[LS]

I think Dave Dougherty and I better identified what we'd call the Four Pillars of American Exceptionalism in our "Patriot's History of the Modern a World": 1) a Christian, mostly Protestant religious foundation; 2) common law; a free market; private property with written titles and deeds. All of the things he identifies are the results of these factors. Other nations have/have had strong militaries, resources, and constitutions that, in theory, limited government. But these didn't produce America.

For fun, I compared the constitution of Cameroon with ours---very much the same. But Cameroon has a genuine dictator, vs Obama who so far is constrained by (occasionally) the Supreme Court, the House, and elections.

[Ray76]

Christian mores, freedom of exchange (a free market with no combines), private property, and rule of law (written rules, written records)

All else HAS failed.

[Ray76]

Would you please clarify what is meant by “Protestant religious foundation” as distinguished from “Christianity”.

[virgil283]

LS. I would second that. Christianity not only teaches people to obey the law but to do it from a heart level not just as a man pleaser. That give us a society that acts consistently whether anyone is watching them or not. Also it is the basis for the concept that rights come from God not government.

[drbuzzard]

This Hawkins guy doesn’t seem to be the sharpest tool in the shed. Some of his commentary is flat out stupid even when he does get something right. In particular the comment about Western Culture being a main strength, and then citing Venezuelans as being a counter example. Where does he think Venezuelan culture comes from the Incas? Dolt.

The fact that free markets and common law are not even cited (as you did) indicates that he’s utterly clueless.

Heck, citing a strong military is particularly egregious in its silliness. The U.S. did not really have a strong military at all except in bursts until after WW II. It’s hard to justify us being a world power based on something we only picked up after being a world power.

[Last Dakotan]

1) a Christian, mostly Protestant religious foundation;

You mean like, Vicky Gene Robinson's Episcopalians?

[henkster]

Compare the Constitution of the United States with the Constituiton of the USSR or the Islamic Republic of Iran. Both of those countries had/have very nice Constitutions guaranteeing all sorts of Rights, although there are certain “nuances” squirreled away in the documents that were/are used to deny all of those rights. The important thing is not what the document says but what the body politic does. The document by itself is a scrap of paper, and is used as such most places in the world.

America’s great achievement was to live out the document as a way of public life. And it worked...for a while anyway. I’m afraid it’s pretty much a scrap of paper now, just like every other place on earth.