Emerson And Calhoun Analysis
RHE 270
2/25/2013
HW 8 Articles by Emerson and Calhoun
Emerson first starts out by highlighting how we come to perceive those who are civilized and those who are not. He says we do this by negation. In other words, our civility is better defined by showing what we are not. For example, “savages” do not have religion, liberty, sense of honor, etc. “A nation with no clothing, no alphabet, no iron, no marriage, no arts of peace, no abstract thought, we call barbarous” (Emerson, 502). He goes on to say that each nation’s civility grows independent from other nations. His view of a civilized America has a lot to do with slavery. He claims the north to be civilized and the south where slavery is to be uncivilized. He claims morality to …show more content…
Emerson says that all men are equal and believing it so leads to civility while Calhoun claims that Africans are not civilized and believing them to be civilized does not encourage growth of civilization. Calhoun claims that slavery is not only good for whites, but also good for the Africans. “Slavery is evil, no, far otherwise; I hold it to be a good, as it has thus far proved itself to be to both, and will continue to prove so if not disturbed by the fell spirit of abolition… Never before has the black race of Central Africa,… attained a condition so civilized and so improved, not only physically, but morally and intellectually” (Cal, p. 630). He claims that Africans are more civilized because of slavery when considering the way they were in Central Africa. He says that their growth in civility proves the happiness of the African race. Emerson would argue otherwise. Calhoun goes on to say that it is natural, for every civilized nation to exist, to have one part of the community live on the labor of others. He bases this claim on history and gives civilized parts of Europe as an example (Cal, pp. 631-632). In conclusion, Emerson believes that slavery must be abolished for America to be civilized claiming that the South is not, while Calhoun believes that the South is already civilized because slavery is good and has made Africans more
2/25/2013
HW 8 Articles by Emerson and Calhoun
Emerson first starts out by highlighting how we come to perceive those who are civilized and those who are not. He says we do this by negation. In other words, our civility is better defined by showing what we are not. For example, “savages” do not have religion, liberty, sense of honor, etc. “A nation with no clothing, no alphabet, no iron, no marriage, no arts of peace, no abstract thought, we call barbarous” (Emerson, 502). He goes on to say that each nation’s civility grows independent from other nations. His view of a civilized America has a lot to do with slavery. He claims the north to be civilized and the south where slavery is to be uncivilized. He claims morality to …show more content…
Emerson says that all men are equal and believing it so leads to civility while Calhoun claims that Africans are not civilized and believing them to be civilized does not encourage growth of civilization. Calhoun claims that slavery is not only good for whites, but also good for the Africans. “Slavery is evil, no, far otherwise; I hold it to be a good, as it has thus far proved itself to be to both, and will continue to prove so if not disturbed by the fell spirit of abolition… Never before has the black race of Central Africa,… attained a condition so civilized and so improved, not only physically, but morally and intellectually” (Cal, p. 630). He claims that Africans are more civilized because of slavery when considering the way they were in Central Africa. He says that their growth in civility proves the happiness of the African race. Emerson would argue otherwise. Calhoun goes on to say that it is natural, for every civilized nation to exist, to have one part of the community live on the labor of others. He bases this claim on history and gives civilized parts of Europe as an example (Cal, pp. 631-632). In conclusion, Emerson believes that slavery must be abolished for America to be civilized claiming that the South is not, while Calhoun believes that the South is already civilized because slavery is good and has made Africans more