Samuel P. Huntington's American Politics: The Promise Of Disharmony?

In Samuel P. Huntington’s book, American Politics: The Promise of Disharmony, he lays out a distinct claim; the gap created by the division between American institutions and the moral perfection ideals of American Creed are what cause friction in our political system. Ultimately, our ideals like democracy, equality and individualism as American’s are at odds with the institutions and government around us. This gap that Huntington says exists, I believe, will never be able to be succumbed. The American Creed will never be able to be fully incorporated into American Institutions and therefore, the IvI gap will always exist. As Huntington says, “This gap between political ideal and political reality is a continuing central phenomenon of American politics in a way that is not true of any other major state.” Throughout Huntington’s book, he lays out in detail the disharmony of American politics. As you read, you get the understanding that this existing gap between the Institutions and the Ideals …show more content…
He discusses the psychological makeup of political ideas in America that he labels as the “American Creed.” These ideas have altered throughout the ages, however, the core principles of liberty, equality, individualism, democracy and the rule of law under a constitution remain at the backbone of what it means to be an American. Huntington then goes on to explain the differences in American nationalism and the national identity of citizens from other countries. How theirs is more organic and historically based, while ours is more political defined. His argument is that the American Creed began at the birth of America and has always been solidified in its political ideas like freedom, equality etc. When it comes to government, American citizens are able to denounce what the government does because the nationalistic system we have developed, which is the American Creed, allows us to do