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Purpose
The purpose of this paper is to respond to Richard Slaughter's essay on “Is America the ‘land of the future’?”
Design/methodology/approach
The paper draws on a variety of literature and the authors' opinions to present the case in favour of Enlightenment values.
Findings
The paper finds that the USA is perhaps the most faithful political expression of the eighteenth century Enlightenment whose values have since been assimilated throughout the world. Enlightenment values are not beyond criticism, but that does not justify uninformed anti‐American attitudes.
Originality/value
The paper provides a counter‐balance to Slaughter's essay by arguing for a reasoned debate on the issues.
© Emerald Group Publishing Limited
2008
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