American Exceptionalism in the 21st Century

American Exceptionalism in the 21st Century

Abstract

American exceptionalism is a bundle of ideas, creed, or ideology that defines what is unique about the United States. It also refers to the fundamental concepts and narratives that reoccur in American political culture and influence foreign policy. The thinking runs deep in American politics, and its ethos tied to the creed of American individualism, liberalism, and pragmatism.

According to the author, how did the idea of American exceptionalism emerge in American politics?

American exceptionalism has evolved as a mixture of mythology and ideology. The use of the term “exceptionalism” began during the 20th Century as politicians and scholars started to construct a political ideology that was unique to the country. The culmination of the process was in 2012 during the presidential campaigns. All the leading candidates evoked the term to define their foreign policies. However, the idea is as old as the American republic because of its unique history. As the concept evolved, it became more complex and captured various aspects of American history and culture. At the core of the idea is the belief that the country is a puritan society and land that provides refuge to victims of bad governance. It means that the state that the first Puritan immigrants in New England sought to create was a republic dedicated to a popular form of government to empower citizens to improve their lives..

In exceptional thinking, the movement of the puritans to the American colonies had nothing to do with the cruelty of Charles I. It had everything to do with the desire of the political dissidents from England to adopt a craftsman’s work ethic focusing on individual and independent achievement. The Puritans believed that their settlement in New England had a divine intervention that guided their movements to the land. They also thought that they were special agents from God sent to establish the independent government. The exceptionalist ideology starts with this part of the first immigrant’s history to give the narrative a purpose of service to humanity that is divinely inspired.

Describe Thomas Jefferson’s view about American exceptionalism.

Thomas Jefferson is one of the founding fathers of the United States who played a leading role in the debates about American foreign policy. He is among the early leaders who believed that America was going to be an exceptional nation in the world because it would have a unique form of government committed to individual liberty. At the same time, he pursued an expansionist agenda by extending the influence of the country to the Pacific. His actions were, in some cases, aggressive and unilateral, like his deployment of marines to battle Barbary pirates in Tripoli. Some observers also consider him as an isolationist leader because of his reluctance to build strong diplomatic relationships with Europe. At the same time, he was committed to establishing an international commercial system based on American liberalism ideas.

Thomas Jefferson’s plan was an inward-looking exceptionalism. He was committed to creating a unique country, but reluctant to impose the tradition to any nation on earth. People who believe in these ideals believe that maintaining democracy in a country is a complicated process. Therefore, it would be impossible to impose the same to another nation and ensure that it is successful. The behavior of isolationism is prevalent among some supporters of Jefferson’s school of thought because it encourages the country to avoid sticking to a single ally. It makes it easy to change alliances that are convenient for the country. Therefore, Thomas Jefferson’s attitude towards foreign policy shows a leader who viewed diplomacy as opportunities to further American interests by aligning with a partner that gives the best return to the country.

Explain the “Monroe Doctrine” as authored by Quincy Adams and how other U.S. Presidents in Latin America used it. Why did President Roosevelt abolish it?

In 1823, John Quincy Adams authored the Monroe Doctrine as a guide to the country’s approach to European aggression in Latin America. The message was clear that the United States would not entertain the establishment of European colonies in Latin American after Spain tried to do so in 1821. The Doctrine was transformed by President Theodore Roosevelt in 1904 and used to intervene in Haiti in 1915 and the Dominican Republic in 1916. Franklin Roosevelt reformed it further and established friendly diplomatic relationships with the neighbors. The main reason for the abolishment of the Monroe Doctrine was because it had created a hostile attitude towards the United States by most Latin American nations. However, during the Cold War, the country made similar interventions like the ones done under the Doctrine to prevent the spread of Communism. Therefore, the development of “Monroe Doctrine” was essential in providing stability in Latin America by preventing aggressive behavior from European powers in the region.

Explain Fredrick Jackson Turner’s views on American exceptionalism

Fredrick Jackson Turner’s views on American exceptionalism operates based on America’s frontier experience. In his opinion, the experience shapes the country’s culture. The definition later evolved to include outward expansion that America uses to define its security interests. Turner’s writing was critical in education, influencing generations of Americans to believe in individualism and achievement through hard work, dedication, social mobility, and encouraging the spirit of entrepreneurship. His frontier myth shaped exceptionalism, thinking to amplify the belief that America was a distinct country than any other nation in the world.

Explain John L. O’Sullivan’s concept of “Manifest Destiny” and how this influenced American foreign policy.

John O’Sullivan was an editor of the Democratic Review when he coined the concept of “Manifest Destiny” to justify the annexation of Texas. Essentially, O’Sullivan was promoting an expansionist strategy like other earlier scholars such as Jackson Turner. The manifest destiny began as an idea justifying for expansion across the continent, and later into a mandate to do so abroad. The concept transitioned into a pragmatic approach in international relations that encourages American leaders to act to create order and stability in the world. Most of the American interventions, such as the Spanish-American War of 1898, are premised on this idea. The sense of duty would later transform the foreign policy to be about the promotion of the American model of governance (republican democracy and liberalism) and creating a global system of trade and investment that guarantees foreign markets for American goods.