The enduring legacy of the American frontier, as analyzed by Frederick Jackson Turner, continues to shape the nation’s economic, political, and cultural identity, extending its influence far beyond its historical origins.

The Perennial Rebirth and the Death of Localism (Cont.)

Shifting to the negative facet of the “Frontier”, Turner then highlights some important points. One is that this westward mobility amounted to the “death of localism”. Of course, these anti-aboriginal sentiments might be temporarily subsided by both the “frontiersmen” and the anti-Frontier European English when the aboriginal local comes in handy as an ally in a war against the other side. The War of 1812 constitutes a very stark case in point in this regard.

Back to Turner, as he contends that this negative effect of the frontier in the West, has reached back east, and “affected profoundly the Atlantic coast and even the Old World”.

Might we note here, that the end of Localism may as well exceed the level of “Nationalization”, reaching all the way forward to connote “Globalisation” sentiments?

Turner stressed at this point that “the democracy born of free land, strong in selfishness and individualism, intolerant of administrative experience and education, and pressing individual liberty beyond its proper bounds”. We dare to add here: and pressing the delocalizing effect beyond its national bounds as well, can’t we?

Turner would probably approve of our daunting intellectual trespassing, as he revealed: “the influence of frontier conditions in permitting lax business honour, inflated paper currency and wild-cat banking. The........

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