When America was in its earliest stages of becoming, it was a great source of entertainment, study and speculation to the watching eyes of the world. Many were watching for its success--a few perhaps for its failure.
The French statesman, historian, politician, Alex de Tocqueville, came to America in 1831 to study and compare our short existence to other democracies throughout time.
"I confess that in America I saw more than America, I sought the image of democracy itself; with its inclinations, its characters, its prejudices, and its passions, in order to learn what we have to fear or hope for its progress."
His extensive observations, hypotheses, and conclusions can be found in Democracy in America (available online). It's a hefty work consisting of two volumes, copious sections, and a long list of appendixes. Yet, it's a fascinating read, of which I have only barely touched.
He couldn't have imagined the superpower America would become: "Almost all the nations that have exercised a powerful influence upon the destinies of the world, by conceiving, following out and executing vast designs, from the Romans to the English, have been governed by aristocratic institutions."
Almost two hundred years later, we've proven an aristocracy is not requisite to generate world wide influence.
One of our own had his doubts too. Walt Whitman believed that America might be "the most tremendous failure of all time."
And more dire predictions from Henry Adams, "At the rate of increase of speed and momentum, the present society must break its damn neck in a definite, but remote, time, not exceeding fifty years or more."
Rudyard Kipling in his 1889 visit to America saw it as an "epic archipelago of warring tribes bound to break up as disgruntled factions compete for a share of diminishing natural resources."
At the World's Columbian Exhibition in Chicago in 1893, Frederick Jackson Turner told historians that the American characteristics of energy, dominant individualism and democracy must be in jeopardy because they had their roots in a frontier that had all but vanished.
Good 'ol Teddy Roosevelt found himself defending America in the presence of HG Wells in 1905. Wells asked, "Does this magnificent appearance of beginnings which is America convey a clear and certain promise of permanence and fulfillment whatever? Is America a giant childhood or a giant futility?" To which big stick Teddy responded "The effort--the effort's worth it."
Do we all realize we are part of a nation still in its youngest years?
By comparison, the Roman Empire lasted almost 500 years.
The English empire approximately 300 years which continued on as the British empire for another 300 years.
As I hop around the world, I see that different empires/nations averaged around 400 years and more often than not, much less than 400 years.
It is one of Tocqueville's ideas that most fascinates me: "America is the only country in which it has been possible to witness the natural and tranquil growth of society, and where the influence exercised on the future condition of states by their origin is clearly distinguishable." In other words, at his point in time, we were the only nation that could be observed from its very beginning. Never before had a nation been so watched and so clearly documented. An easy study.
At a recent gathering, I heard a social worker say that America was no better off than the rest of the world. I disagreed. The worst of living conditions in America are still better than pockets of depravity around the world. Does everyone in America have access to drinking water? Is every American entitled to education?
Within days of the social worker's comment, I asked my students, is America considered a cruel or a benevolent nation? Again, I was taken aback to hear a student say vehemently that we are a nation of cruelty. I didn't argue, because certainly there is proof to back his belief. But I want him to be wrong, as I don't believe a nation of cruelty can survive, and if my beliefs have any merit, we have only a few hundred years left. I will be long gone. Why should I care? Why should anyone care?
Because America began with a golden ideal. The pursuit of happiness as an entitlement to all. Freedom to worship for all. The right to prosperity, to own a home and own land for all. I hope immensely that America and her privileges will last forever.
Yet, I can't help but think of another observer of America, who spoke at a national prayer breakfast in 1994. Mother Teresa spoke in the presence of the Clinton administration and told the world that a nation who kills their unborn, is a nation that can't survive.
God bless America.
*Turner, Kipling, Wells, Whitman, Adams quotes all found in The American Century by Harold Evans.
The French statesman, historian, politician, Alex de Tocqueville, came to America in 1831 to study and compare our short existence to other democracies throughout time.
"I confess that in America I saw more than America, I sought the image of democracy itself; with its inclinations, its characters, its prejudices, and its passions, in order to learn what we have to fear or hope for its progress."
His extensive observations, hypotheses, and conclusions can be found in Democracy in America (available online). It's a hefty work consisting of two volumes, copious sections, and a long list of appendixes. Yet, it's a fascinating read, of which I have only barely touched.
He couldn't have imagined the superpower America would become: "Almost all the nations that have exercised a powerful influence upon the destinies of the world, by conceiving, following out and executing vast designs, from the Romans to the English, have been governed by aristocratic institutions."
Almost two hundred years later, we've proven an aristocracy is not requisite to generate world wide influence.
One of our own had his doubts too. Walt Whitman believed that America might be "the most tremendous failure of all time."
And more dire predictions from Henry Adams, "At the rate of increase of speed and momentum, the present society must break its damn neck in a definite, but remote, time, not exceeding fifty years or more."
Rudyard Kipling in his 1889 visit to America saw it as an "epic archipelago of warring tribes bound to break up as disgruntled factions compete for a share of diminishing natural resources."
At the World's Columbian Exhibition in Chicago in 1893, Frederick Jackson Turner told historians that the American characteristics of energy, dominant individualism and democracy must be in jeopardy because they had their roots in a frontier that had all but vanished.
Good 'ol Teddy Roosevelt found himself defending America in the presence of HG Wells in 1905. Wells asked, "Does this magnificent appearance of beginnings which is America convey a clear and certain promise of permanence and fulfillment whatever? Is America a giant childhood or a giant futility?" To which big stick Teddy responded "The effort--the effort's worth it."
Do we all realize we are part of a nation still in its youngest years?
By comparison, the Roman Empire lasted almost 500 years.
The English empire approximately 300 years which continued on as the British empire for another 300 years.
As I hop around the world, I see that different empires/nations averaged around 400 years and more often than not, much less than 400 years.
It is one of Tocqueville's ideas that most fascinates me: "America is the only country in which it has been possible to witness the natural and tranquil growth of society, and where the influence exercised on the future condition of states by their origin is clearly distinguishable." In other words, at his point in time, we were the only nation that could be observed from its very beginning. Never before had a nation been so watched and so clearly documented. An easy study.
At a recent gathering, I heard a social worker say that America was no better off than the rest of the world. I disagreed. The worst of living conditions in America are still better than pockets of depravity around the world. Does everyone in America have access to drinking water? Is every American entitled to education?
Within days of the social worker's comment, I asked my students, is America considered a cruel or a benevolent nation? Again, I was taken aback to hear a student say vehemently that we are a nation of cruelty. I didn't argue, because certainly there is proof to back his belief. But I want him to be wrong, as I don't believe a nation of cruelty can survive, and if my beliefs have any merit, we have only a few hundred years left. I will be long gone. Why should I care? Why should anyone care?
Because America began with a golden ideal. The pursuit of happiness as an entitlement to all. Freedom to worship for all. The right to prosperity, to own a home and own land for all. I hope immensely that America and her privileges will last forever.
Yet, I can't help but think of another observer of America, who spoke at a national prayer breakfast in 1994. Mother Teresa spoke in the presence of the Clinton administration and told the world that a nation who kills their unborn, is a nation that can't survive.
God bless America.
*Turner, Kipling, Wells, Whitman, Adams quotes all found in The American Century by Harold Evans.