American Civilization and World History: an essay on American Exceptionalism

Résumé du document

Alexis de Tocqueville was the first author to write that 'the position of the Americans' was 'quite exceptional.' But the modern notion of American Exceptionalism emerged in the 50s and 60s, and has been particularly challenged since then. This concept refers to the 'exempt' and 'exemplary' character of the American nation. This nation has been exempt from the cycle of growth and decline, and shall act as a model for all other nations in this respect. This idea of an exemplary nation is highly bounded with the assumption of 'American national superiority.' The predominance of the middle class and the absence of class conflict is also an important component which makes the United States unique. When scholars or politicians, all for this exceptionalism, write or talk about America's distinctiveness, are inclined to ignore the negative side of American history and contemporary behaviours. Thus, the aim of this essay will be to define to what extent this assertion is true and to what extent it is not.

Extraits

[...] Second, we will establish that the building of America as an exceptional nation was a central component of its emerging identity. Finally, we will find out whether this characteristic is still relevant in “contemporary” America Greene Jack, The intellectual construction of America, Chapel Hill and London : The University of North Carolina Press p Ibid., p Ibid., p Although some explorations between the and the world were undertaken during the 16 century, the first successful settlement of a colony in America took place in 1607. [...]

[...] This concept refers to the and “exemplary” character of the American nation. This nation has been exempt from the cycle of growth and decline and shall act as a model for all other nations in this respect. This idea of an exemplary nation is highly bounded with the assumption of “American national superiority.” The predominance of the middle class and the absence of class conflict is also an important component which makes the United States unique. When scholars or politicians, pleading for this exceptionalism, write or talk about America's model and distinctiveness they are inclined to ignore the negative side of American history and contemporary behaviors. [...]

[...] He is the advance guard of liberty and justice, of law and order, and of peace and happiness.” At the same time, the idea that the United States should be an asylum for the oppressed became an important feature through the American intellectuals. Finally, the war in 1812 was a good occasion to reassert the notion of an American mission to defend republicanism against the British oppressor: last hope of human liberty in this world rests on [the America]” indeed, Jefferson stated. This notion of exceptionalism did not stay unchallenged a long time. Besides the contemporary scholars, the reality of facts leads us to affirm that America was not just an exceptional country. The observers called attention to two principal failings. [...]

[...] The notion of American exceptionalism can find its roots in the second wave of English colonists to America. In that respect, the founding of New England is particularly relevant. The first settlers, called Pilgrims, had to establish rules on their own, since they were outside the jurisdiction of Virginia's government. Those men and women, viewed as separatists by the English government, wanted to settle in a land of freedom without any ideological conflicts. The Pilgrims belonged to a group known as the Puritans. [...]

[...] There is a long list of such exceptions: the refusal of the Kyoto Treaty, the strengthening of the convention on biological weapons, the refusal to ban the use of napalm and cluster bombs, the refusal to be subjected to the jurisdiction of the International Criminal Court, etc. However, nowadays there is an increasing refusal to accept U.S. domination and the idea of American exceptionalism, among the American people too. We can note, for instance, the indignation throughout the world when the State Department issued its annual report listing countries guilty of torture and other human-rights abuses and excluding the United States from that list. [...]