Analysis of the Origin of the American Basic Values

【Abstract】The American basic values are so essential for American people，so it is very necessary to analyze and explore the origin and essence of forming American basic values.This paper analyzes the origin of American values from the perspective of politics， economy and history respectively so that provides a unique way to understand American culture.

【Key words】American values； origin； American culture

【中圖分類號】H31 【文獻標識碼】A 【文章編號】2095-3089（2017）28-0110-01

Some scholars who are studying on the American society and culture said“American basic values are considered as the core of American culture and one of the most obvious characteristics in American society”. The basic American values are individual freedom，equality of opportunity， competition，material wealth and hard work， self-reliance and improvement， which to some certain degree decide Americans behaviors. It is necessary to explore the origin to further have a better understanding of American culture.

First， the American values actually have their political origin，especially the value of equality. During the founding US， the puritans believed that they are the members chosen by the God who endowed them the right of equality. This Natural Rights made them establish the first Public country in the world and spread the belief of individual equality throughout the whole country. Besides， the Declaration of Independence in 1776 clearly proclaimed to the world that equality is the prominent and the most important right that is guaranteed by the government. Therefore， for Americans， the rights of individual equality cannot be deprived. It is a basic human right， and the government mission is to protect it. The core of American economic system is the Capitalist free economic system， its essence is highly free market economy，which encourages individuals and enterprises to develop private economy， thus obtaining more wealth and getting success. The quick development of the capitalism on the basis of free market of economic system not only changes the Americas economy， but also increasingly influences Americans values. The typical feature of American economic system is to encourage free competition and call for getting material wealth. These features greatly influence American peoples values.

Besides， the dominant economic system and the American Dream which emphasizes individual success make indispensable function in enforcing American value of being competitive and pursuing material wealth through hard-working. People believe American Dream hold that one can get success through hard-working.In the American Dream， money is usually associated with success. The development of the Industrial Revolution combined with the great natural resources of the enormous and as yet unsettled （by Europeans） continent created the possibility of achieving wealth and transitioning“from rags to riches”regardless of the fortuitous circumstances of birth or position.

Last， lots of epoch-making events in America more than 200 years history made great influence on the forming of American value， especially the value of making progress and improvement. In the American Westward Movement， people transferred from the east to the west and settled down by conquering the arduousness and danger. Besides， the American War of Independence and the American Civil War also contributed the formation of American values.The rule of Britain infuriated Americans got the right of being self-governed. The Declaration of Independence showed that Americans looked heavily on the spirit of freedom， self-reliance and struggle propagated by their ancestors. In addition， the abolition of the Slavery System in American Civil War also helped Americans form the spirit of pursuing individual equality and improvement.

From the above analysis， American values are the core of American culture， and this central position has profound origin，which reflects on the perspective of economy，politics and history. Making clear of the origin of the American values is essentially important for learners to access to American culture and American society better.

Bibliography：

[1]Benjamin Franklin， The Autobiography，Shanghai， Foreign Language Teaching and Research Press， 2008.

[2]Robert N. Bellah et al. Habit of the Heart Individualism and Commitment in American Life， New York， Harper & Row， Publishers， 1986.

[3]Robert Isaak， American Political Thinking： Readings from the Origins to the 21st Century， Peking University Press， 2004.

[4]王曉俊.“試論美國個人主義價值觀的根源”[J].河南商業高等專科學校學報，2010 （4）： 84-87.

作者簡介：

魏麗麗（1986-），女，漢族，寧夏人，碩士在讀，講師，研究方向：英美文學。