Why do the lesser nations of the world complain about American Exceptionalism?

Question

American exceptionalism has been historically referred to as the belief that the United States differs qualitatively from other developed nations, because of its national credo, historical evolution, or distinctive political and religious institutions
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/American_exceptionalism

Instead of whining about how the US is the best, why don't they emulate us and thereby improve their own country? No one told them to embrace inferior systems of government and economics....that was entirely THEIR CHOICE! It's not like there's any huge secret how we do it

The recipe for Greatness is there for anyone to read. It's called the US Constitution:
http://www.archives.gov/national-archives-experience/charters/constitution.html

Answer 1

Amen....
If we are such a loathsome nation, why are so many defying our laws to get in, while in some cases simultaneously violating their indigenous laws to get out (of their own country)?
And what the heck ever happened to all of those who swore they'd move to Cuba if Bush became president? Hmmmmmm....apparently they must think our Constitutional Republic has a few things over a communistic dictatorship afterall, huh? What a shame. We could have done without some of them. ::shrug:::

Answer 2

Interesting quesiton, I'll try. .

Well, firstly, Our system of government is different historically than any other on this planet. Democracy is not an easy thing to accomplish. .

In fact its very difficult. . Many countries are envious of the United States, generally economically. China, which has historically been communist, (Starting under Mao ) As they tried the Russian form or communism, they did not prosper. . when someone woke up and realized the economic engine that capitalism could generate, there fortunes began to rapidly change. Although not a democracy, they are capitalistic now.

Countries like Mexico, south of our border has fought a corruption problem since its founding. . Anyone who tries for reform becomes corrupted. They seem to be content to be a parasite on the American economy by having their people go north, work and send money back home. .

The same sort of problems plague most of the South American countries, especially Venezuela. . With Chavez in power, they are going nowhere fast. . .

It take an educated and dedicated mass to form a stable government such as ours (I am not saying our politicians are educated or dedicated BTW) but until these countries can accomplish this, nothing is going to change. . .

Hope this helps!

Answer 3

Sageands comment about the US having the highest rate of child poverty in the world, by UNICEF standards, points out one more example of the damaging effects of liberalism on a society. We have the highest rate of child poverty because our permissive society does not stigmatize illegitimacy as it did in the past. Illegitimate children were once called by their traditional adjective, "bastards". The child is not a fault, but the parents are. A child in a one-parent household, where the mother must support herself while the child spends the day in daycare, is not a child in a good situation, no matter how politically incorrect that may sound. Absent and unsupporting fathers are extremely damaging to a child and therefore have a damaging effect on society as a whole. A real man takes care of his family. At any rate, the main point of your question is entirely correct. In the space of less than 300 years, a group of immigrants who were fed up with existing conditions of inopportunity in their old countries, and enabled by the freedoms provided for in the US Consitution, have created a shining beacon of example for the rest of the world. Those countries that are most successful are those who have emulated the model of the US. Two excellent examples are also former British colonies, Australia and New Zealand, whose citizens display some of those attitudes that enable, rather than hinder - a love of freedom and a can-do outlook on life, unencumbered by restrictive government regulation. Any talk of the US being hated around the world is pure BS, although many people who don't have what it takes to be successful and who feel dwarfed by US standards, are resentful and envious.

Answer 4

America is widely misunderstood around the world. I don't disagree that jealousy plays a part and that the Constitution is a great document, but I believe there are many factors that you're ignoring.

First, and most importantly, cultures are vastly different around the world. Our constitution may not work for other countries as their ways of life would not work for ours. Most American readers of your question will probably respond well to the second paragraph but do you know how that sounds to foreigners? We come off as a bunch of pompous arrogant asses! That's why the war has been so disastrous for America's image. The rest of the world sees the "big and powerful" USA making a preemptive attack on the "small and harmless" Iraq.

Secondly, you can't overlook the geographical advantages the USA has. We have access to both major oceans and trade routes. Our country is large and has lots of natural resources and products to export and trade. Landlocked countries like Poland, Laos, or Burkina Faso do not have direct access to trade routes and have to invest more money in transport.

You make it sound like all any country has to do to become relevant in the world is to slap our constitution on their form of government. So do you believe that if Eritrea adopts our constitution, they'll be "exceptional" like the USA? A bit naive I'd say. I'll stop rambling...

Answer 5

The argument is not with America being the best - it is with some Americans demaning that it is to the point of ingoring the realities.
We may be the among the richest countries on Earth but have the highest level of child poverty in the developed world.
We boast about health care while suffering the lowest life expectancy, healthy life expectancy and highest child mortality in the developed world.
Many of these countries have looked at the American model and rejected it.
And for people like you to tell they they are wrong and jealous because they have just takes the cake.

Answer 6

Hah! I am not a ¨lesser¨nation of the world, as you so charmingly put it, but one of your fellow citizens and I do take exception to so called ¨American Exceptionalism¨.

There is nothing exceptional about us except that perhaps we have been unable to come to terms with the forces that really drive us- just as they have driven every empire before us. Yes,perhaps we are exceptional in that we ,alone of all the preceding empires that have dominated for a time, are actually naive enough to believe all our foundational MYTHS,including the one that tells us that God has blessed us above all nations because He loves us more.

The U.S. is not ¨better¨than any other nation.Sometimes we get it right,more often than not we get it wrong. There are a lot of countries or societies out there that are arguably morally worse than we are but not a few that are morally better. For the time being we happen to be richer and more powerful than anybody else but that doesn't translate into being ¨qualitatively¨ better.

¨American Exceptionalism¨is the newest of American style religions. To disagree with it is, for its believers , treason or blasphemy.

I wish the nations of the world WOULD complain about American Exceptionalism! Most of them have never even heard of it and would be hard put to give credence to such an inane belief in one's own qualitative,God-given superiority.

Answer 7

US constitution is a document that has been proven over and over again to be the best for any country to follow in terms of democracy.

Answer 8

Well they did nothing while we became greedy and took. Basically the main problem is that they shouldn't have to oblige to environmental standards because we didn't have to. But you do have a point why hate when you could participate.

Answer 9

It is amazing, isn't it?

Many see our freedoms as promoting impurity, our citizens as infidels and our riches as Satan blessed.

Others like our neighbors to the south, have governments that just say, no.

Answer 10

Jealousy,man,Jealousy.