【正文】 from young to mature and from theory to practice. Individualism’s success in America shows that the acceptance of individualism in America has something to do with the freedom, the equality and the chance of a society. As we all known, America is a country which quite advocates the law and the system, and American people have a great belief to them. The United States 11 Constitution and the Law provide that the power of the government is from the people and belongs to the people。 關(guān)鍵詞 : 個(gè)人主義 文化現(xiàn)象 積極因素 社會(huì)產(chǎn)物 iv Contents 1 . Introduction………… …………………… …… ……………… …… … … … …1 2. Right Conception of Individualism and Its Positive Aspects… ……… … 2 The Characteristics of Individualism…………… ……… ……………… 2 Right Acknowledgements of the Individualism……… ……… … ……… 4 Advanced Aspects of Individualism………………… …… … ……… …… 5 3. Individualism in America…… … …………………… … … ………… ……… 6 The Source of Individualism………… ……… … …… … ……………… 6 The Affection of Individualism on American Society…… …… ………… 7 American’s Attitude towards Individualism…………………………… 9 4. Individualism in China………… … …… ……………… …………………… 10 The Recognitions of Individualism in China…… ……… ……… …… … 10 The Influence of Individualism on China… ………… …… …… ……… 11 Chinese’s Attitude towards Individualism…………… …… ……… … 12 5. Conclusion……………………………………… … … ………………… …1 3 Bibliography………………………………………… ………………………1 4 1 The different Conception towards Individualism between Chinese and American Culture 1. Introduction This paper discusses the different conception towards individualism between Chinese and American people based on the different cultural background. American people think that individualism stands for personality。 it is also an alternative, which shows a person who has selfreliance and selfstruggle. It emphasizes on the independence, value, status, and personal right. All of them are sacred and inviolable. America is a multiculture country, after Columbus discovered this land, people from different places of the world flowed to the new land. Americans have been called rootless nationality, for most people live in America are from other places. During the reign of James I, the Presbyterian majority unsuccessfully attempted to impose their ideas on the established English church at the Hampton Court Conference. The result was mutual disaffection and a persecution of the Puritans, particularly by Archbishop William Laud, that brought about Puritan migration to Europe and America. They hoped to look for freedom and a new world. So when the Europeans on the May Flower stepped on this land, which had no national sentiment that should formed during a long time, the personal interests have been considered much important than anything else. It is a rule to protect one’s own interests in a strange place. 2 However, in China, which has a long history of more than 5,000 years, the cultural origins could date back to the primitive society, when Shanding cave people lived and worked together the interests of the collective were sure to be much higher than personal interests were. Therefore, under the influence of the collective the personal interests, which could be considered as individualism, are much looked down upon. The vice influence of individualism is certainly exists, but it’s positive and reasonable side make America develop to be a powerful country in only 200 years. Though collective interest is above everything, extremely denying the individualism is also not an objective and just way. In China, the positive side of individualism could still play a favorable role. Recently as so many people ignored the good aspect of individualism, right recognitions should be emphasized again. Individualism is a phenomenon with great cultural characteristics, and it cannot be justified only with right or wrong. It should be justified objectively and justly. Only after right recognitions have been accepted, China could gain a brandnew way to develop it and Chinese people could also build up their confidence and promote the reliance of their selfworth. 2. Right Conception towards Individualism and Its Positive Aspects The Characteristics of Individualism Primarily, there are two kinds of characteristics of individualism that cannot be denied. Individualism has been existing in western world for a long 3 time, and so many shortings appeared gradually. Now it undergoes the crisis that bought by its shortings and needs to face many new challenges. First, individualism has an ability of developing with human beings together, for it is not a fixed dogma, but a kind of theory that indicates individual’s selfconfidence, independence and selfconscious. As a product that appeared under a certain situation of the history and society, individualism truly has a basis of its establishment. So when the basis changes, there are two ways for individualism to choose. One is to follow the changes。 the power of government is not absolute but restricted by the law. The Declaration of Independence plays a very important role in American history。 the reflection of private ownership of the means of production in people’ awareness and a kind of cultural phenomenon. The Affection of Individualism on American Society During the prosperous development of capitalism, individualism played a very important role in fighting against Feudal asceticism, Autocracy and religious rule. Therefore, in America, individualism developed to a quite active direction, and showed a positive influence. In the process of transplant form Europe to America, individualism also pletes the transformation from negative to positive。在此之后，也就可以將個(gè)人主義中積極合理的一面應(yīng)用到中國(guó)社會(huì)的發(fā)展中，并以此來完善和發(fā)展自己。 the other is to be knocked out. Even though individualism would be in some changes, it is still in