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Herman Melville famously captured the concept of America as a “New Israel” in his 1850 novel White-Jacket. He wrote, “We Americans are the peculiar, chosen people—the Israel of our time; we bear the ark of the liberties of the world”. This notion reflects a long history of American exceptionalism and Manifest Destiny. [1, 2, 3, 4]

The Melville Context

While the quote sounds like a celebration of American missionary zeal, Melville often used it with deep irony. In White-Jacket, he critiqued the military, the government, and the authoritarian nature of the American naval system. He recognized the immense promise of the nation but warned heavily against its hubris and cruelty. [1, 2, 3, 4]

The “Chosen People” Concept

The idea of being the “new chosen people” or the “Israel of our time” is one of the most enduring civic conceits in American history: [1]

• Roots: The metaphor dates back to the Puritans, who viewed their journey to the New World as a biblical Exodus and the Atlantic crossing as a path to a new Promised Land. [1]
• Revolutionary Era: Preachers and politicians frequently cast the break from Britain as a new Exodus, casting King George III as Pharaoh and the American colonies as God’s chosen. [1]
• Melville’s Usage: In We Americans are the peculiar, chosen people, Melville contrasts this lofty ideal against the nation’s capacity for violence, viewing it both with “delirious passion” and profound skepticism. [1]

Broader Perspectives

Scholars often examine this paradox of the “chosen” American identity, which elevates the nation to a universal standard while also tempting it with tribalism and violence. For an in-depth breakdown of how this theological metaphor shaped U.S. politics and history, you can read the Americans, the Almost-Chosen People analysis provided by Tablet Magazine. [1, 2, 3]

The concept of a “Chosen Nation” is a powerful political and religious myth. It suggests that a specific country is selected by a divine power to fulfill a special mission on Earth. [1, 2, 3, 4, 5]

Core Characteristics

Nations that claim this identity usually share specific traits:

• Sacred Mission: Believing they must spread democracy, freedom, or religion.
• Exodus Narrative: Viewing their founding as a miraculous escape from tyranny.
• Moral Superiority: Judging their actions as inherently good or divinely sanctioned.
• Promised Land: Treating their physical territory as a holy or gifted space. [1, 2]

Key Historical Examples

• Ancient Israel: The original biblical archetype, serving as the foundational model for later Western nations.
• The United States: Rooted in the Puritan “City upon a hill” metaphor and evolving into Manifest Destiny and American Exceptionalism.
• Great Britain: During the Victorian era, the British Empire often viewed its global expansion as a divine duty to “civilize” the world.
• Apartheid South Africa: Afrikaner nationalism heavily relied on a chosen-people narrative to justify minority rule and separation. [1, 2, 3, 4, 5]

The Double-Edged Sword

This belief system creates a powerful paradox within a society:

• The Positive: It fosters deep national unity, inspires social reform, and drives monumental national achievements.
• The Negative: It frequently justifies colonialism, the displacement of indigenous peoples, imperialism, and blind nationalism.