The word exceptionalism often gets misunderstood by many and it can lead people to
think that American Exceptionalism means America is simply better or greater but that not true.
“The phrase “American exceptionalism” was coined by Stalin, however, the
key term “exceptional” referring to the United States dates back in history to
Alexis de Tocqueville who described the American people as being different
from European ones – an exceptional people with exceptionally enlightened
social ideas.”1 In my understanding, American Exceptionalism isn’t just requiring me to
believe that America is bigger, stronger, better and has the largest military in the world but that
it’s a different idea of government compared to most countries in Europe and the rest of the
world. It’s a different concept of government and the way it was established by our founding
fathers and the way it is operated by the people and for the people. Also, the concept of American
exceptionalism has become associated with meanings that are filled with emotion and value
judgments—intertwined with patriotism, for those who approve of it, or connoting jingoism or
chauvinism, for those who disapprove.2
According to Newt Gingrich, who gave his thoughts on what American Exceptionalism is
during his video interview, America isn’t just a great country it’s a great idea. America is the only
society in history to say that power comes from God to the individual, making the individual
personally sovereign.3 It’s an idea where people loan power to the government rather than the
11 Pirnuţă, Oana-Andreea, American Exceptionalism (Journal of Defense Resources Management. 2019)
22 Charles A. Murray, American Exceptionalism: An Experiment in History, Values and capitalism. (Washington, D.C.:
AEI Press, 2013)
33 3 Gingrich, Documents of the Exceptional.
government loaning power to the people. It is opposite the model of European government,
where in most of Europe, people are accountable to the King or Emperor; in the United States the
government is accountable to the people.
Sociologist, historian and author Charles Murray tells us that,
“American exceptionalism does not imply American excellence or
superiority.” For this reason, another point that he makes about American
Exceptionalism seems logical, that not only Americans, but others around the
Western world also profess this concept of American Exceptionalism.
Exceptional can be defined as “unusually good or outstanding,” but in the
instance of American Exceptionalism, it is defined as “unusual, not typical.”
Although, as Americans, we may consider our country and its government
“unusually good or outstanding,” American exceptionalism actually refers to
its history of being “unusual, not typical. Understanding this helps us to
better understand the concept of American Exceptionalism.
As an individual who has lived in a foreign country and has seen people who were
persecuted by their own government for their faith or their political beliefs, I can agree that
American Exceptionalism is very relevant to me. You can’t really appreciate the freedom unless
you have been persecuted by a group of people or your government. I believe that is it extremely
important that we must continue to protect the freedoms and the very ideas of American
Exceptionalism that were once brought forth by our founding fathers. This way we protect a
government that is of, by and for the people, and prevent our government from becoming an
authoritarian regime.
Bibliography
Pirnuţă, Oana-Andreea. "AMERICAN EXCEPTIONALISM." Journal of Defense Resources Management 8, no. 2
(2017): 121-8, http://ezproxy.liberty.edu/login?url=https://search.proquest.com/docview/1994983416?
accountid=12085.
Murray, Charles A. American Exceptionalism: An Experiment in History. Values and capitalism.
Washington, D.C.: AEI Press, 2013.
Gingrich, Newt. 2011. Documents of the Exceptional. Interview by Johnnie Moore. Liberty
University Blackboard site. https://learn.liberty.edu/.
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