Benjamin Franklin's Imagined Community

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                                   His Transcendent Influence on Nationalism

“A hero ventures forth from the world of common day into a region of supernatural wonder: fabulous forces are there encountered and a decisive victory is won: the hero comes back from this mysterious adventure with the power to bestow boons on his fellow man.”21

                                                                Joseph Campbell


          Today when we consider everything that is attributed to Franklin there are few

individuals, if any, who could match his resume’.  Printer, Inventor, Scientist, Diplomat,

Politician, Humorist, and the list goes on.  To write down everything Franklin is

credited for seems to stretch into the Tall Tale category. He is said to have to invented

the flexible Catheter, bifocals, the odometer, initiated “Time Change”.   It might be easier

to answer the question what did he not do?  So far we have looked at Franklin’s influence

in the context of the revolution. I would like to devote the rest of this paper to looking

at his influence in the time since the revolution.


        In Joseph Campbell’s book, “The Hero with a Thousand Faces”  he discusses  the

role of  religion and mythology throughout human history. Campbell investigates ancient

pieces of literature and primitive stories in which he claims to identify an archetype

 figure who represents the savior of that particular society.22The present day Benjamin

Franklin could very well represent our national hero.  For the past 150 years our

 education system he has portrayed him as “the quintessential American”. The poor

industrious hard working youth whose life serves as an example of what “anyone can do

in the land of opportunity.”  Despite the fact that his adult life found him hobnobbing

with some of the wealthiest and most influential people in Europe he is better known

as the patron saint of the middleclass, wearing a leather apron and extolling the virtues

 of  his theology, “Haste Makes waste” “Never Put off Till Tomorrow What You Can do

Today” “Early To bed early To Rise Makes A Man Healthy, Wealthy, And Wise”23  His

autobiography continues as a classic publication and over the past 10 years there have

been a number of biographies on the bestseller’s lists. He has been the subject of two

documentaries on the History channel and Discovery channel. Recently America

celebrated his three hundredth  birthday with  commemorative celebrations throughout

the U.S.  Also numerous Benjamin Franklin re-enactors visit schools and libraries across

America.


                                                The Human Father



                            “I have become all things to all men…”

                                                                      The Apostle Paul



        George Washington will always be known for his serious aloof demeanor. Jefferson

will always be known for his gentrified manners and education. Adams will always be

associated with his argumentive spirit tempered only by his wife’s sensibility. However

 Benjamin Franklin will be known for his universal accessibility.  Children know him as a

kite flyer who wasn’t bothered by a little rain and the swimmer who invented fins.24

Laboring men know him as a co-working member of the middleclass who had a

weakness for “low women”25The neglected wives of French aristocrats know him as the

great conversationalist and adversarial flirt.26


                                                  

    
      In conclusion, when examining the life of Benjamin Franklin within the context of

Benedict Anderson’s  “Imagined Communities” we can see that Franklin is a perfect

example of someone who used print capital to infuse a sense of nationalism in America.

Regardless of the facts behind the economic and social division the country derived its

sense of patriotism, camaraderie from Franklin who presented himself as a middling

man yet in reality was of elite status. Further we have seen that Franklin’s work continues

to influence America today and that his fame and popularity have only increased since his

death.

      

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                                        The Bringing Together of  the Nation



        Benjamin Franklin’s appeal and association with the “common people” or

“middling sort” 11 succeeded in creating a social cohesion amongst the colonists.

        Anderson’s book discusses nationalism as successful in bringing together societies

that have significant internal divisions such as inequalities and exploitation or

geographic separations.12 At the time of the revolution colonial society contrasted greatly

in the slave labor plantations of the South and the puritanical community family-run

farms of New England. There was also a tremendous economic divide. A large

percentage of the population were a little better off than slaves. Many people found that

they were not able to rise above indentured service.13 On the other end of the spectrum

were the great estates that were rivaling the rich landowners back in England. How then

were the founders of the revolution successful in bringing them together? A look at

the impact of  the print culture at the time will tell us.


                                                
                                                       The Print Revolution


       Franklin’s ability to infuse a sense of nationalism is best seen in the print revolution.

The rate of literacy within the colonies took a dramatic rise just prior to the revolution.

  Many historians believe that a critical component of the shape and direction of  the

conflict were the result of its print culture. And that without the existence of this

relatively free press the Revolution may have never taken place. 14 The influence of print

culture can be seen in a letter from John Adams to Thomas Jefferson,

        “…the  war…” was a “…consequence of the revolution that was in the minds of the
 people.” “The records of legislators, the pamphlets, newspapers in all the colonies
ought to be consulted…to ascertain the steps by which public opinion was enlightened…”15


There is little doubt that a pamphlet Adams had in mind was “Common Sense”  by

Thomas Paine. This pamphlet was produced over a half a million times. The significance

is brought into focus in that there were only 2 million freed men in the colonies at the

time. 16 What was Franklin’s role in all of this?  Although Franklin was “retired” from the

printing business, most of the literature is attributed in some form to him. This is due to

the fact that he had established a sort of franchised printing company that found locations

throughout the colonies. Before he retired he appointed his foreman, David Hall, who

maintained Ben’s interest, by publishing his books, newspapers, and pamphlets for the

rest of his life. Franklin’s printing empire was so influential from 1740 to 1760 that most

printers from the middle colonies “rose up through Franklin’s extended network.” 17


                                                 We The Middling Sort    
  

      Despite being a member of an elite class Franklin is able to present himself as the

representative of middle class American values. In doing this he is able to convince

Americans they are a part of his imagined community.  At 40 years of age Benjamin

Franklin achieved financial independence. By today’s standards he would be considered a

multi-millionaire. Because he was no longer “working for a living” he was

elevated to the status of  “a gentlemen”. 18 Now he could walk the streets of colonial

America with a new strut. He could expect working class citizens to bow first when

greeted. His opinions on philosophy, morality and politics would now carry respectable

weight. Now he would hobnob with the elites of society. He would dine at the finest

tables in Europe and he would associate with French scientists and aristocrats. However,

thirty years later when he would write his autobiography, he chose to depict himself as

the champion of the middle class. He extolled the virtues of hard work, piety and honesty

 associating with farmers, artisans and laborers.19 This behavior of  identifying himself

amongst the common people was nothing unfamiliar to him. An investigation into his

articles and editorials reveals the same tendency. In the following article written long

after his ascendance into wealth Franklin laments the burdens of (we) the middling

people at the hands of the British,



“…But most unhappily circumstanced  indeed are we the middling Tradesmen, Shopkeepers, and  Farmers of this Province and City! We cannot all fly with our  Families; and if we could, how shall we subsist? No; we and they,  and what little we have gained by hard Labour and Industry, must  bear the Brunt: The Weight of Contributions, extorted by the Enemy  (as it is of Taxes among ourselves) must be surely borne by us. Nor  can it be avoided as we stand at present; for tho’ we are numerous,  we are quite defenceless, having neither Forts, Arms,..”20



      In this “Plain Truth” magazine publication Franklin clearly associates himself as one

of the middleclass.  He uses the pronoun “we” four times as “he” got up early to tend his

crops or open his shop. As if “he” was in fear of losing what little he earned to the tax

collector. The reality is at the time of this publication Franklin was making more money

than he had his whole life. Clearly he is seeking to create an imagined association with

the middleclass colonists.  

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                                                       The Big Three


      Franklin’s influence in creating an imagined community is evident in the three most

important documents of the revolution; The Declaration of Independence, The Treaty

with Great Brittan and The Constitution. On June 11, 1776, congress formed a five

member committee which included Franklin to write a declaration justifying America’s

call for independence. It is said that Franklin was chosen for his plain style as a balance

 to Jefferson’s flamboyancy.  After reading Jefferson’s draft, he made 48 corrections,

including changing the slogan "Life, Liberty and Property" to "Life, Liberty, and the

pursuit of Happiness.”10 Later he negotiated the conditions of the treaty with Britain

which involved the drawing of boundaries along the border of Canada. Finally Franklin

participated in the Constitutional Convention. He supported the ratification because it

provided a republican form of government and a large amount of personal liberty. In the

development of nationalism in America the significance of these documents is almost

immeasurable. They all have been a continuous reference point in the shaping of our

nation. Copies of these adorn the walls of every school district across America.

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Benjamin Franklin’s
                  Imagined Community

   A Look at the Founding Father through Anderson’s book Imagined Communities


                        By David Mauldin
           












                                                                                                 


     Was Benjamin Franklin the rallying standard of nationalism who represented the

common colonial American or did he use the mediums of  print to instill Americans with

notions of equality, camaraderie and participation in an imagined community?

      In Benedict Anderson’s book, “Imagined Communities,” he defines the use of 

“nationalism” as a method employed by European colonizers to unify a group of people

who, previously constructed by religious ideologies, may have significant internal or

geographical divisions. 1Anderson asserts the unity is imagined because of the inequality

 and exploitation that exists. Citizens within these communities think of themselves as a

unified nation of comradeships that is perceived horizontally across society.2  The

methods employed involve the creation of an official language, images, and print culture

(historical narratives), used to create social cohesion among subjects and suppress any

friction that might have arisen from religious or cultural differences.3Although Mr.

 Anderson gives examples of these methods as applied in Europe and Southeast Asia, it is

the purpose of this paper to apply Anderson’s formula to the American Revolution and

 specifically to the life of its greatest founding father/printer, Benjamin Franklin. In the

following pages I will seek to answer the question: How was Franklin influential in the

development of nationalism in colonial America? I will also examine Franklin’s

continued influence over our country today.




                             Franklin’s Earliest Community


     It is impossible to separate Franklin from the context of  community because he was

always in its apex. As a child he was a leader amongst neighborhood boys, as a teenager

in Boston he entertained the citizens with his “Letters of Silence Dogood” (under a

pseudonym)  and as a young man in Philadelphia he formed a businessmen’s club, “The

JUNTO”  (Franklin was only 21 - the youngest member and president.)  The club would

serve as a foundation to accomplish the establishment of the first public, “…library,

fire department, police department, hospital, paved roads, University …” 4 and the list

goes on!  To add, the club would also serve him to create a most prosperous printing

business that would eventually span the colonies and enable him to retire at the age of 40! 

Clearly Franklin accomplished all of this because of his involvement and influence in the

community.

 
                                         Join or Die: Unifying the Colonies

            Franklin’s use of a simple woodcut print cartoon of a severed snake helped unify

the thirteen colonies. It also added to his reputation in that it is referred to as “America’s

first political cartoon.”5

            In 1753 Franklin was now a full voting member in the Pennsylvania Assembly. 

During this time The French and Indian Wars were a constant tension within the

Pennsylvania Territory. 6 Franklin participated in delegations that met with Indian leaders

but became convinced that such efforts were futile. He realized that in order to have an

influence over a French and Indian alliance the Colonies would have to work together.

 Next to an editorial “The Disunited State” 7published in the Pennsylvania Gazette,

Franklin printed what has been called America’s first political cartoon. It is a picture of a

severed snake with the initials of each colony next to each section. The title of which

reads, “Join or Die”  became a symbol for the need of organized action against an

outside threat posed by the French and Indians in the mid 18th century. Thirteen years

later Franklin would publish the cartoon again under the title “MAGNA Britannia: her

 colonies reduced!” 8This time, instead of a symbol that meant to unite the colonies

against the French it became symbol to unite the colonies against the British. During the

1770’s it would be reprinted throughout the colonies but the words “ Join or Die” were

changed to “Unite or Die”. It also should be pointed out that the image was revived again

during the Civil War on both sides!9