The Myth of American Exceptionalism Examined
This essay critically examines the myth of American exceptionalism—the belief that the United States is uniquely moral, divinely guided, and singularly devoted to liberty. Drawing on scholars such as Stephen M. Walt, Hilde Eliassen Restad, and James Caesar, as well as journalist Suzy Hansen's firsthand account of living abroad, the paper explores how exceptionalist ideology shapes American foreign policy, discourages self-criticism, and contributes to domestic failures such as poor healthcare outcomes. The essay acknowledges more benign interpretations of exceptionalism before concluding that any uncritical embrace of national superiority carries significant risks in a world that demands geopolitical cooperation and honest self-assessment.
- Introduction: America's Self-Image: Defining exceptionalism and stating the thesis
- Exceptionalism and Foreign Policy: How exceptionalism justifies military intervention abroad
- Global Perceptions and Media Bias: How foreign audiences experience American exceptionalism
- Domestic Consequences: Healthcare and Social Mobility: Exceptionalism's role in ignoring domestic policy failures
- A More Benign View of Exceptionalism: Caesar's sympathetic reinterpretation of exceptionalism
- The Dangers of Exceptionalism and a Path Forward: Conclusion calling for a more cooperative national identity
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What makes this paper effective
- The essay draws on a range of credible, ideologically varied sources—from Walt's Foreign Policy critique to Caesar's more sympathetic reading—demonstrating balanced engagement with the debate rather than a one-sided argument.
- It moves logically from abstract ideology (the nature of exceptionalism) to concrete consequences (healthcare rankings, Vietnam), grounding its argument in real-world evidence.
- The inclusion of Suzy Hansen's firsthand expatriate perspective adds a compelling personal dimension that complements the academic sources effectively.
Key academic technique demonstrated
The paper models the technique of steelmanning: it fairly represents the most sympathetic version of the opposing position (Caesar's benign interpretation) before rebutting it with Restad's broader critique. This prevents the essay from feeling polemical and strengthens its overall credibility.
Structure breakdown
The essay opens by defining American exceptionalism and stating a clear thesis. It then examines exceptionalism's influence on foreign policy rhetoric, global perceptions, and domestic policy failures. A middle section grants genuine space to the counterargument (Caesar) before closing with Restad's rebuttal and a forward-looking conclusion. The annotated bibliography provides additional context on each source's argumentative stance.
Introduction: America's Self-Image
The myth of American exceptionalism is familiar to Americans and non-Americans alike. It suggests that America, as the home of the free and the brave, is unique in its allowance of freedom and social mobility, in contrast to Europe, Asia, and other, much older civilizations. Yet as noted by Stephen M. Walt in his essay "The Myth of American Exceptionalism," perhaps one of the most ordinary aspects of America is its view of itself as exceptional. A more critical approach to America's history, ideology, and identity is needed for America to move forward and to achieve the political and social evolution the future demands. Of course, it is reasonable to take pride in one's nation. But to view one nation as exceptional — and as the only nation worthy of defending and defining liberty — will inevitably lead to strife with the rest of the world.
Exceptionalism and Foreign Policy
Walt notes that whenever America's leaders make a case for military action abroad, they often invoke America's unique responsibility as a great power. Great Britain similarly viewed itself as carrying "the white man's burden" during its age of empire, and the Soviet Union claimed that spreading communist ideology was rooted in altruism. Linked to this notion is the idea that America is more moral than other nations. This encourages an uncritical attitude toward American action in the world, Walt argues. In fact, America has often used religious justification — as was the case with Manifest Destiny and westward expansion — to legitimize policies with a strong self-interested basis.
Global Perceptions and Media Bias
The American expatriate Suzy Hansen wrote that living abroad in Turkey gave her a bracing introduction to the ways in which the rest of the world views America, and to the extent to which American media provides a xenophobic and jingoistic portrayal of other nations: "I could see how alienating they were to foreigners, the way articles spoke always from a position of American power, treating foreign countries as if they were America's misbehaving children." In other words, if America is cast as the defender of liberty and the world's police force, then the logical conclusion is that all nations opposing America must be evil. American citizens — and even American policy-makers — are often surprised to learn that the rest of the world thinks otherwise. This dynamic makes it difficult to establish dialogue with adversaries and to build durable alliances with sympathetic partners.
Works Cited
Caesar, James W. "The Origins and Character of American Exceptionalism." American Political Thought 1.1 (Spring 2012): 3–28.
Hansen, Suzy. "Unlearning the Myth of American Innocence." The Guardian, 8 Aug. 2017. Web. 5 Apr. 2018.
Khazan, Olga. "What's Actually Wrong With the U.S. Health System." The Atlantic, 14 Jul. 2015. Web. 5 Apr. 2018.
Restad, Hilde Eliassen. "Old Paradigms in History Die Hard in Political Science: U.S. Foreign Policy and American Exceptionalism." American Political Thought 1.1 (2012): 53–76.
Walt, Stephen M. "The Myth of American Exceptionalism." Foreign Policy (2011): 72–75.
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