Introduction
In the building of an ideal economy, the role of an individual plays a major part following arguments by various authors. The role of individualism in economic building had been explored by Ralph Waldo Emerson in his essay, Self Reliance and Andrew Carnegie’s, The Gospel of Truth. Waldo was a 19th-century philosopher in America with outstanding intellectual at that age. His thoughts can still be applied in modern times especially for an ideal economy model. In Self Reliance, he propels the theory of individualism as entrenched in the American way of life. On the other hand, Andrew Carnegie in his essay, The Gospel of Wealth also propagates the importance of individualism in the building of economic supremacy. This paper; then, looks into the significance of individualism in an ideal economy as viewed by the two authors.
Self Reliance
Emerson in Self Reliance propagates the supremacy of individualism in economic building. In the essay, he believes that people share unique talents that if nurtured well, will lead to conformity with the social ideals and bring revolution. The uniqueness as perceived by Emerson manifests itself in religion, art and education among other spheres of life. Society never prospers because all that is accumulated at one end is receded in the other end. He hails positivity of individualism that, “Nothing can bring you peace but yourself. Nothing can bring you peace but the triumph of principles,” (Cumming, 2003). Emerson’s main concern is that when a man dies he/she dies with all ideas or worse still is the man who does not share business ideas with others. The society lacks mechanism to drive an ideal economy. This is so if a comparison can be drawn between economies that have embedded civilization and the ones that have not. Two factors discourage individualist economy. The first is the fear of nonconformity with the society as has been said above. The second factor is what is termed foolish consistency.
Foolish consistency is an undoing factor in view of economic building. “A foolish consistency is hobgoblin of little minds, adored by little statesmen and philosophers and divines,” (Cumming, 2003). When one is unique in his/her deeds, society views this as inconsistency even though it is what constitutes an individual success. If we can do what we think is right and proceed with it to the end, we will reach our final destination and everybody will prosper and so will be the economy. Individualism is the mother of invention regardless of society’s disapproval. By embracing trust thyself ideals, self-esteem will be highly boosted and confidence to reach where those who had prospered are.
Gospel of Wealth
In the Gospel of Wealth, Carnegie recollects the significant step civilization has brought that has transformed the society from dominance by the super-rich over the noble families. “The contrast between the palace of millionaire and the cottage of the laborer with us today measure the change…, it is upon us, beyond our power to alter, and therefore, to be accepted and made the best of,” (Carnegie, p.1). The role of individualism in economic growth is fronted by competition. Competition has its own laws which must be taken positively since its benefits are far better than costs associated with it. Though competition hits an individual hard, there is no escape if the race of dominance is to be won. Competition is good in an economy as it creates a level playing field for every individual. “It is the concentration of business, industrial and commercial, in the hands of a few: and the law of completion between these, as being not only beneficial, but essential to the future progress of the race,” (Carnegie, p. 1).
The above condition creates equal opportunities for an individual to express skills and ability in manufacturing unique goods that will capture the market. An individual effort is then bound to be rewarded materialistically and regardless of any laws. Following a successful commodity launch in the market, other market players will seek partnerships to share capital gains at the expense of those who sit back; hence, capitalism sets in. A successful company will attract interest of investors who are bound to bring their income for further investment. This is because for those who hold wealth, propensity to reinvest income becomes the first priority, and as a result of earned interest, he/she accumulates more wealth. In an economy, there is no middle playing field. Those with capital that does not earn interest will run bankrupt. The wealth of a successful capitalist is can be shared either by living it to the family or developing infrastructure to serve the public.
The rise of capitalists will not be of any benefit if the interest of the common man is not catered for and the wealthy remain wealthy. The capitalists must develop a proper strategy to administer wealth in a better manner that will not reinstate the ideals of a dominated society. A successful individual must take appropriate steps in building a robust economy. Investment in social amenities like education, health, among others will bring competence for families if they are given access to these amenities. Since households are the founding blocks of national success, by uplifting a household, the best interest of the society is at heart. Carnegie developed three ways in which an individual can disseminate surplus wealth. First model is to build individual families, develop public infrastructure, or leave it in the hands of possessors. Carnegie, (p. 2) notes that, “In monarchical countries, the estates and greatest portion of wealth are left to the first son, that the [parents may be gratified by the thought that his name and title are to descend unimpaired to succeeding generation.” Therefore individualism will build an ideal economy if a good strategy of disposing of surplus wealth is adopted.
Conclusion
From the above essays by Carnegie and Emerson, the roles of individuals in the economy are significant. Though the authors bring out their themes in totally different setups, the overall conclusion drawn from their work is similar. Emerson builds his essay by asserting that inconsistency and nonconformity are crucial in building individual progression. Regardless of forces of the society an individual must strive to think in his/her own line and because every person has a unique talent, individual talents will constitute an overall robust economy. On the other end, Carnegie gives a completely different approach but with a similar ending. He reviews the significance of civilization that has given rise to capitalist economy. In the building of economy, the role of competition as determined by market forces calls for creation of unique goods that can compete with other goods. After an individual accumulates wealth what follows is how effectively he/she distributes surplus wealth in a manner that will uplift the society.
Works Cited
Carnegie, Andrew. “The Gospel of Wealth.” Contested Values. New York, NY: St. Martin’s Press, 45-50. 1995. Print.
Cummings, Michael. “Self Reliance by Ralph Waldo Emerson (1817-1862).”A Study Guide.