Posted on 09/28/2004 8:31:58 PM PDT by rmlew
America's core culture has primarily been the culture of the seventeenth- and eighteenth-century settlers who founded our nation. The central elements of that culture are the Christian religion; Protestant values, including individualism, the work ethic, and moralism; the English language; British traditions of law, justice, and limits on government power; and a legacy of European art, literature, and philosophy. Out of this culture the early settlers formulated the American Creed, with its principles of liberty, equality, human rights, representative government, and private property. Subsequent generations of immigrants were assimilated into the culture of the founding settlers and modified it, but did not change it fundamentally. It was, after all, Anglo-Protestant culture, values, institutions, and the opportunities they created that attracted more immigrants to America than to all the rest of the world.
America was founded as a Protestant society, and for 200 years almost all Americans practiced Protestantism. With substantial Catholic immigration, first from Germany and Ireland and then Italy and Poland, the proportion of Protestants declined--to about 60 percent of the population by 2000. Protestant beliefs, values, and assumptions, however, have been the core element (along with the English language) of America's settler culture, and they continue to pervade and shape American life, society, and thought. Protestant values have shaped American attitudes toward private and public morality, economic activity, government, and public policy. They have even deeply influenced Catholicism and other religions in America.
Throughout our history, people who were not white, Anglo-Saxon Protestants have become Americans by adopting America's Anglo-Protestant culture and political values. This benefited them, and it benefited the country. Millions of immigrants and their children achieved wealth, power, and status in American society precisely because they assimilated themselves into the prevailing culture.
(Excerpt) Read more at taemag.com ...
Samuel Huntington Ping
What is Protestant values? There are so many different beliefs and ways among the Protestants.
I always thought it was the opportunity to become successful by working hard that makes this country great. The desire to become successful is shared by all people, not just the Protestants.
Excellent article. Thanks for posting.
Here are some complementary threads to this one which were posted today.
I guess there are liberal Protestants who too enjoy an easy handout.
individualism and freedom of conscience are "Protestant values".
An interesting question to be asked is "What happens if America stops being American?"
If America become "balkanized", with a multiethnic government and political factions squabbling over "rights", what happens to the rest of the world who depend upon our military might to shield them and our economy to support them?
The unforseen consequences of "multiculturalism", and its wayward brother "diversity", has yet to be seen on a global scale. But, it's a fair guess that should America, the last superpower, fall into disarray the global devastation that would follow would equal the Dark Ages that followed the collapse of the Roman Empire.
What is "individualism and freedom of conscience?"
Are those Protestant values or American values?
The founding fathers fought a war against England and King George. They certainly were Protestants and monarchists.
Thanks for the ping. Fascinating article.
Maybe you can enlighten us by clarifying your statements and show how they are connected to the article.
People talk about "Western" civilization all the time, even though Western civilization is multicultural and diverse.
They talk about Protestant religion, even though Protestant religion was not limited to England. It was entrenched in many European countries.
The reference is to the historical concept known as the "Protestant Ethic," which arose in Europe, and is a concept that relates to hard work, decentralization, individual responsibility, community origination of agreed upon values and, legally, common law concepts, rather than a code imposed from above. It does not necessarily have to do with actually being protestant. It is merely that the values were historically transmitted into this country because of breakaway protestantism in various guises in Europe, breaking away from the Holy Roman Empire type of concept
Thanks. In my post #3, that was basically what I wrote, in less words and without historical conncections.
People talk about "Western" civilization all the time, even though Western civilization is multicultural and diverse
True. However its basis is Western Christendom, ie the Catholic countries of Europe.
They talk about Protestant religion, even though Protestant religion was not limited to England. It was entrenched in many European countries.
True. And political theory evolved differently in countries based on religious influence. Calvinist, Anglican, Lutheran, and Catholic countries evolved political theories and cultures based in part on theological influence.
Ron
PS. Have you taken any courses in Political Theory?
Thanks. Never taken any political theory before.
Bump to read later.
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