Drilling Down on American Exceptionalism

Below you will find the summary that I have promised you regarding Charles Murray's "American Exceptionalism - An Experiment in History". We will be using this material and the book itself for our in class activities to help build your familiarity with and understanding  of the meaning of American Exceptionalism.

Elements of an Exceptional Culture

RICE

Religiosity

Source of social activism

Source of utopian aspirations

Source of inner self-government

Industriousness

Self-reliance 

Hard work

Getting Ahead

Community Life

Civic Engagement

Neighborliness

Social Trust

Egalitarianism

No aristocracy

Identification with the middle class

Equality of human dignity

(pages 17-31)

America is a culture borne out of the frontier and forged into a practical ideology rooted in truisms of human nature and freedom. This ideology maintains that each of us has unalienable natural rights  -- life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness, which “cannot be given, or withheld, by the state”.

Giving validation to the existence of these “God given” rights is the notion that virtue and intelligence reside within us all. If so, it follows naturally that each of us has a moral compass. When combined with our belief in the innate goodness of our fellow man it is not surprising that one of our most coveted rewards is the regard and respect of others, which the Framers correctly recognized as a means of encouraging good behavior.  

However, they also were very aware of the dangers inherent in providing government with coercive power. As Madison wrote in the Federalist Papers, “In framing a government that is to be administered by men over men, the difficulty lies in enabling the government to control the governed while in the next place obliging it to control itself.”

Americans were much more comfortable with Adam Smith’s “invisible hand” of the marketplace or de Tocqueville’s “self interest rightly understood” than they ever were with consenting to government authority.  In general, it has been the natural inclination of the people to be suspicious of power and distrustful of government concurring with Thomas Paine’s characterization of it as a “necessary evil”. Here we see concrete evidence supporting the existence of a universal moral compass and the goodness of all.

However, the Framers were also realists who understood that while socially human beings were generally thoughtful and considerate, in political discourse human beings were easily tempted to seek solutions though leveraging power. This leverage was most commonly achieved through factionalism, which Madison correctly identified as an existential threat to freedom and ultimately the Republic. Factions were defined as groups of people who shared a common interest or passion and actively coordinated themselves for maximum political effect to achieve the consensual ends that united them.  While factions were a natural and healthy part of the democratic process, when left unchecked they could “strangle freedom and destroy republics.” 

Since factions cannot be prevented, government can only work to limit their evil effects. As Madison wrote in the Federalist Papers, “If men were angels no government would be necessary…. In framing a government which is to be administered by men over men, the great difficulty lies in this: you must first enable the government to control the governed; and in the next place oblige it to control itself.” As a specific solution to this problem, the Framers provided the checks and balances that exist between the executive, legislative and judicial branches as well as the Bill of Rights.

Questions for Group 1

Define

Complete ONE of these statements to define "industriousness". You may add ONE additional sentence. Your definition MUST include the THREE KEYS associated with "industriousness".

• In order to be industrious...
• Industriousness means...
• When you look for industriousness in America, you will see...

Consider Relationships

Use the following questions to consider the relationship amongst the THREE KEYS associated with "industriousness".

• Does one key lead to another? Can you identify any causal relationships?
• Rate the keys in order of power/strength/importance. Why did you rate them this way?

Consider Process

Think of your definition of "industriousness" from above as an end result or product. Using the THREE KEYS draw a diagram or create a flow chart to explain the process that leads to the product or end result.

Questions for Group 2

Complete ONE of these statements to define "community life". You may add ONE additional sentence. Your definition MUST include the THREE KEYS associated with "community life ".

• In order for there to be community life in America...
• Community life means...
• When you look for community life in America, you will see...

Consider Relationships

Use the following questions to consider the relationship amongst the THREE KEYS associated with "community life".

• Does one key lead to another? Can you identify any causal relationships?
• Rate the keys in order of power/strength/importance. Why did you rate them this way?

Consider Process

Think of your definition of "community life" from above as an end result or product. Using the THREE KEYS draw a diagram or create a flow chart to explain the process that leads to the product or end result.

Questions for Group 3

Complete ONE of these statements to define "egalitarianism". You may add ONE additional sentence. Your definition MUST include the THREE KEYS associated with "egalitarianism".

• Egalitarianism in America requires...
• Egalitarianism means...
• When you look for egalitarianism in America, you will see...

Consider Relationships

Use the following questions to consider the relationship amongst the THREE KEYS associated with "egalitarianism".

• Does one key lead to another? Can you identify any causal relationships?
• Rate the keys in order of power/strength/importance. Why did you rate them this way?

Consider Process

Think of your definition of "egalitarianism" from above as an end result or product. Using the THREE KEYS draw a diagram or create a flow chart to explain the process that leads to the product or end result.

Questions for Group 4

Complete ONE of these statements to define "religiosity". You may add ONE additional sentence. Your definition MUST include the THREE KEYS associated with "religiosity".

• Religiosity in America requires...
• Religiosity means...
• When you look for religiosity in America, you will see...

Consider Relationships

Use the following questions to consider the relationship amongst the THREE KEYS associated with "religiosity".

• Does one key lead to another? Can you identify any causal relationships?
• Rate the keys in order of power/strength/importance. Why did you rate them this way?

Consider Process

Think of your definition of "religiosity" from above as an end result or product. Using the THREE KEYS draw a diagram or create a flow chart to explain the process that leads to the product or end result.

Follow Up Activity for All Groups

Read the five paragraph summary that follows the elements of an exceptional culture. 

America is a culture borne out of the frontier and forged into a practical ideology rooted in truisms of human nature and freedom. 

• Make a list of the "truisms of human nature"
• Write a specific explanation of how these truisms of human nature are complimentary to the American ideology that "...each of us has unalienable natural rights  -- life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness, which 'cannot be given, or withheld, by the state'".