Essay - What Is America? Introduction America, Without Doubt the Most Powerful...

What is America?

Introduction

America, without doubt the most powerful nation on earth and the sole super-power of the 21st century evokes vastly conflicting feelings in people around the world, depend*****g on their individual paradigm: the lens through which they look at the *****. While to most people, America is a symbol of prosperity, freedom ***** equal opportunity it also is a source of equally neg*****ive feelings for others who resent its *****, and ***** economic, cultural ***** military power. This Jekyll & Hyde image ***** the country in the world, though surprising to many Americans, is not difficult to understand if one examines ***** issue in its his*****rical, political, and cultural perspective. In this essay we will discuss what America looks like to an outsider, and what it means ***** people from d*****ferent countries of the world as a state, as a people, and ***** a geographic region. *****to ***** larger ideas and movement does the ***** fit, ***** whether it is really the land of opportun*****ies? The ***** will ***** look at the country ***** the eyes of philosophers such as Pl*****o, Voltaire, Bismarck, and Marx.

Liberty, Equality & Democracy

Although the origins ***** ***** country has ***** roots in the European colonization of the Americas beginning in the 16th century, the ideals ***** the United States of America are wedded to the Declaration of Independence in which the founding fathers of the country have committed the nation to the concept ***** equality, democracy, and liberty. These ***** ***** principles from ***** all subsequent U.S. politics, *****ms of government, economic policies, and social trends have taken their lead. While incorporating these ideas in the declaration of independence and, later, ***** U.S. constitution the founding fathers of America were greatly influenced by the 17th century English philosopher, John Locke and his *****ories on *****. Locke's ideas of the supreme sovereignty of the *****, their natural right of changing a government that does ***** work in their *****terest, separation of the church from the state, and rule of ***** majority are reflected in the American Declaration of Independence.

Immigrants' View of America

An immigrant or a visitor to Americ***** of today still has a lot to look forward *****. The reasons for this is the vast ***** varied geography of the country stretching from the tropics to the edge ***** the Arctic Circle, that has attracted (and ***** attracts) a wide variety of people. The relatively low population-density and high standard of living are its other major attractions for a would-be *****. But what has really proved to be the major magnet for aspiring immigrants is the freedom of expression and prom*****e of equal opportunity in the US. This freedom is the greatest asset of the American society. Sadly, the paranoia and draconian laws be*****g introduced in ***** wake of the 9/11 events now threaten it. So if I ***** a Muslim or ***** Middle Eastern origin I would think twice before deciding ***** immigrate to America in these times.