Surely, every nation believes to be unique. The concept of exceptionalism is difficult to measure. Talking about it, Ted Bromund indicated that it is not a question: Who has the best country? It is the issue of a special place of the country in the world, its culture, traditions and people (Bromund). It is difficult to find a balance in the dispute about the American exceptionalism due to numerous moral judgments existing in the world. ‘Is America exceptionally good or bad?’ remains a vital issue in global politics and inner life of America.
The idea of the America's particular role in the world’s history and its high mission has deep roots. It is a certain worldview that came from the religious fervor of the Founding Fathers of the country (Tocqueville 23). French philosopher Alexis de Tocqueville was the first to write in his book Democracy in America, published in 1831, about the unique mission of the country. According to philosopher, any democratic society had never before been in a similar situation. Immigrants and Puritans settled there in the 17th century and formed the United States. During the presidency of Andrew Jackson, the idea of exclusivity has become a leitmotif of American political philosophy. The American exceptionalism comes from the Messianic heroics. It is a belief in the political system of representative democracy that has been gradually spread in the world and conquered it. People, who came from the class society, have established a new form of political structure and proved that it works more effectively.
Harold Koh underlines that “American exceptionalism has both good and bad faces and people should be aware of both” (Koh 111). According to the Koh’s studies, a positive feature of the American exceptionalism is in its “leadership in promoting global order” (Koh 125). Koh wrote that America has exceptionality in “international affairs, international law, and promotion of human rights: namely, in its exceptional global leadership and activism” (Koh 111). The author considered the American leadership to be the major phenomenon in the global politics and encouraged to eliminate the vector of double standards as the most dangerous and destructive factor of the country’s foreign policy. According to Koh, American exceptionalism created the concept of the patriotism. In its turn, American patriotism perfectly shows both good and bad faces of the exceptionalism. Koh identified four faces of the American exceptionalism. According to the author, they are distinctive rights, different labels, American mentality and double standards (Koh 114). America’s legal self-sufficiency, according to the philosopher, has the same alarming potential as the policy of double standards. He argues that “America’s tendency to use different labels to describe synonymous concepts turns out to be more of an annoyance than a philosophical attack upon the rest of the world” (Koh 112). In the history, different labels have not always meant different rules. While, the country’s flying buttress mentality lies in America’s critical examination of the situations. Koh indicates that the concept of flying buttress mentality is American inner problem that together with the policy of double standards represents the worse part of its exceptionalism.
However, Ted Bromund underlines that the United States is exclusively exceptional, just because it is “a fact that has been recognized by Europeans for centuries” (Bromund). Unlike the position of Koh, that has deep roots into American global policy, Bromund presents a modern point of view on the issue of American exceptionalism. He argues that the confidence of the United States, its traditional liberty of word, and human rights create its unique nature. According to Ted Bromund, America was the first country to proclaim that human rights are given by God and the Government should be chosen by people, “it was the first nation to be based on a separation of powers, and on the clear subordination of the military to civilian rule, the first nation to state all of this in a constitution that was publicly debated and democratically accepted” (Bromund). The author argues that the emigration to the country of people from different countries was the key factor of its exceptionalism.
Taking part in the debate, Dennis Philips underlines that “The US may be an exceptional nation, but it is not exceptionally immune to the historical forces that have shaped other nations and empires” (Phillips). Ron Jacobs in his American Exceptionalism pointed out at a strong and controversial argument that America has stolen all the potential that it possesses nowadays. The author considers that “The only thing that sets us apart is our wealth. God didn’t give it to us” (Jacobs). In the second half of the 20th century, the United States had become the leading force in shaping the world besides its strong position of isolationism and minimum intervention in the affairs of other countries. The Messianic principle of the American exceptionalism, proclaimed during the foundation of the United Sates, still prevails. Active participation of America in the world’s affairs today is spread throughout the world.
Analyzing the political debate on the American exceptionalism, it is daring to say that the issue had a great value in the formation of the American policy. In my opinion, American exceptionalism has positive and negative features. I accept the position of Koh and believe that America has a unique history and democratic values that influenced on its formation as a basis of human rights and liberties in the world. I support the idea of Bromund that immigration played an important role making the country exceptional. But I support the idea that the concept of American exceptionalism should be controlled and limited by its history and moral principles. It should not be spread into the country’s foreign policy. America is an exceptional nation. But, as all countries, it should act in accordance with the international legislation.
Works Cited
Ted, Bromund. "American Exceptionalism and Its Enemies." The New Ledger Features – Politics Monday (2009). Web. <http://sarawakreport.org/arch/newledger/2009/05/american-exceptionalism-and-its-enemies/index.html>.
Ron, Jacobs. "American Exceptionalism: A Disease of Conceit." (2004). Web. <http://www.counterpunch.org/jacobs07212004.html>.
Koh, Harold Hongju. “America’s Jekyll‐and‐Hyde Exceptionalism.” Ed. Michael Ignatieff. American Exceptionalism and Human Rights. 111 ‐143.
Phillips, Dennis. “Is America an Exceptional Nation?” ( 2008). Web. <http://www.abc.net.au/unleashed/stories/s2427919.htm>.
Tocqueville, Alexis De, and Eduardo Nolla. Democracy in America. English ed. Indianapolis: Liberty Fund, 2012. Print.
