Reading 42-65 Franklin
The Way to Wealth
Benjamin Franklin (b. 1706-1790) is presented as a model of self-made success through discipline and industry; the preface recasts his moralizing as practical advice collected in Poor Richard and delivered by Father Abraham.
Central message: resist idleness and sloth; time is the most precious resource, and industrious living yields health, wealth, and wisdom.
Key maxims (illustrative):
Early o bed, ext{ and }early o rise, ext{ makes a Man healthy, wealthy and wise.}
Lost Time is never found again; a life of Leisure and a Life of Laziness are two Things.
Sloth taxes more than any government; Industry pays Debts; Diligence leads to less Perplexity.
“God helps them that help themselves” (Poor Richard, Almanack 1733).
Do not waste time; work with purpose; avoid debt; beware of little expenses (a small leak sinks a great Ship).
Core strategies for wealth:
Work at your trade; be prudent with money; save as you go; don’t aspire to vanity or unnecessary extravagance.
Buy what you need, not what you merely want; credit can enslave you; creditors remember longer than debtors.
Overall theme: virtue, frugality, and prudent management of time and resources build a respectable, independent life; moral caution is tied to financial success.
The Art of Virtue
Franklin’s Autobiography outlines a plan for moral perfection, seeking to acquire a stable set of virtuous habits.
He lists the thirteen virtues (each with a short precept) to guide conduct:
1) Temperance: Eat Not to Dullness; Drink Not to Elevation
2) Silence: Speak not but what may benefit others or yourself
3) Order: Let all your things have their places; time for each duty
4) Resolution: Resolve to perform what you ought; perform without fail
5) Frugality: Waste nothing; do good to self and others
6) Industry: Lose no time; be always employed in something useful
7) Sincerity: No hurtful deceit; act with integrity
8) Justice: Do not injure others; fulfill duties
9) Moderation: Avoid extremes; restrain resentment
10) Cleanliness: Tolerate no uncleanliness
11) Tranquillity: Be not disturbed by trifles or unavoidable accidents
12) Chastity: Use venery only for health or offspring; avoid harm to peace or reputation
13) Humility: Imitate Jesus and SocratesMethod: fix attention on one virtue at a time, usually in a 13-week cycle, then repeat to build habit; record progress in a small book with daily entries (e.g., seven columns for days, one per virtue).
Practical notes about implementation:
Start with Temperance to develop a clear head; then Silence and Order to enable study and discipline.
The plan requires regular self-examination and honesty about faults; progress is gradual and may be uneven, but leads to a better, happier life.
The “speckled ax” analogy: perfection is difficult; small improvements matter and prevent discouragement.
Franklin’s conclusion attributes lasting benefit to the discipline of virtue, while acknowledging human imperfection; he views moral self-improvement as a prerequisite for public virtue and happiness.
To Those Who Would Remove to America
Franklin addresses Europeans contemplating emigration; sets expectations about American life.
Core claim: America is not a land of wealth for idle aristocrats but a land of happy mediocrity where hard work and opportunity prevail.
Key points:
In America, talents are valued by what you can do, not by birth or noble status; offices of profit are limited by law and public interest.
Poverty and scarcity can be overcome by labor, apprenticeships, and skill; there is a pathway for skilled tradesmen, artisans, and farmers.
Emigration benefits the industrious: land is plentiful, wages are decent, and there are opportunities to buy land and establish a livelihood.
Apprenticeships are common; artisans often recruit and invest in promising youths, enabling social mobility through practical skills.
Public policy favors widespread opportunity over hereditary privilege; there is a preference for productive work and self-reliance over inflated offices.
Caution about grand schemes: avoid schemes promising easy riches or government subsidies; success depends on personal industry and prudent cooperation with neighbors.
Practical guidance for prospective migrants:
Consider land availability near frontiers (land prices: affordable for young workers).
Start small (servant or journeyman) and rise through skill and reputation.
Expect rapid demographic growth, which sustains demand for farmers, artisans, and tradespeople.
Remember that America rewards useful labor; you must “bring something to the table” rather than rely on birthright.
Historical context provided: Franklin’s view reinforces a Protestant work ethic and a social ethos of merit, equality of opportunity, and reliance on one’s own labor.
Self-Government: The Mayflower Compact (1620)
Before Plymouth, the Pilgrims pledged to govern themselves by mutually agreed laws.
Also known as the Plymouth Combination; the covenant bound the signers to a civil body politic for the common good.
Significance:
Often cited as the first example of government by voluntary consent in the English-speaking colonies.
Emphasizes collective responsibility, rule-making by the community, and obedience to agreed laws for public order.
Core idea: government derives legitimacy from the consent of the governed and serves the general good of the colony.
William Penn: Preface to the First Frame of Government (1682)
Penn’s central claim: government has a moral purpose, best served by a combination of good laws and good men; liberty and conscience are valued.
Core theses:
The law is added because of transgression; rulers are ministers of God for good, and subjects should be subject to lawful authority for conscience and order.
No single form of government fits all places; governments vary by time and place, but the key principle is that laws rule with the consent of the people.
Government should be governed by virtuous people; “good laws require good men, and good men require good education” for a stable polity.
The reciprocal relation of laws and rulers: liberty without obedience is confusion; obedience without liberty is slavery.
Practical cautions:
The frame of government should keep power within the people and ensure accountability to prevent tyranny.
Offices should not be so profitable as to entice corruption or dependence; the state should avoid creating incentives for faction and corruption.
A frame designed for Pennsylvania emphasizes work, industry, and virtue as foundations of public life; settlement should be grounded in liberty, toleration, and mutual respect.
Concluding note: governments work best when founded on the virtue and wisdom of its people and balanced by well-crafted laws; “Governments… depend upon men rather than men upon governments.”
Quick synthesis for exam recall
Way to Wealth: time is money; avoid idleness; industry, frugality, and prudent spending lead to wealth and independence; debt is a chain to liberty.
The Art of Virtue: moral self-improvement through thirteen focused virtues; process-oriented (weekly focus, daily examination); practical method to form habit.
To Those Who Would Remove to America: America as land of labor and merit; opportunities for skilled immigrants; avoid grandiose myths of easy wealth; value productive work.
Mayflower Compact: early model of government by consent; self-governing covenant for the common good.
Penn Preface: government should be anchored in virtue and the education of citizens; liberty requires obedience to just laws; offices should be limited to prevent corruption.
overarching theme: governance and emigration themes in colonial America hinge on virtue, industry, and consent-based political structures; success rests on the character and labor of individuals.