Lipset's American Creed

N/A N/A, Lipset's American Creed         Liberty. Egalitarianism. Individualism. Populism. Laissez-faire. These five concepts embody the 'American creed' as described by author Seymour Martin Lipset. Lipset feels that this 'American creed' is representative of an ideology that all Americans share. Lipset's argument is on shaky ground, however, when scrutinized under the microscope of race. Racial relations in this country do much to undermine the validity of Lipset's argument, especially the concepts of egalitarianism and …

…Lipset's claim about the 'American creed'. Huggins' piece shows that the 'American creed', from its beginnings in the birth of our nation, overlooks the effects of slavery and racism on American culture, while Wilson's work completely refutes the idea of populism. Lipset's argument is flawed, to be sure; perhaps if he considered race more of a factor is claim would stand on firmer ground. I think both Huggins and Wilson would agree on that point.