Examine the moral foundations of the American experiment, and discover a beacon in this raging cultural storm. Part 1 in a series, "Is America Exceptional?".
In recent years, anti-American sentiment increased internationally, but also within the nation’s borders. Countless journalists and foreign policy pundits argue that the United States of America is not exceptional, virtuous, nor divinely ordained – rather, the nation is often seen as a hypocritical, arrogant, corrupt, and consumeristic hegemon forcing its will on the international community. The nation’s exports of popular culture and hyper-consumerism paint a flawed picture for the world, blurring the true beauty of the American culture.
James Wilson (2006) notes that these exports hamper American influence on the world due to the morally vapid nature of our modern American culture. In an article for the American Enterprise Institute, he notes:
“Our earlier efforts at public diplomacy were a success; our most recent efforts at consumerism confirm in the minds of many leaders that we are corrupt, violent, and mindless people. Our foreign critics dislike the fact that freedom produces consumerism and ignore the fact that their followers buy into our retail output with great enthusiasm . . . Anti-Americanism has deep roots, some linked to our foreign policies, some to our military power, and some merely to our vast impact on world affairs . . . but much of it is dressed up to appear as a moral critique of America.” (Wilson, 2006)
It's rather simple, really.
American exceptionalism, democracy, and free enterprise are concepts that critics love to hate, and a recent movement toward socialism and anti-Americanism within domestic politics is a symptom of this ideology and a result of the cultural departure from the moral foundations of the American democracy.
However, Winston Churchill offers sage perspective to those who are eager to throw out the democracy that undergirds the prosperity of the nation:
“Many forms of government have been tried, and will be tried in this world of sin and woe. No one pretends that democracy is perfect or all-wise. Indeed it has been said that democracy is the worst form of government except for all those other forms that have been tried from time to time.” (Churchill, 1947).
As the United States sails along into a new era that is teeming with unique national security challenges in the ever-changing sea of international affairs, it is vital to understand the ideals that are the anchors of American exceptionalism, as well as the unique approach of Christian realism in foreign policy and themes of exceptionalism in recent presidential administrations.
By acknowledging the nation’s heritage and understanding the values that distinguish the United States of America from all other world powers, we will begin to see a guiding light in the midst of the storm.
Stay tuned for Part 2 in this series, "Is America Exceptional?".
Sources:
Churchill, W. (2017, March 20). The Worst Form of Government. Retrieved March 28, 2020,
Wilson, J. Q. (2006, August 23). American Exceptionalism. Retrieved March 28, 2020, from
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