The 55 years following the end of World War II are often referred to as the era of “American Exceptionalism.”  That moniker was based on our military and economic superiority as well as our political stability.  Throughout the period there were shifts in partisan control of the presidency and Congress, differences in national priorities and a fairly predictable business cycle with times of boom and bust.  Yet, life went on relatively unaffected by internal scandals such as Watergate or external conflicts such as the Korean and Vietnam conflicts.  When compared to the chaos in other nations, America, in contrast, was truly exceptional and the world looked to the United States for leadership and as a role model.

However, the reality or just the perception of exceptionalism has its down side.  Montgomery Ward thought it was an exceptional retail company.  PanAm, an exceptional airlines.  American Motors, an exceptional car manufacturer.  MCI, an exceptional telephone company.  In a guest lecture at Stanford University, Hugh Martin, CEO of Pacific Biosciences, suggested why once dominant companies fall by the wayside.  He explained a company with a major share of the market begins to think it is invincible until some young, energetic and innovative upstart comes along.  And the more dominant your share the more likely you are to ignore signs your position is threatened.

Which got me to thinking (always dangerous).  Is the United States the geopolitical equivalent of a business that once held a near monopoly in the marketplace of nations?  And did our “exceptionalism” make us fat, dumb and lazy to the point where our leaders and the general populace thought nothing or no one could push us off that pedestal like a statue of Stalin in Gorky Park.  It was then I realized the 21st century became an era of a new kind of American exceptionalism or should I say EXCEPTionalism.  Consider the following:

• Before September 11, 2001, other countries were susceptible to attacks from foreign invaders EXCEPT the United States.
• Virtually every nation on earth recognizes the threat posed by climate change and is a signatory to the Paris Climate Accords EXCEPT the United States.
• Every permanent member of the United Nations Security Council remains committed to the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (commonly referred to as the Iran nuclear deal) EXCEPT the United States.
•  Every one of our World War II allies stands behind Article V (an attack against one is an attack against all members) of the North American Treaty Organization defense agreement EXCEPT the United States even though 9/11 is the only instance in which Article V has been invoked.
• Most western nations honored their commitment to take their proportional share of Syrian and Kurdish refugees EXCEPT the United States.
• Every traditional U.S. trading partner signed on to the Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement to the Trans-Pacific Partnership (successor to the proposed Trans-Pacific Partnership) EXCEPT the United States.
• And now, of course, the current administration assumed a global pandemic was a threat to every nation EXCEPT the United States.
• And when the World Health Organization offered coronavirus tests worldwide, most nations responded positively to the overture EXCEPT the United States.

What best describes 21st century American exceptionalism?  Only four percent of the world’s population resides in the United States.  Yet, despite the fact the first case of coronavirus in the United States was reported more than a month after the initial outbreak in China or after the virus had spread through Europe, we now account for more than 25 percent of the reported COVID-19 related deaths.  That is truly exceptional.  And it did not happen by accident.

For what it’s worth.
Dr. ESP