John Winthrop's A Model Of Christian Charity says: "God Almighty in His most holy and wise providence, hath so disposed of the condition of mankind, as in all times some must be rich, some poor, some high and eminent in power and dignity; others mean and in subjection." Although this statement completely contradicts with the part of the Declaration of Independence, that says: All men are created equal, it became a huge part of the American Culture we enjoy today. This statement became the basis of what capitalism is in America.
In 1630 John Winthrop lead hundreds of people to New England to colonize Massachusetts Bay. Winthrop and the colonists endured extreme hardship throughout their time in Massachusetts Bay. There was a lack of food, lack of warmth, and at sometimes a lack of hope in this colony. But governor Winthrop had ambitious aspirations for his colony. He used A Model of Christian Charity as a "blueprint" for the colony to follow. (Vowell, P.45) He also utilized the "shining city upon a hill" as the goal the colonists should strive to achieve. To achieve these aspirations Winthrop and the colonists endured unending, strenuous labor.
This "tireless labor and ambition" that the Puritans displayed became known as "Protestant work ethic". (Vowell, P.44) The Protestant work ethic combined with the motivation Winthrop gave from A Model of Christian Charity and The Shining City Upon a Hill developed into what we know today as the American Dream or capitalism. The Puritan and Protestants ambitious, laborious cultures became the roots of current American culture. The Puritans are a very significant part of the reason the whole world views America as a place where a person can start at the bottom and make his/her way to the top. America is viewed as a country where work ethic has a huge impact on how successful a person can be.
Without the powerful influence the Puritans contributed to American society, the American dream would likely not be as pervasive as it is today. America would not be admired as a place where people can move from the bottom to the top of the social hierarchy. America would be an entirely different place.
Interesting point that Winthrop's comment about 'some high, some mean' is an accurate reflection of the underlying intellectual premise of capitalism. It is a very culturally specific belief - not all cultures around the world share Wintrhop's perspective (although most do).
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