Laura Menzel Blog #7: Legacy

In chapter 7, Anderson emphasizes the importance of education as a factor in social climbing and building nationalism.  "The intelligentsia were central to the rise of nationalism" and "the spread of modern-style education...provided cadre for governmental and corporate hierarchies" (Anderson, 116).  Educational systems also brought the educated together by connecting them in a "pilgrimage which paralleled longer-established functionary journeys" (Anderson, 121).  Students from many different parts of a country, with perhaps different cultural backgrounds, were tied together by their similar educational journeys.  This built a camaraderie among the educated.  Also because education was tightly regulated, all students would learn about their ruling country's fight for independence, hoping that one day their history books would contain a story of their own country's independence.

I think many of us can speak from experience that the American Revolution was strongly emphasized in our grade school American history education.  Especially in Virginia, colonial history was also emphasized.  In fourth grade there was a huge colonial unit that took multiple months and culminated in a colonial festival day at the school as well as a weekend trip to the historic triangle.  No other unit even compared to the enormity of Colonial America.  This reflects the importance we, as social human beings, place on the ability to claim a legacy.  American Nationalism, like other nationalisms, is built on that legacy.  This comes from the simple tendency to celebrate your origins.  Much like a royal family's lineage, people reach to claim a distant relation.  They want to feel close to the people who started something so grand.  For better or worse, the history books teach us that our nation was founded by brave men of European decent who believed in freedom and democracy.  People like Thomas Jefferson, Benjamin Franklin, and George Washington were the first American heroes.  By glorifying their accomplishments, we put their European heritage at the top of our hegemony.

The biggest contributor to the European legacy is, of course, Britain.  In elementary school world history was not a large unit, but we did learn about English history, specifically events such as the drafting of the Magna Carta that led to the establishment of democracy.  American Nationalism clings onto democracy as its defining factor and right to existence.  Our manifest destiny is to spread democracy to the nations of the world.  Once America established its legacy, it sought to spread its legacy - democracy - elsewhere.  This was the justification for American territorial expansion into the Philippines  Guam, Puerto Rico, and other areas.  American Nationalism saw itself as a savior to these people, who must be so lost without democracy.  We saw this complete faith in the good of democracy in the American soldiers in Amigo.  The lieutenant repeatedly says, "the will of the people is sacred".  His respect for democracy means he must free Rafael when he elected head of the baryo.  We continue to see elements of manifest destiny today when we celebrate our successes in introducing democracy in Afghanistan and the elections held there.  American soldiers fight to protect our freedom, but when did we transition to fighting to protect the freedom of the world?  American Nationalism envisions itself as a protector of freedom.  Surely world peace and freedom are worthy causes to protect and fight for, but at what cost?