250 years ago, 13 colonies declared their independence from British rule,
and a new liberal experiment was born.
It has by any measure been an extraordinary success.
The country that the founders feared could unravel into disorder or tyranny
has become the world's richest and most preeminent.
Yet America celebrates its semi-quincentennial amidst considerable anxiety
about the health of its democracy at home and transactionalism abroad.
To many, both inside and outside the country, the American dream seems to be souring.
The city on the hill no longer shines quite so brightly.
Is that gloom warranted?
I'm Zanny Minton Beddoes, The Economist's editor-in-chief.
Welcome back to The Insider.
Joining me to discuss America on its semi-quincentennial,
I can't resist saying it again, is Ed Carr,
our deputy editor and my partner in crime.
Ed has written a superb essay in this week's edition,
provocatively entitled The Wrecking Ball Revolution,
which discusses his view of America's relationship with the world,
and we're going to come to that.
And also joining me here in the studio is John Prido,