The Myth of American Individualism
Protestant Origins of American Political Thought
Book • 1996
Barry Alan Shain's 'The Myth of American Individualism' challenges the conventional view of the American founding as rooted in Lockean individualism.
Shain argues that the early American political thought was shaped more by Protestant communalism than by individual rights.
He examines sermons, pamphlets, and other documents from the period to demonstrate that early Americans prioritized the common good and social order over individual autonomy.
Shain contends that this communal ethos provided a foundation for republican self-government and civic virtue.
By reinterpreting the intellectual and cultural origins of American politics, Shain offers a fresh perspective on the nation's founding principles.
Shain argues that the early American political thought was shaped more by Protestant communalism than by individual rights.
He examines sermons, pamphlets, and other documents from the period to demonstrate that early Americans prioritized the common good and social order over individual autonomy.
Shain contends that this communal ethos provided a foundation for republican self-government and civic virtue.
By reinterpreting the intellectual and cultural origins of American politics, Shain offers a fresh perspective on the nation's founding principles.
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Mentioned by Brad Littlejohn as a great book that highlights the founding era, and it looks primarily not at the big-name founders, but just kind of the broader cultural milieu.
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