American Identities in a Divided America

Outline

• The 1950s sense of unity

• The (Dis)integration of national identity?

– John Higham’s argument (1974)

• What happened to homogeneity?

– Technology and the question of American character

• An increasing sense of division?

THE 1950S SENSE OF UNITY

The “homogeniety” of the 1950s

• Homogeneity? The 1950s

• Cold War Consensus

• Class convergence (?)

• Liberals All

• John Kouwenhoven and David Potter

David Potter, People of Plenty 1954

• US shaped by special circumstance• Excess land, food, • Grew faster than other economies 1776-1950.

• National traits shaped by plenty• Optimistic, “can-do,” future orientation• Mobile - opportunity seeking• Work will bring success• Reject state as solution• Embrace and develop advertising

Kouwenhoven

• Focus on architecture & material culture• A National Style - design characteristics• Vernacular, not high style• Grid• Improvisation within a structure• Process not product• Modularity

1960s: Critiques of Kouwenhoven and Potter

• White Americans• Civil Rights Movement• Social class• Women?• Ethnic minorities• Tend to assume national unity and describe it,

rather than prove it exists• Shift toward studies of smaller groups• Community, not the nation• Diversity, not unity

THE (DIS)INTEGRATION OF US HISTORY?

John Higham, “Hanging Together”

• 1974 American Historical Association presidential address

• Against backdrop of shift to micro-histories (ethnic-labor-women, etc.)

• Searching for general patterns to explain unity • But young scholars focusing on diversity

Higham 1. Primordial unity

• 17th c. Americans bound to neighbors, to kin• Linked to a specific place• Not necessarily an ethnic feeling• Settler communities in mid west• Distinct Indian tribes (not Pan-Indian ethnicity)• “modern ethnic group is a federation of

primordial collectivities”

Higham, pp 7-8 2.0 Ideology

• Ideology is not tradition• Ideology not mythology• an explicit system of beliefs that provides

– A shared identity– A common program of action– A sense of history – A standard for self-criticism

Higham 2.1 Religious ideology

• Evolves from 18th century• Specific beliefs for each denomination

– Endless debate and splits, e.g. about transubstantiation• Inclusive truths

– Free choice of Xtian faith, but should be Xtian– Providential guidance of the nation toward a better society

- I.e. Kingdom of God was secular• Ritual form: the camp meeting

Higham 2.2 Political ideology

• Also evolves from middle 18th century• Multiplicity of groups• Checks & balances• Collective mission to improve nation• Passion for individual liberty• Against strong central power• Ritual forms: political conventions

Higham 3 Unity through technology

• Developing from early 19th century• Embrace of rationalization• Diffusion of technical values

Higham 3.1

• “In subjugating matter through the aid of mechanism, human beings come more and more to resemble God.”

• Substitution of technique for principles• Technical integration as unity• Realization of perfection in material world• Technological sublime

Photograph by Lewis Hine, 1930

TECHNOLOGY AND HOMOGENEITY?

1950s and 1960sDid Technology Homogenize?

• Fears of standardization

• Ford

• Telephone

• Levittown & Suburbia

• “Little Boxes”

"A Day's Output of Model Ts, Highland Park," 1915.

Life Magazine Levittown House and family, 1948

Levittown today

• Houses transformed• Retain high real estate value• http://tigger.uic.edu/~pbhales/Levittown.html

Modified houses

Homogenization?

• Supermarket

• Multi channel

• e-marketing

• Food at Ellis Island

AN INCREASING SENSE OF DIVISION

US House Seats, after 2010 election

Who supported which party in 2010?

• Cities of 500,000 or more• 50,000 – 500,000• 10,000 – 50,000• Less than 10,000 • Whites in South• Aged 18-29

Source: New York Times,10 Nov. 2010

65% 34%53

4744 56 36 64

27 7358 42

Democrats Republicans

American Anti-urban Tradition

• Jefferson• Thoreau, Emerson• Middle landscape• Flight to suburbs, from c. 1840• Cities viewed as corrupt, dangerous• But, Rural US in 19 c not always conservative• Emerson, Thoreau, etc. supported abolition

Democrats• Women• African Americans• Hispanic Americans• Asian Americans• Educated whites• Under 35• Unions• Urban• Is this a Coalition?

Republicans• Evangelicals• Conservative Catholics• Wall Street • “Dixicans”• Elderly• Rural areas• Suburban whites• Is this a Coalition?

CONCLUSIONS

Conclusions (1)

• Americans exaggerate their differences • War and Crisis forge (temporary) consensus

– World War II and Cold War• During Vietnam divisiveness reasserted• Polarization increased after 1990• Persistence of older patterns – eg religion

– Edwards and Franklin

American polarization

• Pastoral (anti-urban)• Melting pot• Value Standardization• Fundamentalist Religion• Local control, anti-statist• Individualistic• Resistance to Welfare• Right to bear arms• Anti-abortion

• Love of mechanical perfection• Multicultural• Value Diversity• Ecumenical • State needed as regulator• Want Social Security, Medicare• Philanthropic• Support gun control• Pro-choice

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