Ralph Waldo Emerson’s Thought Of Rights And American Social Movement

Ralph Waldo Emerson (1803-1892) was an American essayist and thinker in the period of American Renaissance. His thought of rights, which derives from his transcendentalism, has exerted great influence on American Society. It denies the authority of the God, and affirms the divinity of the individuals, which arises the individual’s awareness of selfhess. Emerson calls for cooperating with each other on the basis of the principle of self-reliance to fight for the personal rights, requesting the use of force/violence if necessary. Meanwhile, Emerson implicates his thought of rights into the practical political life, actively participating in the anti-slavery movement and19th American women’s rights movement, impelling the progress of American social movement.Combining with Emerson’s lectures and literature works, I relate and analyze the cause of his thought of rights, and its characteristic of taking over from the past and setting a new course for the future, in the respects of historical background, and the sources of his thought. Affected by the religion, politics, economy and society, his thought of rights is a reflection of the characteristics of the times. Deeply imbued with the European bourgeoisie’s view of human rights, especially John Locke’s thought of human rights, ideas from Scottish Enlightenment and American democratic theories during the age of American Revolution, Emerson, taking over the predecessors’ideas and absorbing their essence, forming his own thought of rights, along with the specially designated society and historical conditions of America. The contents of Emerson’s thought of rights are summarized in terms of four aspects, that is, his ideas about the God, individuals, the relationship between God and individuals, and about how to gain the rights. Emerson’s thought of rights, which derives from his transcendentalism, denies the absolute authority of the God, advocates individuals’ rights to freedom and equality; emphasizes on self-reliance, and self-reform propels social reform; calls for people to gain their own rights through collective efforts on the basis of the principle of self-reliance.Based on historical documents and letters of Emerson, the implications of his thought of rights in abolition movement and19th American women’s rights movement are expounded. Emerson’s attitude towards abolition movement changes in the process, that is, hesitation at the early stage, his encouragement of the mass to participate in the movement at the middle stage and his actively involvement in the movement at the later stage. Implicating his theory into practice, Emerson still insists on the importance of the individual, calling for the people to unite together to seek for their rights on the basis of self-reliance. At the same time, studies on ideas and political activities of Frederick Douglass and W.E.B. Du Bois in the process of leading the Black to fight for their rights are used to testify the influence of Emerson’s thought of rights on the Black leaders; examples of abolitionists’conducting the political activities in the form of organization to prove the promoting effects of his thought on the formation of the Black civil rights organizations.Mainly influenced by Margaret Fuller’s feminism, Emerson engages in the women’s rights movement, while concerning about the abolition movement. When implicating his theory into women’s rights movement, he still adheres to the individual-centered principle of transcendentalism, encouraging women’s self-reliance, emphasizing their in-born equal rights given, and advocating them to fight for their own rights. In terms of Emerson’s influence on women’s rights movement, statements of the leaders of women’s rights movement are used to testify Emerson’s contribution to the wake of women’s awareness of selfness, examples of his participation in the women’s rights movement are used to explain his supports to women’s struggle for their rights.This dissertation, through his lectures, literature works, and his political practices, attempts to prove Emerson not only makes contribution to American society and culture in terms of ideology, but also impels the people to gain rights and the social progress to some extent through his keynote speeches made in the meetings and gatherings, his advices on the social movement when in organized groups, his expressions on people’s fighting for rights with leaders from the government and the Congress, and his donation to the movement.This dissertation uses the methods of historical analysis and literature analysis to, study the historical background of the formation of Emerson’s though of rights, the cause of his concerning about the abolition movement, and the19th women’s rights movement, seeking to fully induce and summarize the contents of his thought of rights, discussing his impact on the two social movements from the aspects of the ideology and political participation.