American Individualism
from American Individualism (1922), by Herbert
Hoover
Individualism has been the primary force of
American civilization for three centuries. It is our
sort of individualism that has supplied the
motivation of America’s political, economic, and
spiritual institutions in all these years. It has proved
its ability to develop its institutions with the
changing scene. Our very form of government is
the product of the individualism of our people, the
demand for an equal opportunity, for a fair chance.
Freedom and Self-Reliance [American Ways 2]
The earliest settlers came to the North American
continent to establish colonies that were free from
the controls that existed in European societies.
They wanted to escape the controls placed on many
aspects of their lives by kings and governments,
priests and churches, noblemen and aristocrats. To
a great extent, they succeeded. In 1776, the British
colonial settlers declared their independence from
England and established a new nation, the United
States of America. In so doing, they defied the king
of England and declared that the power to govern
would lie in the hands of the people. They were
now free from the power of the kings. In 1787,
when they wrote the Constitution for their new
nation, they separated church and state so that there
would never be a government-supported church.
This greatly limited the power of the church. Also,
in writing the Constitution they expressly forbade
titles of nobility to ensure that an aristocratic
society would not develop. There would be no
ruling class of noblemen in the new nation.
The historic decisions made by those first settlers
have had a profound effect on the shaping of the
American character. By limiting the power of the
government and the churches and eliminating a
formal aristocracy, the early settlers created a
climate of freedom where the emphasis was on the
individual. The United States came to be associated
in their minds with the concept of individual
freedom. This is probably the most basic of all the
American values. Scholars and outside observers
often call this value individualism, but many
Americans use the word freedom. It is one of the
most respected and popular words in the United
States today.
By freedom, Americans mean the desire and the
right of all individuals to control their own destiny
without outside interference from the government,
a ruling noble class, the church, or any other
organized authority. The desire to be free of
controls was a basic value of the new nation in
1776, and it has continued to attract immigrants to
this country.
There is, however, a cost for this benefit of
individual freedom: self-reliance. Individuals must
learn to rely on themselves or risk losing freedom.
They must take responsibility for themselves.
Traditionally, this has meant achieving both
financial and emotional independence from their
parents as early as possible, usually by age eighteen
or twenty-one. Self-reliance means that Americans
believe they should take care of themselves, solve
their own problems, and "stand on their own two
feet."
For example, if adult children return home to live
with their parents because of economic conditions
or a failed marriage, most members of the family
expect this to be a short-term arrangement, until the
children can find a job and be self-reliant. Although
receiving financial support from charity, family, or
the government is possible, it is usually expected to
be for a short time, and it is generally not admired.
Eventually, most Americans would say, people
have a responsibility for taking care of themselves.
Perception of the Self [American Cultural
Patterns]
Unlike other societies, American culture does not
attribute particular meaning to place of birth,
family, or the other ascriptive considerations that
can be used to define the self. The existence of the
individual is a matter of chance. Self-definition is
determined primarily by personal achievement.
The American stress on the individual as a concrete
point of reference begins at a very early age. An
episode from an American family demonstrates the
encouragement of autonomy in children. It is early
in the morning and the mother has placed her baby
daughter, who is less than one year old, in her
highchair and is preparing to give breakfast to the by the label “individual freedom” to be self-
child. The mother selects two different kinds of centered and lacking in consideration for others.
baby cereal, each kind packaged in a box of
Collectivists will want to understand that
distinctive color. The mother holds up a box in each
individualists are, according to Harry Triandis,
hand before the child and encourages the small girl
Richard Brislin, and C. H. Hui, likely to act
to select the one she wants. Before age one, the
competitively and to define status in terms of
child has already learned to express her own
accomplishments (what they have achieved through
preferences and make her own decisions, at least
their own efforts) rather than relationships or
with regard to food.
affiliations (the family or other group to which they
In most societies such extreme forms of personal belong).
preference would not be cultivated, or tolerated.
To elaborate, individualistic Americans naturally
The child would be given what the mother
see themselves as being in competition with others.
considered best or what the mother thought social
People who are competing with others are
norms dictated. But American society implicitly
essentially alone, trying to maintain their
accepts that children should be encouraged to make
superiority and, implicitly, their separateness from
decisions for themselves, develop their own
others.
opinions, solve their own problems, have their own
possessions, and, in general, learn to view the
world from the point of view of the self.
Typical American Behavior and Values [The
USA: Customs and Institutions]
Individualism, Freedom, Competitiveness, and Watching Americans in action, foreigners
Privacy [American Ways 1] sometimes see behavior that seems rude,
misguided, or just plain silly. The following traits
The most important thing to understand about
are characteristically, but certainly not exclusively,
Americans is probably their devotion to
American.
individualism. They are trained from very early in
their lives to consider themselves as separate Say What You Mean, and Mean What You Say.
individuals who are responsible for their own Americans believe that "honesty is the best policy."
situations in life and their own destinies. They are They are direct and assertive. They ask for what
not trained to see themselves as members of a they want. In many cultures, respect for those in
close-knit, interdependent family, religious group, positions of authority keeps people from expressing
tribe, nation, or any other collectivity. their true feelings or intentions. In the U.S.A.,
however, children often argue with their parents
Research by social scientists indicates that the
and citizens express opposition to actions of the
culture of the United States is the most
government. If the soup is cold or the meat is
individualistic (or second most, after Australia) in
tough, the diner can complain to the waiter. If a
the world.
teacher is wrong or confusing, a student may say
Americans are trained to conceive of themselves as so. If the boss makes a mistake, an employee may
separate individuals, and they assume everyone else politely point it out. Assertive behavior sometimes
in the world is too. When they encounter a person seems improper and rude to foreigners, but it work
from abroad who seems to them excessively well for Americans. In fact, assertiveness is almost
concerned with the opinions of parents, with a necessity in the business world.
following traditions, or with fulfilling obligations to
The Need to Win. The extremely competitive nature
others, they assume that the person feels trapped or
of Americans is often criticized. Of course,
is weak, indecisive, or “overly dependent.” They
competition isn't always bad. ln fact, it promotes
assume, furthermore, that after living for a time in
excellence by encouraging individuals (and
the United States, people will come to feel
businesses) to try to do their best. But the desire to
“liberated” from constraints arising from outside
get ahead of others sometimes causes people to do
themselves. As indeed, many are.
things that are unkind and even dishonest.
By contrast, people from many other cultures
regard some of the behavior Americans legitimize