StudentShare
Contact Us
Sign In / Sign Up for FREE
Search
Go to advanced search...
Free

American exceptionalism - Essay Example

Cite this document
Summary
How have Americans’ attitudes towards the appropriate role of the government in society and economy changed since the Great Depression? Before the 1930s the United States enjoyed a period of prosperity and stability, the Americans have favored the laissez-faire capitalism wherein the role of the government is severely restricted…
Download full paper File format: .doc, available for editing
GRAB THE BEST PAPER93.3% of users find it useful
American exceptionalism
Read Text Preview

Extract of sample "American exceptionalism"

How have Americans’ attitudes towards the appropriate role of the government in society and economy changed since the Great Depression? Before the 1930s the United States enjoyed a period of prosperity and stability, the Americans have favored the laissez-faire capitalism wherein the role of the government is severely restricted. By 1930s, however, with the onset of the Great Depression and the Second World War, the New Deal policy was introduced by the Roosevelt government, offering public program innovations and greatly expanding the size, activity and role of the American government in response to these two national contingencies (Lockhart 29).

This development wherein the role of the government in society and economy has increased demonstrated the attitude that favored economic security, economic equity and peace. In the 1960s, America experienced another contingency, the onset of poverty along with the emergence of the Civil Rights Movement. Lyndon Johnson embarked on his ambitious Great Society program, declaring war on poverty, by further increasing the role of public institutions through strong economic and social policies. After this period, America was tempted to revert back to its previous laissez-faire capitalist model of government.

The economy was booming and the series of administrations were, in the words of Lockhart, “drifting in a direction reminiscent of the historical baseline suggested by the bulk of the nineteenth century involving a relatively small and inactive national government” (p29). This period was partly driven by the emergence of the liberalist attitude that invoked the sense of prohibition against arbitrary rule. This was however, interrupted. Several shocks recently occurred, prompting Americans to favor a stronger interventionist government.

First, the 9/11 terrorist attacks happened, then, a series of economic crises ensued. During this period, the public attitude clamored for the stronger public institution’s role in addressing issues of national security, economic meltdown and unemployment. As a result, the US has enacted several laws such as the Patriot Act, which severely empowered the state to encroach on individual rights for the sake of public security and recently adopted a soft socialist strategy that sought to combine comprehensive government regulation of private businesses with a steadily enlarging public sector (Kurtz, 356).

The increased governmental role is underpinned by the distinct attitude called American “exceptionalism.” America has assumed itself a special role, purpose and destiny – that of a special country or that of being exceptional one. This is particularly dominant in the American political culture. Exceptionalism built the idea that the government, the law and how political and government institutions operate are also exceptional and that it can intervene in society and in the economy for the sake of public good.

The New Deal, the Great Society and the 9/11 terrorist attacks elicited this sentiment, demonstrating how societal approval sanctioned increased role of public institutions. Even the seemingly, anti-state or anti-establishment attitude adopted by liberals today are based on American exceptionalism concept, only that their version emphasize the exceptionalism or “speciality” of individuals and personal freedom. Works Cited Kurtz, Stanley. Radical-in-Chief: Barack Obama and the Untold Story of American Socialism.

New York: Simon and Schuster, 2010. Lockhart, Charles. The roots of American exceptionalism: history, institutions and culture. New York: Palgrave Macmillan, 2003.

Read More
Cite this document
  • APA
  • MLA
  • CHICAGO
(“American exceptionalism Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words”, n.d.)
Retrieved from https://studentshare.org/other/1409013-american-ypexceptionalism
(American Exceptionalism Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 Words)
https://studentshare.org/other/1409013-american-ypexceptionalism.
“American Exceptionalism Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 Words”, n.d. https://studentshare.org/other/1409013-american-ypexceptionalism.
  • Cited: 0 times

CHECK THESE SAMPLES OF American exceptionalism

American Exceptionalism

Name: Course: Instructor: Date: American exceptionalism Writer Alexis de Tocqueville first referred to the United States as exception in 1831 and later inn 1840.... hellip; The concept of American exceptionalism thus originates from his portrayal of America as different from other states throughout the world as it becomes the first new nation thus building the unique ideology of Americanism that relies on the principles of liberty.... Throughout the history of the nation, the country experienced unique historical occurrences, which sustained the concept of exceptionalism as most of the historical occurrences different from those that had taken place elsewhere in the world....
3 Pages (750 words) Essay

American Exceptionalism

The paper gives detailed information about American exceptionalism and the way it has influenced US domestic policies and US international policies.... American exceptionalism refers to America's identity of being unique in all facets compared to other nations.... Issues such as westward expanionism, racism, reformation, industrial revolution are just few aspects that resulted because of American exceptionalism.... American exceptionalism influenced US domestic policies in many ways....
6 Pages (1500 words) Essay

American Exceptionalism

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.... Because of its dominance researchers give it a name “American exceptionalism”.... American exceptionalism AbstractThe 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....
2 Pages (500 words) Essay

American Exceptionalism

It is possible to say that American exceptionalism is a result of its historical development and independent international politics which influence domestic policies and life of the state.... One of the most important forms of the argument for America's exceptionalism contends that Americans' national and political values are exceptional.... Throughout the history, American government has followed autonomous and independent international politics which influenced its national politics and led to such phenomenon as exceptionalism....
5 Pages (1250 words) Essay

System of American Exceptionalism

The paper 'System of American exceptionalism' presents exceptionalism which has both the good side and the bad side.... Harold Hongju Koh presents a very strong argument on the four faces of the American exceptionalism faulting the exceptional views of the nation as contributing factors.... hellip; Ted Bromund presents his defense on American exceptionalism, emphasizing the history of the nation and its scholars, as well as the political and justice system in the nation....
8 Pages (2000 words) Case Study

The Essence of American Exceptionalism

The essay "The Essence of American exceptionalism" critically assesses existing arguments supporting the thesis of American exceptionalism and those presented by critics of the notion to determine whether the thesis is valid based on the historical context of the United States.... Proponents of the theory that the United States of America possesses numerous factors that sets the nation apart from the rest in the world base the thesis of American exceptionalism on the belief....
9 Pages (2250 words) Essay

Positive and Negative Aspects of American Exceptionalism

The author agrees that the aspect of American exceptionalism is the most important in the determination of the differences that exist between America and other countries.... The author agrees that the aspect of American exceptionalism is the most important in the determination of the differences that exist between America and other countries.... Therefore, it is necessary for Americans to defend, make an effort, and sacrifice for the growth of American exceptionalism....
7 Pages (1750 words) Literature review

Criticism Against American Exceptionalism

The purpose of the following literature review is to provide an overview of common criticism ascribed to American exceptionalism.... hellip; American exceptionalism connotes the belief held by American citizens that the United States is a unique state in light of past development that has taken place in contrast to other countries.... nbsp; American exceptionalism is a strong belief encompassed in neo-conservatism.... From a historiographical point of view, it can be noted that one of the key features of American exceptionalism is its norm of glossing over what should be considered as “bad” history, for instance, segregation, its treatment of Native Americans, slavery, and the South of Jim Crow, and how it lays emphasis on mythologizing the Founding Fathers, George Washington, and the US constitution, the Wild West”, and how the united states involves itself in world wars....
6 Pages (1500 words) Literature review
sponsored ads
We use cookies to create the best experience for you. Keep on browsing if you are OK with that, or find out how to manage cookies.
Contact Us