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PARTISAN REVIEW
as distinct. How, then, in these wntmgs, was the U.S. portrayed? Now,
nearly a century later, can his analysis offer insight into the internal work–
ings of our fin de siecle American society and, in particular, into its
political culture?
Weber saw an unusual dualism as specific to the American heritage. An
initiative-taking, activity-oriented, and entrepreneurial "world mastery"
individualism relatively uncircumscribed by traditions was juxtaposed with
its seeming opposite: a prominent
civic
sphere of ideals and values pulling
and guiding individuals beyond self-interest and toward the betterment of
their communities. Although Weber recognized that both components of
this dualism had become distinctly weakened by the twentieth century,
this intertwining of incompatible forces fascinated him. And he conclud–
ed that both orientations-to self and to community-were deeply rooted
in the American soil, particularly in its religious history.
American
ascetic
Protestantism-the Reform Calvinist,
Congregationalist, Methodist, Baptist, Quaker, Presbyterian, and
Mennonite churches-called forth an intense, task-oriented individualism.
Believers were expected to keep an especially vigilant "watchfulness" over
all creaturely impulses, and to abjure worldly pleasure to an unusual degree;
however, an exclusive reliance upon the believer's own inner resources was
also expected. The Sacraments or other rituals could not assist the devout,
even though "right" and "wrong" became understood in rigidly moral
terms. Nor could the clergy assure them of salvation. Standing alone before
a wrathful, omnipotent, and vengeful Old Testament God and responsible
solely to Him, the devout had to rely upon themselves to create "evidence"
of their predestined status.
Yet the injunction of asceticism-to focus the individual's energies,
through heroic discipline, on behalf of a taming of the creaturely impuls–
es was only one demand made of ascetic Protestants. They also were
expected to "master" wordly evil by creating on earth the Kingdom of
God. Because nei ther tolerance of nor separation from evil could be
allowed, a religious obligation of world mastery became an imperative to
the devout: to
act
in accord with God's commandments and against world–
ly evil, even against secular authority and popular opinion if necessary.
Hence, these believers never practiced an individualism inclined toward
compromise, caution, and contemplation; instead, a steadfast, "world-ori–
ented" individualism was cultivated that endowed early Anlericans with
resoluteness and a robust optimism regarding their capacity to confront
traditions. The alteration of society as a whole-the creation of the
Kingdom of God-constituted its aim.
Thus, to ascetic Protestants, the improvement of the community
became part and parcel of one's religious obligation and a service to God.
This occurred in another manner as well. As noted, the devout were alone
