Influence of Puritanism on Modern America

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Influence of Puritanism on Modern America
Today marks about 400 years since the first Puritans arrived in the United States. Their aim, unlike the Pilgrims, was not to break away from the English Church but to reform it. In their view, the church of England was too similar to the Catholic church, and there was a need to eliminate practices and ceremonies not rooted in the Bible. When they settled in America, they influenced religious matters and social, political, and economic issues as well. While, as a political entity, Puritanism largely disappeared in the 17th century, its influence remains conspicuous in modern America. As argued by Morone (116), “the US rings with Puritan metaphors…and in many ways, we are all Puritan”. Thus, based on the following argument, I agree with Morone that in some ways, we are all Puritans due to numerous reasons as discussed below.
One of how Morone’s assertion is true is the type of economic system in which the US, as a country and as a populace, has thrived to become a dominant player in global issues. Puritan qualities and views on energy, industry, self-reliance, and frugality were consistent in the development of the modern capitalist states. The concepts of individualism, free market, and competitions require each individual to depend on themselves. In other words, reading perdition and salvation into poverty and wealth coupled with the idea of a national mission propelled the American society into capitalism and, to an extent, its imperialistic tendencies. From this point of view, the current American society is Puritan because it still operates on an economy that still holds Puritan values and qualities.
Further, this perception can explain the link between Puritanism and modern American liberalism. Liberalism is a moral and political philosophy based on the consent of the governed, equality before the law, and liberty. Puritans left England primarily due to religious persecution and economic reasons. In essence, they rebelled against control by the England Church in search of religious freedom. Since their religious stand also seemed to contradict the government (because the church and the government were one), they also needed economic freedom. When they settled in America, Morone (116) writes, they searched for purer faith. Future generations took over this search, and its rippling effect is the deep religious divides. Such divides manifest through hat...