IRLE
IRLE WORKING PAPER
#216-10
April 2010
American Exceptionalism and the Quality of Life in the
United States: Some Preliminary Statistical Observations
Jerome Karabel
Cite as: Jerome Karabel. (2010). “American Exceptionalism and the Quality of Life in the United States: Some
Preliminary Statistical Observations.” IRLE Working Paper No. 216-10.
http://irle.berkeley.edu/workingpapers/216-10.pdf
irle.berkeley.edu/workingpapers
Institute for Research on Labor and
Employment
UC Berkeley
Peer Reviewed
Title:
American Exceptionalism and the Quality of Life in the United States: Some Preliminary Statistical
Observations
Author:
Karabel, Jerome, University of California, Berkeley
Publication Date:
04-30-2010
Series:
Working Paper Series
Publication Info:
Working Paper Series, Institute for Research on Labor and Employment, UC Berkeley
Permalink:
http://escholarship.org/uc/item/4bv3k5hw
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American Exceptionalism and the Quality of Life in the United States:
Some Preliminary Statistical Observations
Jerome Karabel
IRLE Working Paper
University of California at Berkeley
April 2010
This paper is a preliminary investigation into the question of “American
Exceptionalism and the Quality of Life in the United States.” For the purpose of this
study, which compares the United States to 19 other wealthy democratic countries,
American exceptionalism refers to the distinctive social, political, and economic
character of the United States in comparison to other wealthy democracies. Specifically,
it implies that the United States is something of an “outlier” -- that it tends to be located
towards the extreme on various key dimensions that distinguish societies from one
another. Note, by the way, that the claim is not that the United States is better or worse
than other countries, but that it is different. Unlike some contemporary uses of the
concept of “American exceptionalism,” this definition in no way implies American
superiority.
In recent decades, however, the concept of American exceptionalism has come
under increasing criticism from historians and social scientists. This is not the place to
review these criticisms in detail, but I want to take a moment to note the key factor that
has, as one historian put it, placed the concept of American exceptionalism in “ill repute”.
According to the historian Dorothy Ross, the fundamental flaw of scholars who use the
framework of American exceptionalism is that they “believe, against all odds, that
inquiries into American uniqueness can be pursued apart from ideology.” The claim, in
short, is that the idea of American exceptionalism is inherently ideological; more
specifically, that it is part of what C. Wright called “the great American celebration.”
This interpretation of the political meaning of American exceptionalism is not
without foundation and in fact has a very long pedigree dating back to 1630 when John
Winthrop famously said, “For we must consider that we shall be as a city up on a hill.
1
The eyes of all people are upon us.” Other well-known usages of this conception of
American exceptionalism include a speech given by John Fitzgerald Kennedy in January
1961, eleven days before his inauguration and Ronald Reagan’s Farewell Address, 28
years later, delivered on January 11, 1989. And in recent times, during the 2008
presidential election, Sarah Palin repeatedly referred to the United States as an
“exceptional nation.”
To determine whether the United States is in fact an exceptional nation, we have
gathered data on a variety of domains. The results are presented graphically and include
sections on:
I. Political Economy (1-6)
II. Elements of American Exceptionalism
A. Religion (7-10)
B. Law (11-13)
C. Marriage, Family, and Sex (14-18)
III. American Exceptionalism and the Quality of Life: Some Problem Arenas
A. Incarceration and Homicide (19-20)
B. Health (21-24)
C. Paid Vacations (25)
IV. Arenas Where the United States is Functioning Well
A. GDP per Capita (26)
B. Research Universities (27)
C. Nobel Laureates (28)
2
V. The United States in the International System
A. Defense (29-30)
B. National Pride (31)
C. International Treaties (32-33)
Following the graphic presentation of statistical data, the paper concludes with a
brief discussion. This section includes a summary of some of the main findings and
identifies some key areas for future research.
3
ed
F en
D ra n
en ce
m
Fi ark
n
Be lan
lg d
i
Au um
st
ri a
G It
er al
m y
N G any
et re
he ec
rl a e
nd
s
N UK
or
C wa
an y
ad
Sp a
N
ew J ain
ap
Sw Z ea an
itz lan
er d
la
nd
Au U
st S
ra
Ire li a
la
nd
Sw
% of GDP
Figure 1. Total General Government Expenditure as Percent of GDP (2005)
60
55
50
45
40
35
30
Countries
Source: OECD National Accounts, 2006
4
ed
F en
D ra n
en ce
G ma
e r rk
m
Be an
lg y
i
Au um
N stria
or
w
ay
Fi Ital
nl y
N G and
et re
h e
Sw erl a ce
it z nd
er s
la
Sp nd
N
ai
ew
n
Ze U
al K
Au an
st d
ra
Ja lia
U C pa
ni a n
te na
d d
St a
a
Ire tes
la
nd
Sw
% of GDP
Figure 2. Public Social Expenditure as Percent of GDP (2003)
33.0
31.0
29.0
27.0
25.0
23.0
21.0
19.0
17.0
15.0
Countries
Source: OECD Factbook 2007, p 193
5
Ne
w Ir
U Ze elan
ni a d
te l a
d nd
S
U
ni Au tat
te s e s
d tr
Ki ali
ng a
Sw Ca dom
i tz n a
er da
la
N Den nd
et m
he a
rl a rk
Fi nds
nl
a
Ja nd
Be pa
lg n
Au iu m
G s tr
er ia
Swm a
ed ny
e
S n
N pa
or in
w
ay
I
F r ta l y
an
G ce
re
ec
e
Rankings
Figure 3. Economic Freedom Rankings (2007)
85
80
75
70
65
60
55
Countries
Org: Wall St. Journal and Heritage Foundation http://www.heritage.org/index/ 2007
6
Figure 4. Union Membership (2003)
% of All Employed Wage and
Salary Earners
80.0
70.0
60.0
50.0
40.0
30.0
20.0
10.0
Sw
ed
F i en
n
D l an
en d
Be ma
l g rk
N iu m
or *
Au way
st
r
Ire ia*
la
nd
Ita
ly
C UK
an
Au ad
s a
G tra
N erm li a
e
N the an
ew r y
l
Z e and
al s
an
Sw
d
i tz Jap *
er an
la
nd
Sp **
ai
n
F r US
an
ce
0.0
Countries
*2002 Data
**2001 Data
Source: Jelle Visser, "Union membership statistics in 24 countries," Monthly Labor Review, January 2006,
Table 3 (Page 45)
7
ew
Ze
al
U
an
D
S
en
d
m
ar
N
or k
w
ay
Ita
Fi l y
nl
an
d
U
ni
te Spa
d
i
n
Ki
ng
do
m
Ire
la
Be n d
lg
N
et
i
he u m
rl a
nd
s
C
an
ad
a
G
Sw ree
itz ce
er
la
Au nd
st
ra
li a
Ja
pa
Sw n
ed
en
Au
st
ri
Fr a
an
c
G
er e
m
an
y
N
Income Gini
Figure 5. Income Inequality
0.45
0.5
0.35
0.4
0.3
0.25
0.2
Countries
Source: World Income Inequality Database 2005 V 2.0a http://www.wider.unu.edu/wiid/WIID2a.zip
8
Figure 6. Wealth Inequality
0.85
0.8
Wealth Gini
0.75
0.7
0.65
0.6
0.55
Sw
it z
er
la
nd
Sw US
e
De d e
nm n
Un
ite F ark
d ra
Ki nc
ng e
G d om
er
m
a
Ca ny
n
Be ada
lg
iu
Ne Gr m
w ee
c
Ne Zea e
th lan
er d
la
n
A ds
us
t
No ria
Au rwa
st y
ra
Fi lia
nl
an
d
Ita
Ire ly
la
n
Sp d
ai
Ja n
pa
n
0.5
Countries
Source: Davies, James B., Susanna Sandstrom, Anthony Shorrocks, and Edward N. Wolff.
“The World Distribution of Household Wealth”. 5 December 2006
http://www.wider.unu.edu/research/2006-2007/2006-2007-1/wider-wdhw-launch-5-12-2006/wider-wdhwreport-5-12-2006.pdf
9
Figure 7. Percent of Population that Believes God is Very Important (2007)
60
% of Population
50
40
30
20
10
S
U
It
Au al y
s
Sw tra
i tz li a
e
N
ew rl an
Ze d
U
ni
te al an
d
Ki d
ng
do
m
Fi
nl
an
d
Sp
ai
F n
N ra n
et
c
he e
rla
nd
G
er s
m
a
Sw ny
ed
en
Ja
pa
n
0
Countries
Source: World Values Survey (2007) Question #V192
10
Figure 8. Percent of Population that Attends Church Once a Week (2007)
40%
35%
Percent
30%
25%
20%
15%
10%
5%
U
ni
te
d
U
S
Ki It a
ng ly
do
m
N
S
ew p
Z e ain
al
Au and
Sw str
it ali
N zer a
et la
he nd
rl a
G nd
er s
m
an
Fr y
an
Fi ce
nl
an
Ja d
p
Sw a n
ed
en
0%
Countries
Source: World Values Survey (2007) Question #V186
11
ni
te
d
C
St
at
e
an s
Au ada
st
ra
li a
Ita
N Fi ly
ew nl
Z an
G ea d
re l a
a n
Sw t Br d
i tz itai
N er l n
et an
he d
rl a
G nd
er s
m
a
F r ny
an
Sw ce
ed
en
Ja
D pan
en
m
ar
k
U
% of Population
Figure 9. Percent of Population that Believes in Heaven (1999)
90%
80%
70%
60%
50%
40%
30%
20%
10%
0%
Countries
Source: World Values Survey (1999)
12
C
ni
te
d
St
at
es
an
ad
a
G
It
Au aly
st
re rali
a
a
N t Br
ew
ita
Ze i n
al
a
G nd
er
Sw m a
i tz ny
er
la
nd
Fr
an
ce
N J ap
et
he an
r la
n
Sw ds
ed
en
D
en
m
ar
k
U
% of Population
Figure 10. Percent of Population that Believes in Hell (1999)
80%
70%
60%
50%
40%
30%
20%
10%
0%
Countries
Source: World Values Survey (1999)
13
Figure 11. Lawyers Per Capita
4.0
Lawyers Per 1,000 People
3.5
3.0
2.5
2.0
1.5
1.0
0.5
U
ni
te
d
St
a
G te s
re
ec
e
G
re Spa
at
i
Br n
ita
in
G Ital
er y
m
a
N ny
o
Sw r w
i tz ay
er
la
D nd
e
N nm
et
he a rk
rl a
n
F r ds
an
Be ce
lg
iu
Au m
st
Sw r ia
ed
e
Fi n
nl
an
Ir e d
la
n
Ja d
pa
n
0.0
Countries
Source: Council of Bars and Law Societies of Europe, American Bar Association, Japan Times, CIA’s
World Factbook
14
Figure 12. Percent of National Legislature Comprised of Lawyers
40%
35%
Percent
30%
25%
20%
15%
10%
5%
Fr
an
ce
an
y
er
m
G
Ki
ng
do
m
an
ad
a
U
ni
te
d
C
i tz
er
la
nd
ay
or
w
N
Be
lg
iu
m
Sw
U
ni
te
d
St
at
es
0%
Countries
Source: The American Legal System by Albert P. Melone and Allan Karnes
15
Figure 13. Tort Costs as Percent of GDP (2003)
2.5
% of GDP
2.0
1.5
1.0
0.5
U
K
D
en
m
ar
k
Fr
an
ce
Ja
pa
Sw
n
i tz
er
la
nd
an
y
Be
lg
iu
m
er
m
Ita
ly
G
Sp
ai
n
U
S
0.0
Countries
Source: U.S. Tort Costs and Cross-Border Perspectives: 2005 Update, Tillinghast-Towers Perin page 13
https://www.towersperrin.com/tillinghast/publications/reports/2005_Tort_Cost/2005_Tort.pdf
16
Figure 14. Marriage Rate (2000)
8.5
8.0
Marriage Rate
7.5
7.0
6.5
6.0
5.5
5.0
4.5
U
.S
Ja .
D pan
en
m
N a rk
Sw or
i tz wa
N er l y
et an
he d
rl a
nd
N
ew S s
pa
Ze in
al
a
Fi nd
n
G l an
er d
m
an
y
U
Fr K
an
c
Ir e e
la
Au n d
st
r ia
Ita
G ly
re
e
Be ce
lg
Sw iu m
ed
en
4.0
Countries
Source: US Census Statistical Abstract: Vital Statistics (1950-2004)
http://www.census.gov/compendia/statab/vital_statistics
17
Figure 15. Divorce Rate (2000)
4.5
4.0
Divorce Rate
3.5
3.0
2.5
2.0
1.5
1.0
0.5
C
U
.S
an .
a
D da
en
m
a
F i rk
nl
an
d
U
K
B
N
ew el g
Z e iu m
al
a
Sw nd
ed
G en
er
m
a
Au ny
st
N ria
N or w
et
he ay
rl a
nd
Sw Ja s
p
i tz an
er
la
n
G d
re
ec
e
Sp
ai
n
Ita
ly
0.0
Countries
Source: US Census Statistical Abstract: Vital Statistics (1950-2004)
http://www.census.gov/compendia/statab/vital_statistics
18
Figure 16. Teen Birth Rate (2000)
Per 100,000 Female Teens
60
50
40
30
20
10
N
U
ni
te
d
U
.
Ki S.
ng
ew
d
Z e om
al
an
C d
an
ad
a
Ir e
la
Au n d
st
ra
li a
Au
st
ri
G
er a
m
an
y
N
or
w
ay
G
re
ec
Be e
lg
iu
m
Fr
an
ce
Fi
nl
an
D
en d
m
ar
k
0
Countries
Source: US Census Statistical Abstract: Vital Statistics (1950-2004)
http://www.census.gov/compendia/statab/vital_statistics
19
Au U .S
st .
N Sw ralia
ew e
Z e de
al n
an
d
D U
en K
m
N a rk
or
C wa
an y
ad
Ja a
p
Fr an
an
ce
It a
F
Sw i n l y
it z lan
e d
G rl a n
er d
m
a
N Bel ny
et gi
he um
rl a
n
Ire ds
la
n
Sp d
ai
n
Per 100,000 Females
Figure 17. Abortion Rate (1995)
23
21
19
17
15
13
11
9
7
5
Countries
Source: United Nations Statistics Division (1999) http://un.org/esa/population/publications/abt/fabt.hrm
20
Figure 18. Reported Cases of Gonorrhea (2000)
140
Per 100,000 Population
120
100
80
60
40
20
U
.S
.
U
K*
C
an
ad
a
Ire
la
n
Sw d
ed
en
D
en
m
ar
k
N
or
Sw w
a
y
i tz
er
la
nd
Fi
nl
an
d
Au
st
r
i
G
a
er
m
an
Be y
lg
iu
m
Fr
an
ce
Sp
ai
n
0
Countries
Source: Center for Disease Control and Prevention (2003) http://www.cdc.gov/std/stats02/tables/table.htm
21
Figure 19. Incarceration Rates (2005)
800
700
Incarceration Rate
(per 100,000 people)
600
500
400
300
200
100
It a
ly
pa
n
Ja
U
et
K
he
rla
nd
s
Sp
ai
Au n
st
ra
lia
C
an
ad
a
G
er
m
an
y
Fr
an
c
Sw e
ed
Sw
en
it z
er
la
nd
N
U
S
0
Countries
Source: International Centre for Prison Studies 2005 http://www.prisonstudies.org/
22
Figure 20. Homicide Rates (2001)
6
Homicide Rate
(per 100,000 people)
5
4
3
2
1
N
ew Fin US
Z e lan
al d
C and
an
a
Fr da
an
E
N n ce
et gl
he an
rl a d
nd
s
I
Ire t aly
l
G and
r
Au e e c
st e
ra
Au lia
Be str
ia
G lgiu
Sw erm m
it z an
er y
la
n
Sp d
Sw ai
ed n
Ja e n
D p
en an
m
N a rk
or
w
ay
0
Countries
Source: International Comparisons of Criminal Justice Statistics 2001 by Gorden Barclay & Cynthia
Tavares with Salley Kenny, Arsalaan Siddique & Emma Wilby Issue 12/03 24 October 2003
23
Figure 21. Overall Health Performance Ranking
1.00
Ranking (on a 1.0 scale)
0.98
0.96
0.94
0.92
0.90
0.88
0.86
0.84
0.82
Fr
an
ce
Ita
Sp ly
Au ain
st
Ja ria
No pan
r
Ne Gr wa
th ee y
er ce
la
nd
s
I
Sw r e UK
i tz l an
e d
Be rlan
lg d
Sw ium
G ed
er e
m n
F i an
n y
C lan
an d
N Au ad
ew s t a
Z e rali
a
D ala
en n
m d
ar
k
US
0.80
Countries
Source: WHO 2000 report: Musgrove, Philip et. al. The World Health Report, 2000: Health Systems,
Improving Performance. Geneva: World Health Organization, 2000.
24
U
ew
ni
te
Z e U.
a l S.
a
d Ire n d
Ki l a
ng n d
d
G om
D re e
en c
m e
C ar
an k
N Au a da
et st
h r
Sw erl alia
it z an d
er s
la
Au nd
Be str
lg ia
iu
m
I
Fr t aly
G an
er c
m e
a
Sp ny
Fi ain
n
N land
or
Sw wa
ed y
Ja e n
pa
n
N
Mortality Rate
Figure 22. Infant Mortality Rate
7
7
6
6
5
5
4
4
3
Countries
Source: US Census Bureau http://www.census.gov/cgi-bin/ipc/idbagg
25
Ja
Sw pa
e n
S w d en
i tz Ita
e
Au rla ly
st n d
ra
S lia
Ca p a
n in
Fr ada
a
G n
e r ce
m
N an
or y
Au wa
y
Ne F i stri
t h n la a
er nd
l
Be and
lg s
Un New Gr ium
ite Z eec
d ea e
K i la
n n
De gdo d
nm m
Un
a
it e I r e r k
d l an
S d
ta
te
s
Life Expectancy
(Average of men and women)
Figure 23. Healthy Life Expectancy
75
74
73
72
71
70
69
68
Countries
Source: WHO 2000 report: Musgrove, Philip et. al. The World Health Report, 2000: Health Systems,
Improving Performance. Geneva: World Health Organization, 2000.
26
U
S
A
Ne u UK
s
w tra
Ze li a
al
a
C nd
an
ad
Sp a
F i a in
nl
Be and
G l giu
er m
m
Sw an
ed y
e
N Ire n
et la
he n
rl d
De and
nm s
F r a rk
an
Au ce
st
ria
Ita
N
Sw or l y
i tz wa
er y
la
n
Ja d
pa
n
Percent of Population
24. Percent of Population Obese (2004)
35
30
25
20
15
10
5
0
Countries
Source: OECD Health Statistics (2004)
27
Figure 25. Paid Annual Leave and Holidays by Working Days (2007)
Paid Holidays
Paid Annual Leave
35
Working Days
30
25
20
15
10
5
Fr
a
F i n ce
nl
N and
o
Sw rwa
e y
Au den
st
r
Sp ia
ai
n
G It
er al
m
D a y
en ny
m
Ir e a r k
A
N u l an
ew s d
t
Ze rali
al a
N G r and
et e
h e
U Sw erla ce
ni i n
t e zt d
d er s
K la
in nd
g
C dom
an
U
ni J ada
te a p
d a
S n
ta
te
s
0
Countries
Source: Rebecca Ray and John Schmitt, “No Vacation Nation,” May 2007, Center for Economic and
Policy Research, pp.2-3
http://www.cepr.net/documents/publications/NoVacationNation_asofSeptember07.pdf
28
Figure 26. GDP Per Capita in Purchasing Power Parity (2006)
120
110
100
90
80
70
60
50
U
NI
T
ED
N
or
w
ST ay
AT
ES
Sw Ire la
it z nd
er
la
C n
N an d
et
he ada
rl a
nd
Au s
D stri
en a
m
A u a rk
st
ra
Sw lia
ed
Be en
lg
iu
m
Br
ita
Fi in
n
G la n
er d
m
an
Fr y
an
c
Ja e
pa
G n
re
ec
e
It a
ly
N
ew Sp
Z e ain
al
an
d
40
Source: Economist "Pocket World in Figures 2009," based on 2006 data from the World Bank, CIA World
Factbook, IMF, Taiwan Statistical Data Book and Economist Intelligence Unit
29
Figure 27. Number of Top Universities (2005)
Number of Top Universities
60
50
40
30
20
10
U
S
G U
er K
m
an
Ja y
Sw pan
ed
e
Fr n
an
C ce
Sw an
it z ada
N er
et la
he nd
rla
Au n d s
st
D rali
en a
m
a
Au rk
st
Fi ria
nl
a
N nd
or
w
ay
It a
ly
0
Countries
Source: Institute of Higher Education, Shanghai Jiao Tong University (2005)
http://ed.sjtu.edu.cn/rank/2005/ARWU2005_Top100.htm
30
Figure 28. Nobel Laureates by Country (1990-2009)
120
100
80
60
40
20
0
e
Gr
d
n
a e
k d
e in
y
s a
d y n ly
a
ec pa gium m ar lan lan lan rwa ed e I ta and ra li st ri land nad a nc apa an it ain T E S
ts
n I re e a o w
r
r
l
S el
u
i
J
n
a
r
r m t B r TA
e
F
F
A
e
N
e
u
e
z
C
S
Z
B D
it
S
G ea
th A
w
Sw
Ne
Gr T E D
Ne
I
UN
Source: Data compiled from the official website of the Nobel Prize Committee
(http://nobelprize.org/nobel_prizes/lists/all/)
31
Figure 29. Defense Expenditure as Percent of Total World Defense
Expenditure
Defense Expenditures
as Percent of Total World Defense Expenditures
United States
41.02%
All Other Countries
39.85%
US
France
UK
Japan
Germany
Italy
Canada
Other countries
Canada
1.06%
Italy
Germany
2.60%
3.15%
Japan
3.64%
UK
4.28%
France
4.40%
Source: “Comparative Defense Expenditure and Military Manpower, 2003-2005”, pg. 406-411, IISS The
Military Balance (2007)
32
Figure 30. Defense Expenditure as Percent of GDP
Defense Expenditure as % of GDP
Defense Expenditures As % of GDP
4
3.5
3
2.5
2
1.5
1
0.5
Ja
pa
n
Ca
na
da
an
y
er
m
ly
G
Ita
UK
Fr
an
ce
US
0
Countries
Source: “Comparative Defense Expenditure and Military Manpower, 2003-2005”, pg. 406-411, IISS The
Military Balance (2007)
33
Figure 31. Overall Rank of Countries on Domain-Specific National Pride
30
25
Rank
20
15
10
5
U
I re S
Au lan
st d
ra
Ca lia
na
Ne Au da
w st
G Ze ria
re a
at lan
Br d
it
Fi ain
nl
an
S d
De pa
i
Sw nm n
itz ark
er
la
n
Ja d
p
Fr an
an
No ce
G
rw
er
m Sw a y
G an ed
er y
m (W en
an e
y st)
(E
as
t)
0
Countries
Source: National Pride in Specific Domains by Tom W. Smith, NORC/University of Chicago June 27,
2006. National Opinion Research Center GSS Cross-National Report No. 27
34
Figure 32. Number of Treaties Signed Out of 25 Important International
Treaties
25
Number of Treaties
20
15
10
US
Japan
Australia
Great Britain
Spain
Sweden
Ireland
New Zealand
Greece
France
Germany
Finland
Belgium
Norway
Switzerland
Italy
Netherlands
Denmark
Austria
0
Canada
5
Countries
Source: “Multilateral Treaties Deposited with the UN Secretary-General.”
http://treaties.un.org/Pages/Home.aspx?lang=en
35
Figure 33. Number of Treaties Signed Out of 25 Important International
Treaties Without Qualifying Clauses
25
15
10
5
0
Norway
Finland
Canada
Switzerland
Greece
Sweden
Japan
Spain
Denmark
Italy
New Zealand
Australia
Austria
Belgium
Germany
Netherlands
Ireland
Great Britain
France
US
Number of Treaties
20
Countries
Source: “Multilateral Treaties Deposited with the UN Secretary-General.”
http://treaties.un.org/Pages/Home.aspx?lang=en
36
Discussion
From the patterns visible in the tables, several conclusions seem in order:
1. That the United States, compared to 19 other wealthy democratic countries,
remains an “exceptional” nation in many fundamental ways.
2. That the United States is among the lowest ranking countries on a number of
standard measures of well-being, including health, incarceration, and family
stability.
3. That the American social order has a number of strikingly distinctive features,
including high levels of religiosity, an unusually prominent role for lawyers and
the law, and exceptionally high levels of national pride.
4. That the United States occupies a distinct and, in many ways, unique role in
international relations; of the 20 countries under examination, the United States
has signed by far the fewest of the 25 international treaties designated by the
United Nations of particular import.
5. That the United States, despite its low ranking on many measures of social wellbeing, exhibits great strength in some critical areas, including scientific
innovation and the quality of its research universities.
With research on how to measure social well-being and quality of life a dynamic and
growing field, now is a promising time to rethink our conception of what constitutes a
healthy and well-functioning society and what types of institutional arrangements best
serve human needs. Key questions for future research include the roots of American
exceptionalism and the consequences of the distinctive social and economic order of the
37
United States for its inhabitants. One hypothesis that definitely warrants further
investigation is whether some of the very qualities that make the United States
exceptional – the relatively weak role of the state, the powerful and relatively unregulated
role of the market, and a political system carefully designed to make major statesponsored social change difficult – may also be causally connected to the generally weak
performance of the United States on measures of social well-being and quality of life.
38
Bibliography for IRLE Charts
I. Political Economy (1-6)
Figure 1. Total General Government Expenditure as Percent of GDP (2005)
Source: OECD National Accounts, 2006
Figure 2. Public Social Expenditure as Percent of GDP (2003)
Source: OECD Factbook 2007, p 193
Figure 3. Economic Freedom Rankings (2007)
Org: Wall St. Journal and Heritage Foundation http://www.heritage.org/index/
2007
Figure 4. Union Membership (2003)
Source: Jelle Visser, "Union membership statistics in 24 countries," Monthly
Labor Review, January 2006, Table 3 (Page 45)
Figure 5. Income Inequality
Source: World Income Inequality Database 2005 V 2.0a
http://www.wider.unu.edu/wiid/WIID2a.zip
Figure 6. Wealth Inequality
Source: Davies, James B., Susanna Sandstrom, Anthony Shorrocks, and Edward
N. Wolff. “The World Distribution of Household Wealth”. 5 December 2006
http://www.wider.unu.edu/research/2006-2007/2006-2007-1/wider-wdhw-launch5-12-2006/wider-wdhw-report-5-12-2006.pdf
II. Elements of American Exceptionalism
A. Religion (7-10)
Figure 7. Percent of Population that Believes God is Very Important (2007)
Source: World Values Survey (2007) Question #V192
Figure 8. Percent of Population that Attends Church Once a Week (2007)
Source: World Values Survey (2007) Question #V186
Figure 9. Percent of Population that Believes in Heaven (1999)
Source: World Values Survey (1999)
Figure 10. Percent of Population that Believes in Hell (1999)
Source: World Values Survey (1999)
B. Law (11-13)
Figure 11. Lawyers Per Capita
39
Source: Council of Bars and Law Societies of Europe, American Bar Association,
Japan Times, CIA’s World Factbook
Figure 12. Percent of National Legislature Comprised of Lawyers
Source: The American Legal System by Albert P. Melone and Allan Karnes
Figure 13. Tort Costs as Percent of GDP (2003)
Source: U.S. Tort Costs and Cross-Border Perspectives: 2005 Update, TillinghastTowers Perin page 13
https://www.towersperrin.com/tillinghast/publications/reports/2005_Tort_Cost/20
05_Tort.pdf
C. Marriage, Family, and Sex (14-18)
Figure 14. Marriage Rate (2000)
Source: US Census Statistical Abstract: Vital Statistics (1950-2004)
http://www.census.gov/compendia/statab/vital_statistics
Figure 15. Divorce Rate (2000)
Source: US Census Statistical Abstract: Vital Statistics (1950-2004)
http://www.census.gov/compendia/statab/vital_statistics
Figure 16. Teen Birth Rate (2000)
Source: US Census Statistical Abstract: Vital Statistics (1950-2004)
http://www.census.gov/compendia/statab/vital_statistics
Figure 17. Abortion Rate (1995)
Source: United Nations Statistics Division (1999)
http://un.org/esa/population/publications/abt/fabt.hrm
Figure 18. Reported Cases of Gonorrhea (2000)
Source: Center for Disease Control and Prevention (2003)
http://www.cdc.gov/std/stats02/tables/table.htm
III. American Exceptionalism and the Quality of Life: Some Problem Arenas
A. Incarceration and Homicide (19-20)
Figure 19. Incarceration Rates (2005)
Source: International Centre for Prison Studies 2005
http://www.prisonstudies.org/
Figure 20. Homicide Rates (2001)
Source: International Comparisons of Criminal Justice Statistics 2001 by Gorden
Barclay & Cynthia Tavares with Salley Kenny, Arsalaan Siddique & Emma
Wilby Issue 12/03 24 October 2003
40
B. Health (21-24)
Figure 21. Overall Health Performance Ranking
Source: WHO 2000 report: Musgrove, Philip et. al. The World Health Report,
2000: Health Systems, Improving Performance. Geneva: World Health
Organization, 2000.
Figure 22. Infant Mortality Rate
Source: US Census Bureau http://www.census.gov/cgi-bin/ipc/idbagg
Figure 23. Healthy Life Expectancy
Source: WHO 2000 report: Musgrove, Philip et. al. The World Health Report,
2000: Health Systems, Improving Performance. Geneva: World Health
Organization, 2000.
Figure 24. Percent of Population Obese (2004)
Source: OECD Health Statistics (2004)
C. Paid Vacations (25)
Figure 25. Paid Annual Leave and Holidays by Working Days (2007)
Source: Rebecca Ray and John Schmitt, “No Vacation Nation,” May 2007, Center
for Economic and Policy Research, pp.2-3
http://www.cepr.net/documents/publications/NoVacationNation_asofSeptember0
7.pdf
IV. Arenas in Which the United States is Functioning Well
A. GDP Per Capita (26)
Figure 26. GDP Per Capita in Purchasing Power Parity (2006)
Sources: Economist “Pocket World in Figures,” based on 2006 data from the
World Bank, IMF, Taiwan Statistical Data Book and Economist Intelligence Unit.
B. Research Universities (27)
Figure 27. Number of Top Universities (2005)
Source: Institute of Higher Education, Shanghai Jiao Tong University (2005)
http://ed.sjtu.edu.cn/rank/2005/ARWU2005_Top100.htm
C. Nobel Laureates (28)
Figure 28. Nobel Laureates by Country (1990-2009)
Source: Nobel Prize Committee official website:
http://nobelprize.org/nobel_prizes/lists/all/.
V. The United States in the International System
A. Defense (29-30)
41
Figure 29. Defense Expenditure as Percent of Total World Defense Expenditure
Source: “Comparative Defense Expenditure and Military Manpower, 2003-2005”,
pg. 406-411, IISS The Military Balance (2007)
Figure 30. Defense Expenditure as Percent of GDP
Source: “Comparative Defense Expenditure and Military Manpower, 2003-2005”,
pg. 406-411, IISS The Military Balance (2007)
B. National Pride (31)
Figure 31. Overall Rank of Countries on Domain-Specific National Pride
Source: National Pride in Specific Domains by Tom W. Smith, NORC/University
of Chicago June 27, 2006. National Opinion Research Center GSS Cross-National
Report No. 27
C. International Treaties (32-33)
Figure 32. Number of Treaties Signed Out of 25 Important International Treaties
Source: “Multilateral Treaties Deposited with the UN Secretary-General.”
http://treaties.un.org/Pages/Home.aspx?lang=en
Figure 33. Number of Treaties Signed Out of 25 Important International Treaties Without
Qualifying Clauses
Source: “Multilateral Treaties Deposited with the UN Secretary-General.”
http://treaties.un.org/Pages/Home.aspx?lang=en
42