This study is the first interpretive text for the study of
American exceptionalism and the first overall assessment of
geographic, political, economic, social, and cultural aspects of
the American past written from a global perspective. Russo argues
that life in the United States can be better understood if it is
examined from either a wider perspective-the English speaking
world, the Western Hemisphere, Western Civilization-or a narrower
perspective-regional and local variations. Even when the Americans
were innovative-in their multi-ethnic and multi-racial society, in
their egalitarian social beliefs, in their political
democracy-their innovations were soon copied by others. Therefore,
Russo argues, they are no longer distinctly American.
Using nations as the basis for fields of study can both reveal
and distort the historical record. When one considers different
perspectives, America's uniqueness recedes in importance. American
culture was a variant of a wider Western culture. The American
economy was an extension of Western capitalism, whether agrarian,
commercial, or industrial. American society was a Western society
with racial castes and multi-ethnic additions to the population.
American government functioned like other Western governments, even
with innovative forms: Republican, then democratic. The American
past is thus seen to be far less distinctive than previous
syntheses have assumed.
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