Different Views On Progress In America

Progress is defined as the continuous movement forward. Progress in social terms is viewed as the movement towards a better quality of life. The view of what is progressive within a society has changed over time due to the continuous introduction of new ideas. Likewise, what is viewed as regressive has also changed over time. America has always held progress, particularly with regards to human rights, as a primary value. However, what various groups within this country have defined as progress has changed over time. From Native Americans to white settlers to the women in these respective communities, the definition of progress has at times been different for different people as shown below.

The manifest destiny was a belief that it was the duty of Americans, often with undertones of race, to expand and spread their ideas of progress to other parts of the world. The manifest destiny was laid out by John Louis O’Sullivan when the United States captured California from Mexico. The writer viewed the victory more than just an act of territorial expansion. For him, it was a moral victory, in the article he said, that is was not part of their “sacred country”. He would go on to describe England and France as America’s long bitter enemies this is despite the fact that most American settlers were from those countries. It could therefore be said that 70 yers after itself independence, the United States viewed itself as a completely separate country. America’s progress had little regard for the state of other countries only for itself. That was why it would view it taking California from Mexico as a major victory. This was also shown by the fact that Sullivan would explicitly state that they did not view themselves as having any obligation towards Mexico. In fact, he is so resolute in the importance of the victory that it could be concluded that America focused solely on its own privileges. Progress was viewed in terms of its own positive right to expand.

The racial view of America as Anglo-Saxon territory is still present despite its hostile view towards England. Sullivan talks of how the Anglo-Saxons have set foot in California setting up their government institutions in the place. American progress at the time was therefore defined by what white people and particularly Anglo-Saxon people viewed as progressive. The conflict between white settlers and the Native Americans was, therefore, simply not a matter of race but also about a conflict of culture. American progress was intertwined with the economic competitions of Europe and so the integration of those from other cultures, even European ones, could not happen. American progress was also extremely hostile to the idea of progress in French regions and that was why they would view it with equal hostility.

There was a contradiction in American progress because California was a part of Mexico but its liberation required it to become a part of the United States. The manifest destiny and American progress would have problems in recognizing the sovereignty of other states. In spite of the United Kingdom having been a state that had practiced democracy before the United States and fulfilling all the conditions necessary to be recognized as a functional community, the United States would view it as an enemy and competitor.

So far, the view of progress taken is from those who were in a position of power. Other individuals who were not in a position to make these decisions would not be able to express their views of progress as vocally. White women were a group who were not allowed many of the privileges that men were and because of this, their views of progress were primarily to have their opinion heard first and foremost. The view of that time was that women expressing themselves were them encroaching on the domains of men. Some women though thought that it was possible for a woman to retain her feminine qualities and at the same time have her opinion heard. Progress for women was, therefore, tied to the opportunity for them to express themselves. Progress for women was also tied to men having a better view of them because at the time, women were viewed as illogical creatures that could not hold the same logical discourse that men had. There was a contradiction in the views of the time because on one hand women were not given the same opportunities that men had, on the other, they were then blamed for having views that were of ignorance.

Native Americans also had a different view of what progress was. Native Americans had lost their land to the settlers and had been moved to places where they were squeezed. Native Americans were very wary of the activities of the European settlers as they increased in numbers. For Native Americans, their view of progress was tied to them retaining the land that they had and possibly finding a way to take back the land that European settlers had taken. According to Zitkala Sa, there was a fear in her mother’s voice as she said that she was scared that the white man could come and take the rivers from them. Zitkala’s uncle had been killed in conflicts with the Europeans. For this reason, progress in the Native American society was greatly associated with increase in negative rights. Native Americans wanted the right to travel across the country as they previously had. Their right to life and ownership had been greatly violated and any attempts to seek respite had been pushed back.

Progress is the continuous movement in a forward direction and in a social setting it is the movement of an individual or society in a direction that they desire. For Americans, the definition of progress has never been consistent nationwide. Race and gender have been major determiners for what people define progress as. White men especially those of Anglo Saxon origin viewed progress as the expansion of American territory. White women on the other hand were not in positions of influence and so viewed progress through the number of opportunities given to state their opinion. Native Americans, on the other hand, had been disenfranchised and so viewed progress as them being left to live their lives without foreign interference. A nationalistic view of progress will only be got through a better understanding of each other.