Is America Exceptional? – Statement Review
Essay Preview: Is America Exceptional? – Statement Review
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Through its contrasting views and statements, the complex issue, “Is America Exceptional?”, suggests that there are many significant viewpoints that one can look at to determine is America truly exceptional. Professor Seymour Marin Lipset describes the United States as an exceptional country that is distant from the rest of the countries of the world because of its revolutionary origins and because it is the most religious, patriotic, egalitarianistic and individualistic nation. Contrary, Professor Ian Tyrell criticizes the national focus on the concept of American exceptionalism and argues the development of a “transnational” history, focusing on themes of historical development common to America and other countries.
In the defensive argument made by Professor Lipset, he argues that America is the most religious, moral, rights-oriented and optimistic citizens on the planet, but he also states that America has the highest per capita crime rate and the lowest voter turnout for annual elections. He begins to state from George Piersons Tocqueville and Beaumont in America that America is exceptional from a revolutionary stance, in being the “first new nation.” Richard Hofstadter has also stated that “It has been our fate as a nation not to have ideologies, but to be one.” Professor Lipset argues that the American Creed can be described in five terms: liberty, egalitarianism, individualism, populism and laissez-faire. Tocqueville noted that America has been the most religious country in Christendom, and has exhibited greater acceptance of biblical beliefs. The emphasis on Americas individualistic-minded society can be defended by the issue from a quarter century ago when both America and Canada told both their citizens that in fifteen years, they must use only metric measurements. Although Canadas citizens respected and obeyed their government and accepted the new policy, Americans ignored the new policy and to this day our highways signs still refer to miles, weights are in pounds and temperature is still read in Fahrenheit. Professor Lipset closes by saying that America is still the wealthiest country in income terms, highest in proportions of people who graduate in a higher education, leader in upward mobility into professional and other high-status occupations, and continues to be the most religious, moral, optimistic and egalitarianistic nation.
The offensive argument made by Professor Ian Tyrell criticizes the national focus