America’s Exceptionalism Fades as Italy Offers a Warning

The United States is beginning to lose some of the economic and political qualities that once set it apart, writer Rana Foroohar argues, drawing a comparison with Italy’s experience.

Her assessment points to weakening efforts to combat corruption and the rise of populism as signs that America’s claim to exceptionalism is becoming harder to sustain.

The comparison challenges the idea of the “New World” as fundamentally different from older economies. In Foroohar’s account, the United States is increasingly confronting problems that undermine that distinction.

Troubling changes in the labour market also feature in her argument, particularly those affecting young people. Their prospects add an economic dimension to concerns about the country’s political direction.

Taken together, these trends form a warning about America’s trajectory rather than a claim that the two countries are identical. Foroohar’s central contention is that the qualities underpinning US exceptionalism can no longer be taken for granted.