Most historically significant 'ism'?

Question

What ‘ism’ do you think was the most historically significant to the development of modern western civilization?

Answer 1

I'm in Race and Ethics this year. I think it is nativism. We learned that it is the (white anglo Saxon protestant male) idea of how America should be. Basically the idea that "if you don't like it, you can leave". Well the United States is about to become a lot more diverse, especially in the Spanish population. As the population increases, it will probably effect our culture. Some people are very afraid of this.

I'm not really afraid of this, but I hope that in the future women and animals don't lose their rights.

I think that American can adjust. People can become more bilingual. I probably won't myself though. I converse in English and I am too old to really learn anything else, but the young people will adjust. It will be more normal for them.

I know in many cultures women don't have the same respect and I don't want that to come to the United States. We worked hard for our rights and I think we shouldn't bow to the whims of immigrants in the name of tolerance. I don't want to lose any of my rights in order to not offend someone else.

Also, if you beat a dog or have a dog fight in the US, it is illegal. You can't have c**k fights. You can't beat your horse, even if you own it. Animals have rights here. You can't starve your pets to death. You can't let them suffer just because you own them. It is just wrong. Many people from other cultures don't feel the same way, so I hope they don't try to get things changed.

I hope we don't have to tolerate animal abuse or the abuse of women to accommodate the cultures of others. There are some things I can tolerate and some things I just think are wrong.

So maybe some people might say I have a white anglo saxon ethnocentric view point, but I see it as that America is supposed to be a place of freedom, even for your dog.  We can tolerate other cultures and even become a bilingual country, but there are some things we shouldn't have to tolerate.

So yeah, I say welcome to America. We are adjusting. We are trying to be tolerant of others. Racism still exists. Discrimination and prejudice still exist. If you come here, you will probably face it from some very ignorant people. But some people are trying to overcome it.

Like me, I have to ask myself what I believe is right and what is wrong and what I can tolerate. I want to overcome predudice and discrimination. I want to see us all as biologically the same inside. I want to judge people based on their character. I want to be tolerant of other religions, and I want them to tolerate me.

But I believe there are some things people should give up when they enter this country, like the idea that they can mistreat other people or animals.

Answer 2

Liberalism - (before you thumbs down me - liberalism does not mean socialism)

The tenets of Adam Smith - free trade without government restriction, individual rights and equality of opportunity.

This belief is what Western civilisation - particularly the US & the UK are based on.

See:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Liberalism

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Reaganomics

Answer 3

secularism,

industrial...ism