American exceptionalism - Revision history

RobSmith at 02:23, March 12, 2026

2026-03-12T02:23:55Z

RobSmith at 06:58, December 17, 2025

2025-12-17T06:58:41Z

RobSmith: /* Post-Cold war unipolar world */

2024-07-05T22:01:24Z

‎Post-Cold war unipolar world

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‎Origins

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‎Origins

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‎Origins

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‎Origins

RobSmith at 08:22, July 4, 2024

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‎External links

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 # Private property with written titles and deeds
-In more modern times the concept is often interpreted to mean, "If America does it, it's right," bringing the idea of American exceptionalism into controversy and disrepute in recent years, both in American domestic and [[foreign policy]].<ref>[https://consortiumnews.com/2023/02/28/ukraine-the-tunnel-at-the-end-of-the-light/ Ukraine: The Tunnel at the End of the Light], Robert Freeman, February 28, 2023 ''[[Consortium News]]''.</ref>  It has been criticized as outdated and [[jingoistic]].<ref>[https://imetatronink.substack.com/p/the-ontological-incoherence-of-american The Ontological Incoherence of American Imperial Exceptionalism'], William Schryver, February 23, 2023.</ref> It has been used to promote notions such as "American Empire", global [[hegemony]], and the "[[Liberal World Order]]". The idea of "American exceptionalism" in the hands of [[neoconservative]]s and [[liberal]] [[globalist]]s took on sinister, [[dictatorship|dictatorial]], and supremacist overtones and is cited as a cause of [[World War III]].
+In more modern times the concept is often interpreted to mean, "If America does it, it's right," bringing the idea of American exceptionalism into controversy and disrepute in recent years, both in American domestic and [[foreign policy]].<ref>[https://consortiumnews.com/2023/02/28/ukraine-the-tunnel-at-the-end-of-the-light/ Ukraine: The Tunnel at the End of the Light], Robert Freeman, February 28, 2023 ''[[Consortium News]]''.</ref>  It has been criticized as outdated and [[jingoistic]].<ref>[https://imetatronink.substack.com/p/the-ontological-incoherence-of-american The Ontological Incoherence of American Imperial Exceptionalism'], [[William Schryver]], February 23, 2023.</ref> It has been used to promote notions such as "American Empire", global [[hegemony]], and the "[[Liberal World Order]]". The idea of "American exceptionalism" in the hands of [[neoconservative]]s and [[liberal]] [[globalist]]s took on sinister, [[dictatorship|dictatorial]], and supremacist overtones and is cited as a cause of [[World War III]].
 ==Origins==

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 # Private property with written titles and deeds
-In more modern times the concept is often interpreted to mean, "If America does it, it's right," bringing the idea of American exceptionalism into controversy and disrepute in recent years, both in American domestic and [[foreign policy]].<ref>[https://consortiumnews.com/2023/02/28/ukraine-the-tunnel-at-the-end-of-the-light/ Ukraine: The Tunnel at the End of the Light], Robert Freeman, February 28, 2023 ''Consortium News''.</ref>  It has been criticized as outdated and [[jingoistic]].<ref>[https://imetatronink.substack.com/p/the-ontological-incoherence-of-american The Ontological Incoherence of American Imperial Exceptionalism'], William Schryver, February 23, 2023.</ref> It has been used to promote notions such as "American Empire", global [[hegemony]], and the "[[Liberal World Order]]". The idea of "American exceptionalism" in the hands of [[neoconservative]]s and [[liberal]] [[globalist]]s took on sinister, [[dictatorship|dictatorial]], and supremacist overtones and is cited as a cause of [[World War III]].
+In more modern times the concept is often interpreted to mean, "If America does it, it's right," bringing the idea of American exceptionalism into controversy and disrepute in recent years, both in American domestic and [[foreign policy]].<ref>[https://consortiumnews.com/2023/02/28/ukraine-the-tunnel-at-the-end-of-the-light/ Ukraine: The Tunnel at the End of the Light], Robert Freeman, February 28, 2023 ''[[Consortium News]]''.</ref>  It has been criticized as outdated and [[jingoistic]].<ref>[https://imetatronink.substack.com/p/the-ontological-incoherence-of-american The Ontological Incoherence of American Imperial Exceptionalism'], William Schryver, February 23, 2023.</ref> It has been used to promote notions such as "American Empire", global [[hegemony]], and the "[[Liberal World Order]]". The idea of "American exceptionalism" in the hands of [[neoconservative]]s and [[liberal]] [[globalist]]s took on sinister, [[dictatorship|dictatorial]], and supremacist overtones and is cited as a cause of [[World War III]].
 ==Origins==

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 ==Post-Cold war unipolar world==
 {{See also|Rules based order|Liberal World Order}}
-In the post-[[Cold War]] [[unipolar]] moment, the concept of American exceptionalism was hijacked by [[neoconservative]]s and [[globalist]]s to exempt the United States from [[international law]].  The U.S. appointed itself in a [[neoliberal]] "[[rules based order]]" as the "world's policeman", making up the rules as it suited itself to benefit [[Western alliance|Western]] globalists, [[oligarch]]s, and multinational corporate interests, often in violation the Charter of the [[United Nations]] and other treaty obligations.  No single nation or bloc of nations could challenge American military or economic power.  Much of the rest of the world - even trading partners, recipients of foreign aid, and countries under U.S. defense alliances such as [[NATO]], viewed the excuse of "American exceptionalism" to exempt itself from laws other nations were bound to respect, as an attitude or form of "supremacy."
+In the post-[[Cold War]] [[unipolar]] moment, the concept of American exceptionalism was hijacked by [[neoconservative]]s and [[globalist]]s to exempt the United States from [[international law]].  The U.S. appointed itself in a [[neoliberal]] "[[rules based order]]" as the "world's policeman", making up the rules as it suited itself to benefit [[Western alliance|Western]] globalists, [[oligarch]]s, and multinational corporate interests, often in violation the [[Charter of the United Nations]] and other treaty obligations.  No single nation or bloc of nations could challenge American military or economic power.  Much of the rest of the world - even trading partners, recipients of foreign aid, and countries under U.S. defense alliances such as [[NATO]], viewed the excuse of "American exceptionalism" to exempt itself from laws other nations were bound to respect, as an attitude or form of "supremacy."
 [[Donald Trump]] is the first president in modern history to shrug off the notion of American exceptionalism: "I don’t like the term,” Trump said at a [[Texas]] campaign rally in 2015. “I don’t think it’s a very nice term. ‘We’re exceptional, you’re not.’”<ref>[https://thefloutist.substack.com/p/psychology-and-disorder "Psychology and disorder." American exceptionalism and its consequences.] American exceptionalism and its consequences. PATRICK LAWRENCE, SEP 6, 2023</ref>

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 [[Alexis de Tocqueville]] is commonly cited as the originator of the phrase, and once said that the United States held a special place among [[nation]]s because it was a country of [[immigrant]]s and the first modern [[democracy]].  He specifically cited the [[American Founding]] as the basis of this exceptionalism.  Tocqueville wrote:
 [[Image:colossus.jpg|right|130px|thumb|The Statue of Tyranny]]
-{{quotebox-float|The position of the Americans is therefore quite exceptional, and it may be believed that no democratic people will ever be placed in a similar one. Their strictly [[Puritan]]ical origin, their exclusively [[commercial]] habits, even the country they inhabit, which seems to divert their minds from the pursuit of [[science]], [[literature]], and the [[arts]], the proximity of [[Europe]], which allows them to neglect these pursuits without relapsing into [[barbarism]], a thousand special causes, of which I have only been able to point out the most important, have singularly concurred to fix the mind of the American upon purely practical objects. His passions, his wants, his [[education]], and everything about him seem to unite in drawing the native of the United States earthward; his [[religion]] alone bids him turn, from time to time, a transient and distracted glance to [[heaven]]. Let us cease, then, to view all democratic nations under the example of the American people.<ref>[[Alexis de Tocqueville]], ''Democracy in America'', Volume 2, page 36-37</ref>}}
+{{quotebox-float|The position of the Americans is therefore quite exceptional, and it may be believed that no democratic people will ever be placed in a similar one. Their strictly [[Puritan]]ical origin, their exclusively [[commercial]] habits, even the country they inhabit, which seems to divert their minds from the pursuit of [[science]], [[literature]], and the [[art]]s, the proximity of [[Europe]], which allows them to neglect these pursuits without relapsing into [[barbarism]], a thousand special causes, of which I have only been able to point out the most important, have singularly concurred to fix the mind of the American upon purely practical objects. His passions, his wants, his [[education]], and everything about him seem to unite in drawing the native of the United States earthward; his [[religion]] alone bids him turn, from time to time, a transient and distracted glance to [[heaven]]. Let us cease, then, to view all democratic nations under the example of the American people.<ref>[[Alexis de Tocqueville]], ''Democracy in America'', Volume 2, page 36-37</ref>}}
 {{quotebox-float|Many important observations suggest themselves upon the social condition of the Anglo-Americans, '''but there is one which takes precedence of all the rest'''. The social condition of the Americans is eminently democratic; '''this was its character at the foundation of the Colonies, and is still more strongly marked at the present day'''.<ref>[[Alexis de Tocqueville]], ''Democracy in America'', Volume 1, page 42</ref>}}

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 [[Alexis de Tocqueville]] is commonly cited as the originator of the phrase, and once said that the United States held a special place among [[nation]]s because it was a country of [[immigrant]]s and the first modern [[democracy]].  He specifically cited the [[American Founding]] as the basis of this exceptionalism.  Tocqueville wrote:
 [[Image:colossus.jpg|right|130px|thumb|The Statue of Tyranny]]
-{{quotebox-float|The position of the Americans is therefore quite exceptional, and it may be believed that no democratic people will ever be placed in a similar one. Their strictly Puritanical origin, their exclusively commercial habits, even the country they inhabit, which seems to divert their minds from the pursuit of science, literature, and the arts, the proximity of Europe, which allows them to neglect these pursuits without relapsing into barbarism, a thousand special causes, of which I have only been able to point out the most important, have singularly concurred to fix the mind of the American upon purely practical objects. His passions, his wants, his education, and everything about him seem to unite in drawing the native of the United States earthward; his religion alone bids him turn, from time to time, a transient and distracted glance to heaven. Let us cease, then, to view all democratic nations under the example of the American people.<ref>[[Alexis de Tocqueville]], ''Democracy in America'', Volume 2, page 36-37</ref>}}
+{{quotebox-float|The position of the Americans is therefore quite exceptional, and it may be believed that no democratic people will ever be placed in a similar one. Their strictly [[Puritan]]ical origin, their exclusively [[commercial]] habits, even the country they inhabit, which seems to divert their minds from the pursuit of [[science]], [[literature]], and the [[arts]], the proximity of [[Europe]], which allows them to neglect these pursuits without relapsing into [[barbarism]], a thousand special causes, of which I have only been able to point out the most important, have singularly concurred to fix the mind of the American upon purely practical objects. His passions, his wants, his [[education]], and everything about him seem to unite in drawing the native of the United States earthward; his [[religion]] alone bids him turn, from time to time, a transient and distracted glance to [[heaven]]. Let us cease, then, to view all democratic nations under the example of the American people.<ref>[[Alexis de Tocqueville]], ''Democracy in America'', Volume 2, page 36-37</ref>}}
 {{quotebox-float|Many important observations suggest themselves upon the social condition of the Anglo-Americans, '''but there is one which takes precedence of all the rest'''. The social condition of the Americans is eminently democratic; '''this was its character at the foundation of the Colonies, and is still more strongly marked at the present day'''.<ref>[[Alexis de Tocqueville]], ''Democracy in America'', Volume 1, page 42</ref>}}

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 Throughout the entirety of human history, nearly all people have lived under some form of [[tyranny]] or another be it [[communism]], [[monarchism]], [[progressivism]], [[fascism]], or [[theocracy]]; some tyrannies heredity, others established by [[fiat]] or [[coup]], and yet still other tyrannies as the result of [[election]]s such as [[Democratic Socialism]].  America at that time stood alone in human history as the one exception to the rule of rulers.
-[[Alexis de Tocqueville]] is commonly cited as the originator of the phrase, and once said that the United States held a special place among nations because it was a country of immigrants and the first modern democracy.  He specifically cited the American Founding as the basis of this exceptionalism.  Tocqueville wrote:
+[[Alexis de Tocqueville]] is commonly cited as the originator of the phrase, and once said that the United States held a special place among [[nation]]s because it was a country of [[immigrant]]s and the first modern [[democracy]].  He specifically cited the American Founding as the basis of this exceptionalism.  Tocqueville wrote:
 [[Image:colossus.jpg|right|130px|thumb|The Statue of Tyranny]]
 {{quotebox-float|The position of the Americans is therefore quite exceptional, and it may be believed that no democratic people will ever be placed in a similar one. Their strictly Puritanical origin, their exclusively commercial habits, even the country they inhabit, which seems to divert their minds from the pursuit of science, literature, and the arts, the proximity of Europe, which allows them to neglect these pursuits without relapsing into barbarism, a thousand special causes, of which I have only been able to point out the most important, have singularly concurred to fix the mind of the American upon purely practical objects. His passions, his wants, his education, and everything about him seem to unite in drawing the native of the United States earthward; his religion alone bids him turn, from time to time, a transient and distracted glance to heaven. Let us cease, then, to view all democratic nations under the example of the American people.<ref>[[Alexis de Tocqueville]], ''Democracy in America'', Volume 2, page 36-37</ref>}}

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 * [http://www.rushlimbaugh.com/home/daily/site_041210/content/01125108.guest.html American Exceptionalism Still on Display at Horatio Alger Dinner]
 *[https://youtu.be/3hffOOiGdqk Exceptionalism: An Infantile Disorder] | [[Ray McGovern]]
 [[Category:United States of America]]