- Published: September 25, 2022
- Updated: September 25, 2022
- University / College: University of Massachusetts Amherst
- Level: Secondary School
- Language: English
- Downloads: 46
American Exceptionalism
Abstract
The basic idea for the research of the paper is to evaluate the idea of American exceptionalism and consider its importance for understanding the contemporary USA.
Introduction
America is the dominant state all over the world. Because of its dominance researchers give it a name “ American Exceptionalism”. Alexis de Tocqueville is the first who gave this idea in his book called “ Democracy in America”. The word Exceptional is mainly used in the term of describing a state which have something different from others and have dominance over others.
“… qualitatively different from all other countries.” (Seymour Martin Lipset)
The term Exceptionalism given to the American due to the impression that America as a whole has a dominant and a special place over the others by giving opportunities to its citizens and providing them all the facilities. The public and private sectors are sharing equal level of resources and their interests are ruled by the constitution on the bases of economic freedom. Protestors believe that it is a rude view against America n it is a false statement that confines to be a chauvinistic view of the world.
The American exceptionalism can be seen by the following statement of the American ambassador:
“ In the Gulf, the United State has ironically broken with its former dictum that we would oppose domination of the Gulf region by any single power. We have become the power and now we have to accept the consequences of the fact” (Richard Murphy, Washington, DC, 1993)
History of American Exceptionalism
The American society is basically established itself because of the right choice of power over tyranny was deliberate. The privatization and rights of the property are mainly due to the exceptionalism that socialism and properties belong to the government were not right choices argued by new Americans. In their opinion democratic style of ruling over the country maintain civic system through which new American powerful member of the society can impose order among themselves.
The issue of the private property that it should be a key right of the citizens didn’t hold a large agreement. When public ownership ideas were raised they were not taken seriously hence the preface of ” exceptionalism” as an alternative to later personification of socialism rests on an assumption of a choice that did not in fact exist at the time. By avoiding the real factors like incentives to the citizens is generally accepted as undesirable theory and clearly focusing on the subjective and ideological factors. This put forward the idea of Exceptionalism.
Importance to contemporary America
“ The whole matter would seem to be more important as a myth that needs analysis than as a fixed historical reality requiring some global explanatory theory”. (american exceptionalism
)
The image of the America is like shinny city on the hill. It is a powerful attraction for every one who is seeing it from far away from the plains. But this image has turned down. Due to globalization people would know that if the American exceptionalism will still there then it would definitely pose some negative sights. The scholars have started to think about the after affects of the Iran war. It would create the trouble for the America and can damage its future.
References
American exceptionalism
http://www. freeglossary. com/American_Exceptionalism Accessed May 29, 2006
american exceptionalism
http://www. gseis. ucla. edu/courses/ed253a/american-exceptionalism. htm Accessed May 29, 2006
Reference. com/Encyclopedia/American exceptionalism http://www. reference. com/browse/wiki/American_exceptionalism Accessed May 29, 2006
Paul J. Kaplan. American Exceptionalism and Racialized Inequality in American Capital Punishment.
Robert Vitalis. An Essay on American Exceptionalism, hierarchy, and hegemony in the gulf.