They also said they believe Americans have a different reaction to people of other nationalities in the 21st century after liberal and democratic values became important in US politics in the nineteenth century.[1] The most significant differences between Americans and others were the ability to shape their own lives and to solve social problems by using government action. As a result, Americans have less trust in organizations like the United Nations.[3] Kohut and Stokes relied on a contemporary assessment of Alexis de Tocqueville's ambivalent conclusion about American exceptionalism.[2]