History 326 Readings Wiki

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====== On the Make ======

The development of capitalism caused a reinvention of ways in which men "became" men. Formerly, urban manhood was grasped through deferential apprenticeships, where young men obeyed a master, who taught them a livable trade in return for their labor and obedience. However, the rise of impersonal, mass markets made this system - which was built on personal relationships that took years to develop - untenable. Young men chasing wealth and status no longer saw apprenticeship as a path to manhood, but as flying in the face of it. Instead, they shopped around for jobs, negotiating their own benefits and salaries, and quitting when it suited them. This growing trend was abhorred by older generations and established interests, who encouraged young men to show loyalty to their employer, and practice good character traits in order to build the same types of economic relationships that had existed in early modern capitalism. As stated, though, the impersonal nature of a more modern capitalism made this older system redundant, and eventually ensured that the only virtues young men thought worth practicing were industry and self-reliance. (Nick Thodal) {{ :19th_century_male_clerk.png?400|}}

Although young men did not like being subordinate clerks they still found ways to practice their manhood through independence. They would market themselves, negotiate their wages, and when they boarded themselves they could participate in activities unsupervised after work hours. They also pushed against the guidebooks and advice from the older generation to be patient and by doing things their own way they could feel like they were in control of their own lives. They also found ways to make themselves feel less subordinate and inferior by painting others as inferior to them whether it be by being clerks in stores with better reputations, competing against their fellow employees, or other ways. This is especially important because a clerk's salary was not enough to support a family and so they couldn't be patriarchs or in control of other people's lives so all they could do was try to have the most control they could in their own lives. (Katherine Hamilton)

Through this chapter we can see that the idea of "being your own boss" was very important as it led to successful manhood throughout early American history and carried over from Europe. In Europe you didn't achieve manhood until you were the lord of your own house with your own wife, children, and servants. In very early colonial America you could achieve manhood through being a merchant of tobacco or another new product and by having a wife and children. In this article you didn't achieve manhood until you opened up your own shop and could take on your own clerks. Having a wife and children was also a goal that signified reaching manhood. However, the process to get there has always been detested by the young men in the first stages whether it be by being a servant, a part of a group of colonizers, or a clerk respectively. Having dependents is also a common theme. So, men not wanting to have to go through the stages of reaching manhood created new ways of becoming men faster through becoming entrepreneurs and marketing their labor themselves instead of being placed in subordinate roles by their parents in order to show that they were self-reliant and independent. (Katherine Hamilton)

This reading tackles nineteenth century clerks and their unstable class positions. These individuals struggle with the balance between capital and labor. They pride themselves on independence and integrity. Their pursuit of capital defines their struggles in society. While clerks were motivated they lacked the capital to start-up projects, access to credit, familial wealth. In order for them to achieve upwards mobility they would have to network, build relationships, and acquire inheritance. Clerks were educated and generally white men but lacked property or long term security. Their positions in society swayed between middle class, working class, and elites. They believe that hard work and good character leads to success, however, most clerks struggled to achieve such independence making clerks the center of blame for failure instead of structural barriers as the cause. This independence is categorized by owning property that produces goods, self-employment, and self-governing labor. Clerks lacked independence from employers and were defenseless against termination. Overall, clerks were excluded from other capitalists due to structural inequality, which limited their chances of success. (Reiley Gibson)

===== Individuality as a Social Expectation =====

Luskey’s discussion about the economic opportunities white and financially stable men had access to in the 19th century correlates with the idea of individuality and the ‘pull yourself up by your bootstraps' rhetoric. In America specifically, men are praised for demonstrating independence, autonomy, and self-actualization. Economically, highly successful men are often put on pedestals and idolized for fulfilling the social expectation that men are financially stable and monetarily provide for others. This ideology contributed to the idea that success is determined by effort as opposed to a combination of opportunity and effort. Furthermore, Luckey provided insight into the disproportionate idea of external versus internal effort, particularly as a man, that divides many people. Self-efficacy is a social expectation of men; however, if someone does not have the resources to maximize their potential, their journey to success will not mirror that of others. (Allisya Smith)

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