Americanism, also referred to asAmerican patriotism, is a set ofnational values which aim to create a sharedAmerican identity for theUnited States that can be defined as "an articulation of the nation's rightful place in the world, a set of traditions, a political language, and a cultural style imbued with political meaning".[1]: 6 The concept is "famously contested"[1]: 1 and there is no consensus on "which is the true or authentic... exposition of Americanism... because each of these texts ... is informed by different interpretations of the nature, purpose, and goals of Americanism."[2]
Americanism is not merelynationalism and can cover two different meanings: the defining characteristics of the United States, or loyalty to the United States and defense of American political ideals. These ideals include but are not limited toindependence,equality before the law,freedom of speech,democracy, andprogress.[1]: 172 [3]
For example, according to theAmerican Legion,Americanism is an ideology, or abelief in devotion, loyalty, or allegiance to the United States, or respect forits flag, its traditions, its customs,its culture,symbols, its institutions, orits form of government.[4]
Theodore Roosevelt wrote that "Americanism is a question of spirit, conviction, and purpose, not of creed or birthplace."[5]
The ideology has been central to a variety of fascist movements such as theKu Klux Klan[6] and theAmerican Nazi Party.[7] It has also been referred to by theAmerican Communist Party with a slogan "Communism is Twentieth Century Americanism".[8]
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According to Wendy L. Wall in her 2008 bookInventing the "American Way": The Politics of Consensus from the New Deal to the Civil Rights Movement, Americanism was presented by a national propaganda campaign to contrast withCommunism, andFascism, during the Cold War, with the benefits of Americanism being promoted through the ideals of freedom and democracy.
Professor of political science atClemson UniversityC. Bradley Thompson stated that
The meaning of Americanism today, however, is very different. To the extent that the term is even still used, its meaning has been hijacked by both the Left and the Right. The Left most often identifies Americanism with multiculturalism, relativism, environmentalism, regulation, and welfarism — in other words, with progressivism. The Right typically identifies Americanism with Christianity, school prayer, tradition, family values, and community standards—in other words, with social conservatism. None of these values are, however, uniquely American. In fact, in one form or another, they all have a distinctly European provenance that is set in direct opposition to the native meaning of Americanism.[9]
Some organizations have claimed to embrace Americanism and have taken positions that also align with founding documents and the cultural spirit original to America's founding codifying and violent enforcement of white supremacy:[editorializing] For example, theKu Klux Klan adopted the American Legion's goal of Americanism ensuring (purity ofwhite American) and ofAmerican Protestantism.[6]
In a 1916 essay devoted to Americanism,Agnes Repplier emphasized that, "Of all the countries in the world, we and we only have any need to create artificially the patriotism which is the birthright of other nations."[10]
The concept of Americanism has been in use since the first European settlers moved toNorth America inspired by a vision of a shining "City upon a Hill".John Adams wrote that the new settlements in America were "the opening of a grand scene and design in Providence for the illumination of the ignorant, and the emancipation of the slavish part of mankind all over the earth".[11]
During the antebellum period, throughout the 1830s, 1840s, and 1850s,Americanism acquired a restrictive political meaning due tonativist moral panics after increasedIrish andGerman immigration led to the growth ofAmerican Catholicism.[12]
JournalistMatthew Continetti describes U.S. presidentsWarren G. Harding andCalvin Coolidge as "spokesmen for Americanism" based on their policies.[13]The John Birch Society and its founder,Robert Welch, promoted Americanism as "the philosophical antithesis of communism."[14] Conversely, during the Great Depression and afterwards, theCommunist Party campaigned that "Communism is the Americanism of the 20th Century."[15]
The years from the end of theCivil War to the end ofWorld War II brought new meaning to the term "Americanism" to millions of immigrants coming fromEurope andAsia. Those were times of great economic growth and industrialization, and thus brought forth the American scene consisting of "industrial democracy" and the thinking that the people are the government in America. Since then, the success of the American nation has brought tremendous power to the notion ofAmericanism.[1]: 67
Rather than collectivism, Americanism stresses unity based on the sharedindividualistliberal principles outlined in theConstitution of the United States by theFounding Fathers. Such ideology includesrepublicanism,freedom,liberty,individualism,constitutionalism,human rights, and therule of law.[16][17]
Proponents of Americanism espouse an identity based on aspects of traditionalculture of the United States. Common cultural artifacts include theflag of the United States,apple pie,baseball,rock and roll, bluejeans,Coca-Cola, and small towns.[18][19][20] Americanism tends to supportmonoculturalism andcultural assimilation, believing them to be integral to a unified Americancultural identity.[21]
Americanism attempts to collect a set of common icons to symbolize the American identity. Well known national symbols of the United States include theU.S. flag, theGreat Seal, thebald eagle,The Star-Spangled Banner,In God We Trust, and thePledge of Allegiance.[22][23][24][25][26]
