第5章 这里是美国(4)

Mailer explained， "Everyone can succeed"， as in the early America there were vast land and but sparsely populated， immigrants could obtain large tracts of fertile land. The United States was still primarily an agricultural economy， so people understood that "the land meant wealth， which means success." In the late 18th century， early 19th century， people found many gold in western United States， some lucky start for the Nuggets and flourishes， this wave of "gold rush" of legend， promoted the westward tide of immigration， and also cast a deep golden color for the American dream.

However， behind such a "dream"， there is a bloody history： the European immigrants large tracts of land， is gainned by killing millions of Indians to obtain "No Man's Land"； high-yield farmland cultivators mostly are Africa looting slaves； west Denver are Chinese hard labor with blood and tears.

It can be said， the early American Dream， is more of a dream of European immigrants. Mailer noted that there are many people and contemporary scholars of American history， face and reflect on this history.All of this are unjust side of the "American dream".

18～19世纪的欧洲，贵族尚未退出历史舞台，社会等级森严、财富分配不公、宗教歧视严重……孟德斯鸠、笛卡尔等启蒙运动的先驱，开始对美国这块神奇的土地赞颂不已，这也燃起了弱势群体的美国梦。

18世纪来到美国的移民都是欧洲的弱势群体，最典型的是英格兰的清教徒和德国的破产小农民，当他们来到还是殖民地的美国时，政治平等的要求就格外强烈，所以他们自发地落实了民主。于是，“平等权利”成了“美国梦”的一个内涵。

梅勒解释道，“人人都能成功”，由于早期美国土地广袤而人口稀少，移民都能获取大片肥沃的土地。当时的美国还是农业经济为主，不言而喻，“土地就意味着财富，意味着成功”。随着18世纪末、19世纪初美国西部发现多处金矿，有些幸运儿开始因掘金而一夜暴富，这波“淘金潮”的传奇，推动了移民西进的浪潮，也为美国梦抹上了浓厚的金黄色彩。

不过，这般美梦的背后，也是一部血淋淋的历史：欧洲移民的大片土地，是屠杀了数百万印第安人而获得的“无主之地”；高产农田的耕种者，大多是从非洲劫掠来的黑奴；西进掘金的劳力，是血泪交加的华人苦工。

可以说，早期的美国梦，更多的是欧洲移民的梦。梅勒指出，当代的美国历史学界也有不少人在正视和反思这段历史，这都是美国梦不义的一面。

●The New Model of Struggle and Wisdom 奋斗加智慧的新榜样

Before and after the Civil War， the United States began industrialization. More and more European immigrants have accessed to New York， Chicago， Detroit and other emerging industrial city.Since then， the American Dream has a new meaning.

During this period， there were many business giant who started struggling. For example， Edison created General Electric Company relying on his own inventions mining oil Rockefeller； Morgan， running banks； Ford， inventing the automobile production line.Their common features were that they started humble， but finally created their own huge business through hard work， finally became a legend.

Perhaps， this "Legend" is link to some degree of element from descendent. And even so-called "Edison inventions"， there are many side results.Mailer even contend， the U.S.economy has rapidly expand at that time and the U.S.has become the most powerful country in the world before the First World War， its domestic economic was operated also in the stages of change—— "disorder to order"， and wealthy oligarchs appeared in various industries.