Relocation Candidates for America

Over the course of Benjamin Franklin's life he played many roles. For part of his life he operated a press, another part owned and operated a library, and for yet another he served as a liaison of the America's to European nations. Operating somewhat in this capacity he published a piece of work which identified candidates for relocation to America. This piece was called "Information to Those Who would Remove to America". In this piece, as the title suggests, Benjamin Franklin identifies candidates for relocation, as well as dispels some myths that he feels are prevalent over seas.

Benjamin Franklin suggests that those who have the most to gain from moving to America are skilled workers, members of the middle and lower class in Europe. Anyone that has a skill to offer, be it as a stone worker, builder, blacksmith, printer, or any other trade, would be most welcome, and most likely do quite well in America. Franklin says, "The truth is, that though there are in that country few people so miserable as the poor of Europe, there are also very few that in Europe would be called rich; it is rather a general happy mediocrity that prevails" (463). This statement is an indication of his belief that in America there is a greater balance amongst the people born from a sense of community, and a desire to work towards the common good, much more so than in Europe. In his opinion a hierarchy exists in Europe that divides people based on the name of their family and their wealth, rather than their qualities as human beings and their ability to contribute to a society.

In this piece he also discourages men and women of aristocracy from moving to America. He feels that people who are self important will not fair well in the new land. While they might be permitted within Europe to live off of others who work their land for them, in America what they will find is the ability for others to purchase land of their own, and work that land, no longer having a need for the noble, those with namesakes. These people would not be able to cross the ocean and take up luxurious posts in government and politics as they seem readily able to do within Europe either. He suggests this when he says, "strangers of birth must be greatly respected, and of course obtain the best of those offices, which will make all their fortunes" (463).

The real tone of this piece is that opportunities about in America, and those seeking to earn an honest buck will surely find it here. During Franklin's time this was likely true. Land at the time was very affordable, and as he indicates, competition was not so great as to prevent a tradesmen from opening up shop in fear of being put out of business by a rival. These things that were true in his time are no longer true today. One need only turn on the news to see evidence of this. The employment rate in our nation is greater than it has been in decades. It is no longer true that people work together in the name of the greater good. The only greater good that people seem to care about anymore is their bottom line; how much money can they make. The very ideals that this country was founded upon seem to have been lost. The promises made by great leaders and intellects of the past, all but forgotten.

Works Cited
Franklin, Benjamin. "Those Who would Remove to America". The Norton Anthology of American Literature. Ed. Nina Bayum. 7th ed. Vol. B. New York: Norton, 2007.