价值观 英文

BasicAmericanValuesandBeliefs

IndividualFreedomandSelf-Reliance

TheearliestttlerscametotheNorthAmericancontinenttoestablishcolonieswhichwere

ntedtoescapethecontrols

placedontheirlivesbykingsandgovernments,priestsandchurches,

agreatextent,1776theBritishcolonialttlersdeclaredtheirindependence

fromEnglandandestablishedanewnation,ing,they

overthrewthekingofEnglandanddeclaredthatthepowertogovernwouldlieinthehandsof

1789,whentheywrotethe

Constitutionfortheirnewnation,theyparatedchurchandstatesothattherewouldneverbea

,inwritingtheConstitutiontheyexpresslyforbadetitlesof

ouldbenorulingclassof

noblemeninthenewnation.

Thehistoricdecisionsmadebythofirstttlershavehadaprofoundeffectontheshaping

tingthepowerofthegovernmentandeliminatingaformal

aristocracy,

UnitedStates

probablythemostbasicofalltheAmericanvalues.

Scholarsandoutsideobrvesoftencallthisvalue”individualism,”butmanyAmericansuthe

word”freedom.”Perhapstheword”freedom”isoneofthemostrespectedpopularwordsinthe

UnitedStatestoday.

Thereis,however,apricetobepaidforthisindividualfreedom:ans

belieans

achievingbothfinancialandemotionalindependencefromtheirparentsaarlyas

possible,sthatAmericansbelievetheyshouldtakecareof

themlves,solvetheirownproblems,and”standontheirowntwofeet.”Tocquevilleobrvedthe

Americans’beliefinlf-reliance150yearsagointhe1830s:

Theyowenothingtoanyman,theyexpectnothingfromanyman;theyacquirethehabitof

always

consideringthemlvesasstandingalone,andthey

areapttoimaginethattheirwholedestinyisintheirownhands.

Self-relianceisoneofthemostdifficultaspectsoftheAmericancharactertounderstand,but

dsindirectcontrasttodependence,whichhasanegative

gdependence,notonlydoyourisklosingfreedom,but

youalsorisklosingtherespectofyourpeers.

EqualityofOpportunityandCompetition

AcondimportantreasonwhyimmigrantshavetraditionallybeendrawntotheUnited

tionsofimmigrants

fvefeltthat

becauindividualarefreefromexcessivepolitical,andsocialcontrols,theyhaveabetterchance

ularlyimportantisthelackofahereditaryaristocracy.

BecautitlesofnobilitywereforbiddenintheConstitution,noformalclasssystem

arlyyearsofAmericanhistorymanyimmigrantschoto

leavetheolderEuropeansocieties,believingthattheyhadabetterchancetosucceedinAmerica

thanin”theoldcountry,”wheretheirplaceinlifewasdeterminedlargelybythesocialclassinto

whichtheywereborn.

Thereis,however,apricetobepaidforthiqualityofopportunity:of

lifeisenasarace,thenapersonmustruntheraceinordertosucceed;apersonmustcompete

ssuresofcompetitioninthelifeofanAmericanbegininchildhoodand

ocompetesuccessfullyispartofgrowupinthe

UnitedStates.

MaterialWealthandHardWork

AthirdreasonwhyimmigrantshavetraditionallycometotheUnitedStatesistohavea

betterlife-thatis,vastmajorityoftheimmigrantswho

camehere,eofits

incrediblyabundantnaturalresources,theUnitedStatesappeardtobea”landofplenty”where

,mostimmigrantsdidnot“getrich

overnight”,andmanyofthemsufferedterribly,butthemajorityofthemwereeventuallyableto

theywerenotabletoachivetheeconomic

successtheywanted,theycouldbefairlycertainthattheirchildrenwouldhavetheopportunity

a“goingfromragstoriches”becameasloganforthegreatAmerican

eofthevastrichesoftheNorthAmericancontinent,thedreamcametrueformany

hievedmaterialsuccess;theybecameveryattachedtomaterial

alwealthbecameavaluetotheAmericanpeople.

InunderstandingtherelationshipbetweenwhatAmericanbelieveandhowtheylive,itis

nvaluessuchaqualityof

opportunityandlf-relianceareidealsthatmaynotnecessarilydescribethefactsofAmerican

tyofopportunity,forexample,

reality,hoopportunitiesare

bornintorichfamilieshavemoreopportunitiesthanthowhoarebornintopoor

ackAmericanhave

feweropportunitiesthantheaveragewhiteAmeican,inspiteoflawsdesignedtopromote

equalityofopportunityforallraces.

ThefactthatAmericanidealareonlypartlycarriedoutinreallifedoesnotdiminishtheir

ericanstillbelieveinthemandarestronglyaffectedbythemintheir

siertounderstandwhatAmericansarethinkingandfeelingifwecan

understandwhatthebasicAmericanvaluesareandhowtheyinfluencealmosteveryfacetof

lifeintheUnitedStates.