The 2010s was the decade that forced American politicians and commentators to confront the limits of the country’s own mythology. How can you talk about American meritocracy when so much power is defined by nepotism, incompetence and sheer impunity? If you grew up in the US in the late 20th century, you would have imbibed a familiar account of the country. Meanwhile, the idea of either the benevolence of American power or the inherent progressive direction of national history – a new “postracial” society – seemed absurd. • Aziz Rana is a professor of law at Cornell University and the author of The Two Faces of American Freedom

Source: The Guardian December 30, 2019 13:18 UTC