Everyone is praising America for once again not having a coup or dictator

(Image credit: SAUL LOEB/AFP/Getty Images)

published 20 January 2017

Even President Donald Trump's critics are happy to admit that things were at least peaceful Friday during the inauguration. Despite the fact that there are many other democratic nations around the world that do this exact same thing, Americans patted themselves on the back for once again not having a coup:

When a British prime minister loses the confidence of the House of Commons and must suddenly trundle out of 10 Downing Street (as some six dozen of them have done since the job was invented in the 1740s; a few more than once), nobody marvels on television how wonderful it is that he or she doesn't try to retain power by force of arms. Nobody in Denmark thinks it extraordinary when one party relinquishes power to another. Ditto New Zealand or Switzerland — all of them treat peaceful transfers of power as the developed world norm, like reliable electricity or potable water. [The Atlantic]

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Jeva Lange was the executive editor at TheWeek.com. She formerly served as The Week's deputy editor and culture critic. She is also a contributor to Screen Slate, and her writing has appeared in The New York Daily News, The Awl, Vice, and Gothamist, among other publications. Jeva lives in New York City. Follow her on Twitter.