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Great empire, little minds: the American mythology that enabled Donald Trump

The rise of Trump was facilitated by America's obsession with "greatness," as two new books remind us

by Diane Roberts / July 13, 2018 / Leave a comment
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Published in August 2018 issue of Prospect Magazine

Protesters demonstrate against President Trump’s immigration ban at Portland International Airport. Photo by Alex Milan Tracy/PA

“Greatness” is the essence of the American brand. We are great because we are good and good because we are great: a land of liberty and opportunity, a nation favoured by God. That’s what we Americans tell ourselves, at least, though lately the story’s been sounding a trifle shopworn. The current occupant of the Oval Office got there by promising voters he’d make America “great again.” But after 18 months of posturing “greatness,” it’s hard to find areas in which the US really is a leader—other than mass shootings.

The US is no longer one of the most admired nations. The American healthcare system continues to languish at the bottom among developed countries. We’re no longer a bastion of press freedom: Reporters Without Borders places the US at 45th in the world, citing the silencing of diverse voices through corporate consolidation and hostility emanating from President Donald Trump, who has called the press “the enemy of the people.” The Economist’s Democracy Index ranks the US as a “flawed democracy,” on par with Italy, India or South Africa.

The US military remains the most powerful in the world and the US economy still rules (for now). But what does America stand for these days? Traditional answers—the rule of law, equal opportunity, equal justice, hope for the oppressed, human rights—are necessarily qualified by the uglier realities of American history: forced removal of indigenous peoples, slavery and segregation at home, ill-judged wars abroad. Nonetheless, America used to have certain ideals. We often failed to l…

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Comments

  1. Gerry Q.
    July 16, 2018 at 12:06
    I want to add nothing to this piece. My intent here is only to compliment Ms Roberts on this and on her other pieces for Prospect, which are consistently, intelligently and empathically human, beautifully written and with such a clear, profound voice. Compliments also to Prospect on bringing her to us. Work of the highest quality.

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About this author

Diane Roberts
Diane Roberts is an American author, columnist, essayist, radio commentator, reviewer and professor of English at Florida State University.
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