The challenge of individualism - USA
AMERICAN DREAM
- no universally acceptable definition about the term -> individual
-> everybody thinks different about it (different dreams), not everybody believes in it - key concept within US history, society, culture (lured many immigrants)
- rooted in Declaration of Independence (“All men are created equal” with natural right to “Life, Liberty and the pursuit of happiness”
- dream of a better life in the future
- every Individual is given the chance to be successful, wealthy, no matter what skin color, rank, heritage one have -> If you really want something, you can achieve it
- with a strong will & hard work one can go from “rags to riches”
- based on equality, liberty and the main idea that if a person works hard, that will achieve his/her goals and improve his/her position in life
- based on Individualism -> personal freedom, enterprise (including self-reliance & responsibility for one’s own fate
Political dimension:
- political aspect centers around the ideas of life, liberty & the pursuit of happiness -> all people have the right to pursuit their goals with a minimum of state control
- government has to support people in realizing their dreams (f.ex. by guaranteeing democracy, freedom & equal opportunities
Today:
- term often refers to material well-being
- many symbols and icons which represent the AD: statue of liberty, American flag -> most popular ones as symbols of freedom & democracy
- in relation to the AD, USA is often seen as the country with unlimited opportunities
- represented in literature, films, songs, etc. (f.ex. “The Great Gatsby”,“Pretty Woman”,…)
Reality:
Positive:
- Idea can still be found in the American way of life, their patriotism, optimism about future
- Gives people motivation, strength, hope
- Equal opportunities are guaranteed by law
- Examples of people who represent the idea from “rags to riches”: many pop stars, football stars grew up in ghettos and are now millionaires
- Barack Obama perfectly embodies the basic American Value of equality & success through hard work -> reminds Americans of basic beliefs and ideas of the AD
- Ideas are still a source of inspiration for people all over the world
Negative:
- A lot of citizens are unable to work due to unemployment
- Unequal health care system
- Gap between rich and poor (huge, steadily growing)
- Many illegal immigrants (like Mexicans) who have difficulties to find a job / become a US citizen (difficult to live their dream)
the AD is only reachable for white people.
HISTORY
-rooted/made official in 1776 -> Declaration of Independence (states from each other & Britain) on July 4 in 1776
-Founding Fathers (Continental Congress made up of representatives of all 13 colonies) considered it possible to run a country on the principles of personal liberty, self-governance and individual rights
-new ideas of life -> equality (before: had always been hereditary classes), happiness (as life was not meant to be happy but for work)
Individualism as key factor:
- central concept in the way Americans see themselves
- personal freedom guaranteed by American tradition of skepticism (about government, church restriction, interference (particularly financially) as a struggle for freedom
-> makes it almost impossible to set up welfare programs or legislature (failure is seen as someone’s own fault and success as a result of hard work)
-> f.ex. directly kicked out of a house when you stop paying rent
-> leads to a tension between individual and community (f.ex. more competition in sports, expensive education) - first legal foundation for individual rights and freedom: Bill of Rights (1791) -> limited the power of the government, f.ex. forbade to establish a state religion
Puritanism as a shaping historical aspect of contemporary American community and AD:
- started with social and religious movement by protestants – 16&17th century – aimed to cleanse their church from remaining influence of roman-catholic papism and therefore read the bible literally – “purify” its message – for that reason abolish all “human intentions” in church (traditional mass/hierarchy/decorations,…)
-> emigrated to New England (in North America) in 17th century because they envisioned USA to be their “New Canaan” – promised land – reference to the old testament
-> same idea of Mexican & Latin immigrants moving to the US today -> hope to enhance their life quality - American civil religion (virtue, integrity, INDIVIDUAL FREEDOM…) shaped by Puritans
-> comparable to Creationists today (wide spread in USA) as they also read bible literally and are devoutly pious – more ideas still existent in several laws (f.ex. prohibition of sexual issues in public)
-> seen as extremely narrow-minded and conservative
Frontier experience – another root of individualism:
- term originally referred to “line of settlement” moving westward in 19th century
- geographical expansion (closely related to “manifest destiny” -> belief that it is America’s mission to democratize the world-> used to justify its territorial expansion (f.ex. IS war in Iraq and Syria, Afghanistan War,…) as well as imperialism (in Latin America)
- Americans often idealistic; thought to be the sole remaining superpower
- today: myth still kept alive in culture, political rhetoric,…
Dream to be a “melting pot”:
- “Individuals if all nations are melted into a new race of men.” -> metaphor even though Africans and Native Americans have always been excluded
- probably “salad bowl” more appropriate (people from several nations living side by side but not mixing at all -> few mixed-race marriages/children,…
Multiculturalism (consequence of AD):
- central nation of immigration - leads to high cultural variety
- 2 competing concepts of multiculturalism: assimilation and pluralism (minorities have to adapt without giving up their culture vs. fight Americanization
- goal: more rights for minorities, but it has also furthered cultural fragmentation
history:
- first settlers, attractive to immigrants until today (AD): huge influx of immigrants in main period between 1800-1917 (-> Immigration Act 1917 & other laws limited number of immigrants who could settle in the US and established quotas based on their country of origin -> immigrant visa/ green card certain permissions needed to immigrate until today)
- today: Hispanics & Asians make up the largest group of immigrants – even cross borders illegally
Symbols:
-“The Stars and Stripes”/”Old Glory” 13 stripes for 13 states, star for every new state (currently 50)
-> white: purity, red: endurance and bravery, blue: justice
-Uncle Sam -> nickname for American government & people
-> first used to recruit volunteers during both WWs
-Independence Day
Reality:
inequality of chances inhibits the coming true of AD:
- education needed for high ranking jobs is not available for everyone (as school has to be paid privately -> compare individualism-> no social mobility for children from poor families and immigrants with no start capital (irony: come to have better lives but except from comparatively low paid jobs it’s hard to achieve sth.) -> AD = myth -> hard work and luck cannot overcome financial & social ranking in every case)
- contradiction: USA/AD promises chances/equality for those who struggle but close the borders at the same time (guarded fence Mexico-US) or green card ony to people with a certain grade of education / minimum capital
-> descend and assets are not as unimportant for going “rags to riches” as the main idea of the AD seems to promise