US Exceptionalism Fades as Italy Comparison Comes Into Focus

The United States is beginning to lose some of the qualities that once made it appear economically and politically exceptional, writer Rana Foroohar argues, drawing a comparison with Italy.

Her assessment points to weakening anti-corruption efforts, the rise of populism and troubling changes in the labour market. Together, these trends challenge the idea that America is insulated from pressures associated with other established economies.

The comparison with Italy frames the argument as a question about America’s direction, rather than a claim that the two countries are identical. It casts doubt on the “New World’s” presumed distance from the political and economic difficulties of the old.

Young people are a particular focus of Foroohar’s concerns about employment. The changing labour market adds an economic dimension to her broader warning about the erosion of American exceptionalism.

Her argument brings political and economic developments into the same frame: America’s claim to be different is being tested not only by the strength of its institutions, but also by the prospects available to its younger generation.