American Exceptionalism An Experiment in History

by Murray, Charles

• ISBN13: 9780844772646
• ISBN10: 084477264X
• Format: Paperback
• Copyright: 2013-07-17
• Publisher: NATIONAL BOOK NETWORK

Summary

The phrase “American exceptionalism” is used in many ways and for many purposes, but its original meaning involved a statement of fact: for the first century after the Constitution went into effect, European observers and Americans alike saw the United States as exceptional, with political and civic cultures that had no counterparts anywhere else.

In American Exceptionalism: An Experiment in History, Charles Murray describes how America’s geography, ideology, politics, and daily life set the new nation apart from Europe in the 18th and 19th centuries. He then discusses the ways that exceptionalism changed during America’s evolution over the course of the 20th century. Which changes are gains to be applauded? Which are losses to be mourned? Answering these questions is the essential first step in discovering what you want for America’s future.

Author Biography

Charles Murray is the W. H. Brady Scholar at the American Enterprise Institute. He first came to national attention in 1984 with Losing Ground. His subsequent books include In Pursuit, The Bell Curve (with Richard J. Herrnstein), What It Means to Be a Libertarian, Human Accomplishment, In Our Hands, Real Education, and Coming Apart. He received a bachelor’s degree in history from Harvard and a Ph.D. in political science from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology. He lives with his wife in Burkittsville, Maryland.

Table of Contents

1. Introduction
2. The Elements of American Exceptionalism
3. Is the United States Still Exceptional?
4. Conclusion