Americano Exceptionalism

A critical aspect of America’s exceptionalism is based upon the basic principles of immigration, assimilation and the rule of law.

By Richie Matthews and Lucía Matthews, for The Americano.

American Exceptionalism refers to the conventionally held belief that the United States occupies a special position among the nations of the world in terms of its unique origins, national credo, historical evolution and institutions.  The genesis of the idea is attributed to Alexis de Tocqueville, who asserted that the U.S. was special because it is a country of immigrants and the first modern democracy.

Indeed, immigrants significantly contribute to our economy by working in jobs most Americans do not want.  They, in turn, help by buying homes, cars, and provisions.  America’s exceptional quality and our wonderful cultural diversity have become secondary to the willingness of the newly arrived to work hard and become part of today’s exceptional America.

Through his classic, Democracy in America, Tocqueville asserted that merit and conformity to righteous principles leads to success.  Work is the great equalizer, “In America most of the rich men were formerly poor; most of those who now enjoy leisure were absorbed in business during their youth. “

Modern-day immigration is as important to this country’s exceptional quality as our unique origins and historical evolution.  However, our diversity is just a part of America’s exceptionalism.  Our constitutional democracy is based upon the basic principles of assimilation and rooted in the rule of law.

Most U.S. residents today are the descendants of immigrants who arrived in the U.S. during the past 150 years.  There were no substantial restrictions on immigration into the U.S. until the passage of the Quota Law of 1921.

Today, Hispanics are absorbing into society using the classic American pattern; much like past Europeans and Asians did when they arrived en-mass, according to a recent Pew Hispanics Center Study.  That is to say Hispanics are assimilating.
Because humanity is flawed nations are flawed, American virtue is mixed with vices; therefore, we must make certain the newly arrived conform to our ideals.  Championing immigration and assimilation means pushing for legal immigration.

America’s achievements owe a large debt to the belief in the exceptional character of its democratic culture.
One of the biggest fallacies of America’s critics is to emphasize John Winthrop’s pure and bright biblical “city on a hill”.  America’s democratic example does not shine like the puritan biblical “city on a hill”—ever pure, steady, and bright.  Despite its flaws, it is evident and beautiful nonetheless.  The dire flaw of this logic is to scorn this light and to confuse it with darkness.

Tocqueville believed that hope was the motivating force behind all democratic institutions.  And as such, whenever this all-encompassing hope is pulled away from the people, liberal democracy fails.

Why have so many people been so eager to leave their homelands and their families for this country?

Tocqueville’s concept and America’s sense of its unique democratic identity and mission are exactly why so many people risk their lives for just a chance to live in this country.  There is something uniquely exceptional that draws so many people into America.

Tags: Culture