Why is America exceptional? I often think when I hear that America is exceptional that almost everyone misinterprets the meaning of that word. So, let’s start with a definition of exceptional that captures the meaning I would prefer to use—uncommon, unusual, rare. These three words best describe America in my view.
I believe America is unusual, uncommon, and rare for at least three reasons. There are probably others just as important. However, I will focus on the three that follow. By the way, exceptional does not mean America is the best or that other countries do not have their value. Rather, exceptional means that America is quite different, and dramatically so.
The Founding Period
The Founding Period was unique because it was a time when there were a number of men (and women too) who were highly literate with a deep understanding of what made for a reasonable system of self-government. These men and women knew that a republican form of self-government was a difficult proposition for any country, no matter the size. And it was a difficult way forward for the 13 original colonies who opted for freedom from England. Alexander Hamilton and James Madison commented on this difficulty in “The Federalist Papers.” I believe they were correct to do so because they recognized the imperfections and perversity of human nature.
The Founding Principles
The foundational principles were unique as well. These principles encompassed, among others, the three unalienable rights set forth in the Declaration of Independence: life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness. In addition, the emphasis was on self-reliance with a deep streak of individualism and a love of personal freedom.
The U.S. Constitution
To my mind, the U.S. Constitution is also unique because of two elements. The first element is the Preamble which is a 52-word vision statement for the then-fledgling nation. The Preamble is profound and complete despite its brevity. I have read no other statement that provides so much meaning with so few words. The second element is the explicit Bill of Rights which delineated the rights that all citizens of America would eventually possess.
Full Disclosure
In my 77 years of life, I have lived in seven countries plus America and visited over 50 others. All seven countries were comfortable to live in, as were the other 50 I visited. However, no other country had the same sense of individualism, personal freedom, and self-reliance as did America. I believe the sense of personal freedom is absolutely key as are the opportunities that America offers everyone.
Links
Internal: https://whitebeardwisdom.com/what-makes-america-america/
External: https://theasianantiquarian.com
