A few weeks ago, President Putin of Russia wrote a controversial op-ed to America that was stimulated by the crisis in Syria. In his article, he took exception to the phrase “American exceptionalism.” That is understandable, especially with the problem of how this is translated into other languages. To Europeans, and especially Russians, anything that seems to promote pride in a people group brings back all of the horrors of the Nazis and their “master race.” We, therefore, should not be surprised or offended when others do not understand the term “American exceptionalism.” It is not even understood by many Americans. However, it is true, and we need to understand how it is true.
First, the term is not meant to imply that the American people are smarter or better than any other people. However, the American government promoted a way of life that was different than that which was found in any other nation. “American exceptionalism” may sound arrogant, but to be exceptional does not mean that you are better or worse. It means you are different. There are some ways that America is different than any other nation.
Americans are in some ways, like it or not, an exception, and that makes Americans exceptional. Again, to be an exception, or exceptional, does not necessarily mean that you are better than others. However, in the case of America, this exception was better in many ways. Several nations have copied the way that America is an exception, and to the degree that they did, most have prospered. This is because what was exceptional about the American government was that it gave people the freedom to be what most other governments had suppressed, or at least tried to control. The American form of government released initiative by protecting it and its rewards.
American innovation is not the result of Americans being smarter, it has been simply the result of human initiative being promoted, honored, and protected. Now consider this: Chinese Americans can be as innovative as any other Americans, but Chinese in China are not. Why? China is prospering and growing fast economically, but virtually all of this growth is the result of copying what others are doing, not by innovation. However, we can be relatively sure that if China discovers the secret that releases initiative in people, they will excel at it, and the Chinese in China will match the innovation of people anywhere. This is something that is common to all people, but there are conditions required to release it. These conditions were placed in the core of the American system of government and the American culture.
America has recently been turning away from what made us exceptional. To the degree that we have done this, we are now being plundered and impoverished. This is one of the great tragedies of these times. Within just a couple of decades, America went from being the greatest creditor nation in history to being the most indebted nation in history, mostly because of this turning.
Because of this turning, America will not likely be an exceptional nation much longer. Next week, we will examine the factors that made America exceptional, and how they are now being removed from our culture, so that we will never again stand out among the nations.
