POL203Y5 Study Guide - Comprehensive Midterm Guide: American Exceptionalism, Political Spectrum, Debt Relief
Document Summary
Generally, the right wing is considered conservative and the left wing is more receptive to change and progress. In this year"s election, it is difficult to categorize the presidential candidates on either end of the spectrum. Even though they have core philosophies, ideological categories shift all the time and political parties complicate the simple left and right classification. They are both politicians of the right wing but in many ways they believe entirely different things. This indicates that our left/right rule of thumb is not working. When we consider if america is exceptional, we are considering if it is different from other nations. In many ways it has taken its own path. To understand what makes it different, we must consider ideas, institutions and interests. We must try to understand american politics in a broader context. It is easy to exaggerate the differences between america and other nations.
