What Makes America Great?

What has made America so great?

A question that has tormented the world for over 200 years.

In the 1830's the French government sent their acclaimed political thinker and historian, Alexis de Tocqueville, to examine the progress Americans had made in the 50 years since their revolution. 

France's revolution had deteriorated into a blood bath, a nightmare of executions and suffering,  political anarchy, and had lost all pretense of freedom and democracy for the people.

But the US had flourished and enjoyed unprecedented success, growing in wealth and democratic advances each year.

De Tocqueville marveled at what he saw happening here. He couldn't find enough ways to express his words of praise for what Americans had accomplished, producing on his return to France, his now-classic two-volume work, "Democracy in America."

Documents about the US are replete with de Tocqueville quotes. Here is one often quoted by leaders like Eisenhower, Reagan and Clinton. It sums up what de Tocqueville found in the US and spoke of often:

"Not until I went into the churches of America and heard her pulpits aflame with righteousness did I understand the secret of her genius and power. America is great because she is good, and if America ever ceases to be good, she will cease to be great."

There is also the obvious historical conclusion: The French revolution was started and supported by atheists and agnostics who did not believe in God nor recognize His sovereignty and their accountability to Him.

 The American revolution was the product of believers in the Judeo-Christian worldview that recognized the importance of righteousness pleasing to God and His sovereign rule, the establishment of His kingdom on earth, and our accountability to Him. God created mankind to reflect His image. The exact opposite of the founders of the French revolution!

PS Remember FDR's D-Day prayer? "We know that by Thy grace, and the righteousness of our cause, our sons will triumph..."

And our national anthem..."Then conquer we must when our cause it is just...and this be our motto, 'In God is our trust'....

We were not (and are not) perfect, but striving to be better stewards of what God has blessed us with...