...in my humble opinion...

This week we discussed the history of how non-profits came to be within America and how this evolution into “voluntary associations” was unique to the United States. I enjoyed learning about the benevolence that the American people bestowed during the 18th century when it came to supporting their fellow neighbors. While thinking about the first American philanthropists like John Harvard, and the men like Carnegie and Rockefeller of the newly introduced Industrial Revolution, I got a slight sense of the warm fuzzies. We discussed how generous these men were and how a majority of the reason that this occurred was because there were no strict division of social class based on wealth. The people that became successful had started from the ground up because that was the only way to start. This was unlike the division between the proletariats and the bourgeoisie that was present in Europe at the time. If anyone is trying to define or find an example of the American dream I think they should look into these men who executed gaining wealth through forming an idea and running with it. However, I would argue our society has drastically changed and the ideology of the American Dream is either dead or has changed definitions. Marx’s theory on class struggle exists even more today than ever especially when we take into account race, gender, sexual orientation, and ethnicity. The bourgeoisie in America are now corporate executives and their proletariats are now overseas, or in American factories if we’re lucky. What I’m getting at is the shift in giving and charity in the last century. It’s hard to tell if wealthy people purely give out of the goodness of their heart or if they donate for the tax write-off or public publicity. I think it’s an ingenious plan of the IRS but I question a wealthy person’s sincerity. It may seem like arguing for a utopian world where all the wealthy people give with good intentions, but I know never to hope for anything like that. I agree that voluntary associations must occur within a society in order to become a successfully functions nation as Tocqueville expressed:

“If men are to remain civilized or to become civilized, the art of associations must develop and improve among them at the same speed as equality of conditions spreads”

He also continues with proclaiming voluntary associations as “a fundamental part of a national power system.” When I take a step back and think about our country without non-profits it is very terrifying. Our society would be strictly bourgeoisie and proletariats because there would be no organizations fighting for the human rights of the minorities. As societies grow groups such as voluntary associations are needed in order to remind people that although they may not be witnessing problems such as poverty or racism within their daily lives, they are still present and need attention.