@inbook{10.2307/j.ctt7s521.4, ISBN = {9780691159645}, URL = {http://www.jstor.org/stable/j.ctt7s521.4}, abstract = {Alexis de Tocqueville marveled at the American spirit. His travels through the country in the early 1800s revealed a people with great ambitions, in constant motion, with remarkable ingenuity, and an appreciation for getting things done. In Europe, people seldom dared to dream. In the United States, where the established social and cultural orders of the old continent had been set aside and everyone had been given a fresh start, people could aspire to great things. A new society founded on equality unleashed fantastic energy, freedom, and movement. When Tocqueville asked an American sailor why the ships of his country}, bookauthor = {Francesco Duina}, booktitle = {Winning: Reflections on an American Obsession}, pages = {3--12}, publisher = {Princeton University Press}, title = {THE PROBLEM}, year = {2011} }