ....or Reality...?Reality...?

SOME FACTORSSOME FACTORStoto

CONSIDER:CONSIDER:

America as aAmerica as a ““NEW WORLDNEW WORLD””

UnanticipatedUnanticipated Huge, immenseHuge, immense Relatively unpopulatedRelatively unpopulated Comparatively Comparatively ““vacantvacant”” Resource richResource rich Unclaimed by existing political Unclaimed by existing political

powerspowers

An ABSENCE OF HISTORYAn ABSENCE OF HISTORY

No feudal traditions...No feudal traditions...

of landed aristocracyof landed aristocracy

.....or of fixed peasantry.....or of fixed peasantry

.....or of inherited .....or of inherited statusesstatuses

WhatWhat’’s s ““NewNew””??

New New EnglandEngland

New New JerseyJersey

New New YorkYork

New New HampshireHampshire

and (new) and (new) PortlandPortland - -of of OregonOregon

MaineMaine

and Englandand England

the SIGNIFICANCE OF the SIGNIFICANCE OF THE THE FRONTIERFRONTIER

Open landOpen land Continual expansionContinual expansion ““VergeVerge”” or Frontier mentality or Frontier mentality Absence of lawsAbsence of laws Acceptance of violenceAcceptance of violence

Frontier CharacteristicsFrontier Characteristics(ala Frederick Jackson Turner)(ala Frederick Jackson Turner)

equalitarian individualistic freedom loving coarse restless inquisitive self-reliant optimistic materialistic nationalistic

The American CreedThe American Creed According to Seymour Martin LipsetAccording to Seymour Martin Lipset

contemporary sociologistcontemporary sociologist

- Liberty- Liberty

- Equalitarianism- Equalitarianism

- Individualism- Individualism

- Populism- Populism

- Lassiez-faire- Lassiez-faire

an an ““AUTONOMOUSAUTONOMOUS”” PEOPLEPEOPLE Self-createdSelf-created Coming from everywhere elseComing from everywhere else Many-culturedMany-cultured Rooted in neither time nor place Rooted in neither time nor place

nor history nor culturenor history nor culture– no no ““motherlandmotherland”” or or ““fatherlandfatherland””

Having a Having a ““Manifest DestinyManifest Destiny””

Popular MandatesPopular Mandates New England Puritans:New England Puritans:

– ““to establish the City upon the Hillto establish the City upon the Hill”” Joseph Smith:Joseph Smith:

– ““to found the promised Land of Zionto found the promised Land of Zion”” Woodrow Wilson:Woodrow Wilson:

– ““to make the world safe for democracyto make the world safe for democracy”” George H. W. Bush, Bill Clinton:George H. W. Bush, Bill Clinton:

– ““to establish a new world orderto establish a new world order””

VideoVideo

IS THIS VIDEO BIASED????IS THIS VIDEO BIASED???? http://www.youtube.com/watch?http://www.youtube.com/watch?

v=oQsCW1hbOGwv=oQsCW1hbOGw

the SOLE WORLD POWERthe SOLE WORLD POWER

Oldest republicOldest republic Oldest democracyOldest democracy Oldest written constitutionOldest written constitution 3rd wealthiest 3rd wealthiest Strongest military in human historyStrongest military in human history

What is Our National What is Our National Interest?Interest?

““There is nothing in the national interest There is nothing in the national interest or in the American creed which or in the American creed which demands that we dominate the rest of demands that we dominate the rest of the world; but there is much in our the world; but there is much in our tradition and way of life which requires tradition and way of life which requires that we be the defender and promoter that we be the defender and promoter of the democratic cause on the world of the democratic cause on the world scenescene””

- - W. W. Rostow,W. W. Rostow, economisteconomist

This is Our National Policy:This is Our National Policy:

““History has called America and our History has called America and our allies to action, and it is both our allies to action, and it is both our responsibility and our privilege to responsibility and our privilege to fight freedomfight freedom’’s fight.s fight.””

““We seek a just and peaceful world We seek a just and peaceful world beyond the war on terror…. Evil is beyond the war on terror…. Evil is real and must be opposed.real and must be opposed.””