America was great

America was great

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America was great

Friedman and Mandelbaum say that America is a very exceptional country because it is established by a set of ideas, made of immigrants without any established social hierarchy of aristocrats, unlike most European countries. The exceptionalism of America has far-reaching implications for the stability of the whole world. America remains a very exceptional country, ‘According to Friedman and Mandelbaum ‘and they will want to come to America because it has the best infrastructure, the most dynamic schools, the most open economy, the most inviting immigration policies, the most efficient and stable markets’’(Para.1,pg.5). But the authors are also keen to make a point that exceptionalism isn’t a distinction that one gets, and it remains forever but it has to be regularly earned by coping with the challenges.

Friedman and Mandelbaum suggest four ways by which America can respond to the challenges of the 21st century. The challenges are; a revolution in information technology, country’s huge debt, energy consumption and the challenges that brought about globalization. The United States needs to adapt it education system to meet the demands of the trends in information technology. It also needs to keep an eye on and control run-away deficit. It also needs to begin to shift from fossil fuels.

And lastly according to Friedman and Mandelbaum, the world will be a safer and a better place with a more powerful USA exerting its influence, across all important spheres (Para.2, pg. 5).

Reference

Friedman, T. L., & Mandelbaum, M. (2011). America really was that great (but that doesn’t

mean we are now). Foreign Policy, (189), 76-78.