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One Nation, Out of Many: Why “Americanization” of newcomers is still important
The American Enterprise ^ | September 2004 | Samuel Huntington

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 ...


TOPICS: Constitution/Conservatism; Culture/Society
KEYWORDS: aliens; americanization; assimiliation; deconstructionism; immigrantlist; immigration; multiculturalism; pc; samuelhuntington; wasp

1 posted on 09/28/2004 8:31:59 PM PDT by rmlew
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To: gubamyster; 1_Inch_Group; 2sheep; 2Trievers; 3AngelaD; 4.1O dana super trac pak; 4Freedom; ...

Samuel Huntington Ping


2 posted on 09/28/2004 8:33:37 PM PDT by rmlew (Copperheads and Peaceniks beware! Sedition is a crime.)
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To: rmlew

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.


3 posted on 09/28/2004 8:41:07 PM PDT by Fishing-guy (D)
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To: Jeremiah Jr; happygrl; Gal.5:1; dennisw
E pluribus unum melo hagoyim ketonit passim ephraim ping.


4 posted on 09/28/2004 8:43:17 PM PDT by Thinkin' Gal
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To: rmlew

Excellent article. Thanks for posting.


5 posted on 09/28/2004 8:43:54 PM PDT by GSlob
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To: rmlew
Samuel Huntington Ping

Here are some complementary threads to this one which were posted today.

Switzerland: a Model for America on Immigration

Citizen Hamdi The case against birthright citizenship

6 posted on 09/28/2004 8:53:31 PM PDT by Paleo Conservative (Hey! Hey! Ho! Ho! Dan Rather's got to go!)
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To: Fishing-guy
"The desire to become successful is shared by all people, not just the Protestants."
You yourself mentioned "to become successful by working hard"; There are other types, for example "to become successful by having others working hard [for my benefit, not for theirs] - the former would be idealized picture of 16th century German or Scot burgher, and the latter - all too real, and not idealized, communist apparatchik, or serf holder, or indeed any form of contemporary careerist. A minor subtype would be "to become successful through marrying money (or power)"- gold-diggers, gigolos and "political prostitutes" (in V. I. Lenin's expression)- kerry and hillary come to mind...
7 posted on 09/28/2004 8:54:01 PM PDT by GSlob
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To: GSlob

I guess there are liberal Protestants who too enjoy an easy handout.


8 posted on 09/28/2004 9:07:13 PM PDT by Fishing-guy (D)
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To: Fishing-guy

individualism and freedom of conscience are "Protestant values".


9 posted on 09/28/2004 9:20:04 PM PDT by rmlew (Copperheads and Peaceniks beware! Sedition is a crime.)
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To: rmlew

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.


10 posted on 09/28/2004 9:28:42 PM PDT by Noachian (A Democrat, by definition, is a Socialist.)
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To: rmlew

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.


11 posted on 09/28/2004 9:37:16 PM PDT by Fishing-guy (D)
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To: Thinkin' Gal

Thanks for the ping. Fascinating article.


12 posted on 09/28/2004 10:28:41 PM PDT by Gal.5:1 (rainbow flag= celebrate God's promise to Noah!)
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To: Fishing-guy
The founding fathers fought a war against England and King George. They certainly were Protestants and monarchists.
Ideas and revolutions do not come from thin air. The colonists fought based on their rights as set forth under Natural Right theory, British common law, and theological anti-Monarchism.
Might I suggest that you actually look at the role of religion in the Leveling movement of Wat Tyler, the Scottish and English civil wars and the Glorious Revolution. Then take a good look at the American Revolution.
13 posted on 09/28/2004 11:24:55 PM PDT by rmlew (Copperheads and Peaceniks beware! Sedition is a crime.)
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To: rmlew

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.


14 posted on 09/28/2004 11:52:11 PM PDT by Fishing-guy (D)
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To: Fishing-guy

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


15 posted on 09/28/2004 11:58:19 PM PDT by AmericanVictory (Should we be more like them, or they like us?)
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To: AmericanVictory

Thanks. In my post #3, that was basically what I wrote, in less words and without historical conncections.


16 posted on 09/29/2004 12:04:24 AM PDT by Fishing-guy (D)
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To: Fishing-guy
Maybe you can enlighten us by clarifying your statements and show how they are connected to the article.
I do not have the time to give the basis of what could be an entire seminar course at a university. Suffice it to say that religious disputes, further, and desire for individual interpretation has been part of British and American revolutionary activity since the 14th century.
For example, the English civil war, which greatly influenced colonists, was both a political and religious struggle. The proximate cause of the English and Scottish civil wars was the attempt of Charles I to impose the Anglican Church onto the Presbytarians in Scotland. Scottish forces expelled the Stuart (and hence Scottish) Kings forces in a revolt. The efforts by Charles to raise money for a new army increased tensions with Parliament. When Charles dissolved Parliament and tried to tax the people, the Parlimentarians rebelled. They were joined by Puritans and others opposed to Charles's High Anglican impositions. If you will note, Oliver Cromwell and his son were both Puritans and the only non-Monarchs to lead England.

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?

17 posted on 09/29/2004 12:07:44 AM PDT by rmlew (Copperheads and Peaceniks beware! Sedition is a crime.)
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To: rmlew

Thanks. Never taken any political theory before.


18 posted on 09/29/2004 12:17:29 AM PDT by Fishing-guy (D)
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To: rmlew

Bump to read later.


19 posted on 09/29/2004 11:37:54 AM PDT by AuntB ("Go count your blessings, and then complain to me"...MY Grandma!)
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