The United States is known for its promotion of the idea of American exceptionalism. The premise that this society combines morals and practices unprecedented in history is an extremely appealing political platform. Although the question of America’s uniqueness is very debated today, it is not new. This ideology can be traced back to the eighteenth century, even before the United States was formed. Two French writers J. Hector St. John Crevecoeur and Alexis de Tocqueville played probably the most important role in the rising popularity of the idea of American uniqueness. Understanding what de Tocqueville’s and Crevecoeur’s writings focused on is essential in ascertaining the causes of further studies of American exceptionalism.
J. Hector St. John Crevecoeur was a French writer who travelled to America and wrote a series of letters known as “Letters from an American Farmer”. Out of twelve letters, one deserves a particular notion – “What Is an American?”. In it, the author goes into detail describing various social phenomena, which sound alien to the Europeans of that time. Particularly, Crevecoeur’s fascination with America is evident in this line: “Here are no aristocratical families, no courts, no kings, no bishops, no ecclesiastical dominion, no invisible power giving to a few a very visible one; no great manufacturers employing thousands, no great refinements of luxury”1. This statement signifies the challenges and disadvantages of the French society, which were seemingly resolved in America.
When describing the Americans, Crevecoeur focuses on the negative features of his own society. For instance, by calling Americans free, he refers to the different social hierarchy. Unlike the contemporary European societies, there was no hereditary aristocracy in America. In practice, it means that personal achievements and positions are not passed down to one’s offsprings. Such a system is more respective of personal rights and freedoms than the European one, which is more rigid. As the United States was initially intended as a republic, there was no monarchy, which again appealed to the revolutionary French worldviews. The absence of bishops did not mean that they were not present, but rather they had no access to power, thus making America a secular society. Overall, Crevecoeur described a society drastically different from France and Europe of the eighteenth century.
Another important trait of America is the melting pot of nationalities. Crevecoeur expresses his admiration for the intercultural mix of diverse ethnic groups, which have obtained a new identity. In this sense, America is presented as an asylum for poor people, political refugees and other migrants that did not feel adequate in their homelands. The subsequent implication is that America’s mixing of nationalities was a solution to Europe, which was so filled with injustice and conflicts that it needed to have its own melting pot.
Crevecoeur’s study of American society was further developed by Alexis de Tocqueville’ “Democracy in America”. He also wrote about the equality of opportunities, which created specific social conditions in America. For instance, he wrote that “a middle standard is fixed in America for human knowledge”2. Subsequently, education or professional instruction was available to everyone. The best and the most qualitative education could be accessed by a few. At the same time, there were no people who would receive no instruction.
The variety of liberties and rights further extends into the elective system. Tocqueville praises the United States for the way power is distributed. All citizens can influence the decision-making in some way, whether it is by participation in elections or by being elected. However, American democracy differs from the classic notion, which had been present in Ancient Greece. Instead of all people voting for or against a particular decision, the voters elect their representatives, who will in turn, make decisions and vote on a higher level. This system simultaneously allows the people to express their will and circumscribes it.
Tocqueville notes that unlike European people, who could not criticise or hold the King accountable, Americans could. This was due to the system of check and balance, which allowed removing leaders from power. In essence, the United States was the monarchy reversed because it was assumed that the majority was always right in contrast to the French system, where the King could not be wrong.
Tocqueville viewed the monarchy as a self-defeating system. The King will always be above the law because they could single-handedly change the legislation. The same could not have been applied to the United States. First, there was no monarchy in America and the president was themselves bound by limitations. Second, law was not as important as was custom3. Political customs dictated much of America’s decisions.
Altogether, America at the time presented a society, which was a stark contrast to Europe and France in particular. The French authors used the advantages of the United States social and political system to accentuate the deficiencies of their own nations. The most appealing characteristic of America was the concentration of power in the hands of the majority opposed to Europe, where power was in the hands of the privileged minority. This contrast was the reason behind fascination with the United States. It became an example of an alternative solution to social and political problems in Europe and a symbol of American uniqueness, which continues to this day.
Bibliography
Crevecoeur, John. Letters from an American Farmer. New York: EP Dutton, 1957.
Tocqueville, Alexis De. Democracy in America. N.p.: Independently Published, 2020.
Footnotes
- Crevecoeur, John. Letters from an American Farmer (New York: EP Dutton, 1957), 1.
- Tocqueville, Alexis De. Democracy in America (New York: N.p.: Independently Published, 2020), 40.
- Tocqueville, Alexis De. Democracy in America (New York: N.p.: Independently Published, 2020), 43.