America in 1783 was an illustration of economic self-obsession, and of a selfish people interested solely in money, than it was a portrayal of moral idealism, or a people struggling for righteousness. All endeavors during this era were motivated by money, the desire to gain wealth, and the greed to protect one’s prosperity already attained. This notion is concluded from the manner in which Americans at this time were motivated and their related actions.

One specific way that America delineated this concept is that the essential cause for the American Revolution was the colonists’ will to be freed from British taxes. The taxes were in fact reasonable, until the colonists began to defy the system by smuggling, and it was then that the king and parliament had to become more severe in handling the colonies. It was fair for Parliament to legislate the colonies, but apparently, taxation was something apart from legislation in the minds of the colonists. “No taxation without representation” was the American cry, but the British reply was that members of Parliament represent all English citizens throughout the empire. It was true that no other British colonies had representation in parliament, nor was any other colony rebelling against taxes to the extent of the Americans. Americans were so intensely passionate about their cause that they fought and risked their lives on the battlefield to be free from British taxation.

This attitude of freeing oneself from taxes and holding individual prosperity as a first priority was continued in postwar times. When the colonies, now an independent nation, began to establish government, they would not allow the instrument of government - namely, the Articles of Confederation - to have the power to tax, and therefore no real power to legislate because sufficient funding was lacked. The Confederation Congress also could not regulate commerce and so states began to issue tax laws for goods being shipped through that state. The United States had just come out of a war together, but immediately developed rivalry between states. The states in general felt no obligation to preserve the sense of unity felt during the Revolution, and this concord between states was close to forgotten when an individual state’s wealth came into the picture. This seems to exemplify the outlook of the Americans during these times.

One obvious example of America not illustrating a struggle for morality and righteousness is shown in America’s reaction to the concepts of “all men are created equal” with “certain unalienable rights.” These philosophies are stated in the Declaration of Independence, and in most states’ Bills of Rights in their state constitutions, and Americans generally not only agreed with these ideas, but also upheld them in highest honor and advocated them zealously. However, the people simply did not practice these principles. Widespread discrimination regarding race, sex, religion, and economic standing were common. This goes to show that Americans were not idealistic.

All of the preceding accounts justify the allegation that America in 1783 was more typical of economic self-obsession than characteristic of striving for ethical aspirations and idealism.

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