American exceptionalism is the idea that the United States and the American people hold a special place in the world, by
Posted: Thu May 05, 2022 7:04 am
American exceptionalism is the idea
that the United States and the American people hold a special place
in the world, by offering opportunity and hope for humanity,
derived from a unique balance of public and private interests
governed by constitutional ideals that are focused on personal and
economic freedom.
https://www.academickids.com/encycloped ... ptionalism (Links
to an external site.)
Nobel Laurate Milton Friedman laid out the case that America is
exceptional. The adoption of a free market capitalist economic
system which leaves all people Free to Choose to
engage in mutually beneficial voluntary exchange has created
extraordinary and historically unprecedented wealth and has
distributed that wealth equitably among the whole population.
Inherent in free market capitalism is a maximum personal liberty
ethos where the government does not coerce or use financial
incentives to modify people’s behavior or belief systems. Being
Free to Choose means not only being free to buy, sell and consume
what you want but, also, the right to work at a profession of your
choice, live where you want, marry whomever you wish, raise your
kids as you desire, own a gun if you wish, practice the religion of
your choice, say what you wish and vote and advocate for the people
and government policies you support.
Friedman argues that economic and personal freedom are linked.
One produces the other and, without one, you cannot have the other.
Economic freedom (capitalism and free markets) creates and
equitably distributes wealth and puts the ability to protect
freedom, both political and economic, in the hands of ordinary
people.
With disposable income, ordinary people can fight government
predation on their economic welfare and restriction of their
personal freedom. In the vast majority of cases, this is done
non-violently by voting for and financially supporting amenable
political candidates, but, historically, the fight has infrequently
involved violence, e.g. the Civil War which was fought to end
slavery and, to a lesser extent, the Civil Rights Movement which
guaranteed equal rights for blacks. Without economic freedom,
ordinary people would not have the resources or ability to protect
their economic and personal freedom and their economic and
political freedom would not survive.
Hernando DeSoto, in The Mystery of Capital,
identified two aspects of being Free to Choose, the Rule of Law and
Strong Personal Property Rights (including clear and transferrable
title to property) which are necessary and required conditions for
a capitalist free market system to work.
Stephen Moore, in Trumponomics: Inside America First
Plan to Revive Our Economy, explained how a political
candidate’s platform can revolve around the idea of limiting
government laws and regulations which reduce personal and economic
freedom and limiting and reducing confiscatory taxes.
Richard McGregor, in The Party, The Secret World of
China’s Communist Rulers, describes an alternative to a free
market capitalist system, a socialist/communist system where there
is no political or personal freedom and with limited economic
freedom. Communist China is a dictatorship where personal and
economic freedoms do not exist or are proscribed. The Communist
Party exercises absolute control over all aspects of people’s lives
including how many children a woman may have, what religion may be
practiced, where you live, what job you can have, what education
you can receive, what goods you can buy, sell, and consume and, of
course, what views can be espoused and what leader you prefer. Any
challenge to the Communist Party dictatorship is met with severe
consequences including confiscation of your property, public
humiliation, internment in a concentration camp or the
disappearance of you and your family. Under this alternative to a
free market capitalist system, Communist China has gone from abject
poverty to a per capita income comparable to Mexico .
Consider 3 people and how they would fare under the United
States free market capitalist system vs. the Socialist/Communist
system in Communist China.
What are advantages/disadvantages and consequences of being born
in the USA vs. Communist China for each of these 3 people?
Which system is better or worse for which person?
Discuss your opinions for each of the 3 people in light of the
economic principles presented in the class.
that the United States and the American people hold a special place
in the world, by offering opportunity and hope for humanity,
derived from a unique balance of public and private interests
governed by constitutional ideals that are focused on personal and
economic freedom.
https://www.academickids.com/encycloped ... ptionalism (Links
to an external site.)
Nobel Laurate Milton Friedman laid out the case that America is
exceptional. The adoption of a free market capitalist economic
system which leaves all people Free to Choose to
engage in mutually beneficial voluntary exchange has created
extraordinary and historically unprecedented wealth and has
distributed that wealth equitably among the whole population.
Inherent in free market capitalism is a maximum personal liberty
ethos where the government does not coerce or use financial
incentives to modify people’s behavior or belief systems. Being
Free to Choose means not only being free to buy, sell and consume
what you want but, also, the right to work at a profession of your
choice, live where you want, marry whomever you wish, raise your
kids as you desire, own a gun if you wish, practice the religion of
your choice, say what you wish and vote and advocate for the people
and government policies you support.
Friedman argues that economic and personal freedom are linked.
One produces the other and, without one, you cannot have the other.
Economic freedom (capitalism and free markets) creates and
equitably distributes wealth and puts the ability to protect
freedom, both political and economic, in the hands of ordinary
people.
With disposable income, ordinary people can fight government
predation on their economic welfare and restriction of their
personal freedom. In the vast majority of cases, this is done
non-violently by voting for and financially supporting amenable
political candidates, but, historically, the fight has infrequently
involved violence, e.g. the Civil War which was fought to end
slavery and, to a lesser extent, the Civil Rights Movement which
guaranteed equal rights for blacks. Without economic freedom,
ordinary people would not have the resources or ability to protect
their economic and personal freedom and their economic and
political freedom would not survive.
Hernando DeSoto, in The Mystery of Capital,
identified two aspects of being Free to Choose, the Rule of Law and
Strong Personal Property Rights (including clear and transferrable
title to property) which are necessary and required conditions for
a capitalist free market system to work.
Stephen Moore, in Trumponomics: Inside America First
Plan to Revive Our Economy, explained how a political
candidate’s platform can revolve around the idea of limiting
government laws and regulations which reduce personal and economic
freedom and limiting and reducing confiscatory taxes.
Richard McGregor, in The Party, The Secret World of
China’s Communist Rulers, describes an alternative to a free
market capitalist system, a socialist/communist system where there
is no political or personal freedom and with limited economic
freedom. Communist China is a dictatorship where personal and
economic freedoms do not exist or are proscribed. The Communist
Party exercises absolute control over all aspects of people’s lives
including how many children a woman may have, what religion may be
practiced, where you live, what job you can have, what education
you can receive, what goods you can buy, sell, and consume and, of
course, what views can be espoused and what leader you prefer. Any
challenge to the Communist Party dictatorship is met with severe
consequences including confiscation of your property, public
humiliation, internment in a concentration camp or the
disappearance of you and your family. Under this alternative to a
free market capitalist system, Communist China has gone from abject
poverty to a per capita income comparable to Mexico .
Consider 3 people and how they would fare under the United
States free market capitalist system vs. the Socialist/Communist
system in Communist China.
What are advantages/disadvantages and consequences of being born
in the USA vs. Communist China for each of these 3 people?
Which system is better or worse for which person?
Discuss your opinions for each of the 3 people in light of the
economic principles presented in the class.