Work Ethic in Douglass and Franklin: Self-Made Men Compared

Introduction

Although they lived in different centuries and had very different backgrounds, Frederick Douglass and Benjamin Franklin share many striking similarities. Both men were born into humble beginnings but rose to become widely respected leaders. They were both largely self-educated and used their writing talents to further their causes. Both men were also tireless advocates for the rights of others — Douglass fighting for the freedom of enslaved Americans, and Franklin working to advance civic life more broadly. In many ways, these two great men were ahead of their times, and their legacies continue to inspire people today. This paper explores what both men thought about work ethic, how they envisioned it, and what it meant to them, as seen in their respective autobiographies and other works such as "Self-Made Men" and "The Way to Wealth."

What Is the Self-Made Man?

In "Self-Made Men," Douglass states quite clearly: "Self-made men are the men who, under peculiar difficulties and without the ordinary helps of favoring circumstances, have attained knowledge, usefulness, power and position and have learned from themselves the best uses to which life can be put in this world, and in the exercises of these uses to build up worthy character." Yet he also acknowledges that no man is ever truly independent of those around him or of those who have come before. In his opening to the address, Douglass clarifies this point:

We have all either begged, borrowed, or stolen. We have reaped where others have sown, and that which others have strown, we have gathered. It must in truth be said, though it may not accord well with self-conscious individuality and self-conceit, that no possible native force of character, and no depth of wealth and originality, can lift a man into absolute independence of his fellowmen, and no generation of men can be independent of the preceding generation. The brotherhood and interdependence of mankind are guarded and defended at all points.

These two statements together represent an important recognition: self-made men possess a work ethic that rises above the ordinary, yet they remain dependent to some degree on the labor of others who have come before them or who work alongside them. In short, work ethic is vital and necessary for success — but one must be honest about the fact that no one ever has or ever will succeed wholly on his own merits alone.

Douglass further underscores this point in both his Narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglass and "Self-Made Men," when he discusses the importance of work and its rewards. In the Narrative, Douglass describes how work was a central part of his life as a slave. He was often forced to work long hours in grueling conditions, with little rest or respite. Despite the difficulties, he found that work could be a source of pride and satisfaction. It was through hard work that he was able to gain skills and knowledge that helped him eventually escape from slavery. In "Self-Made Men," Douglass expands on these ideas, arguing that through hard work people can lift themselves out of poverty and create better lives for themselves and their families. In both works, Douglass emphasizes work as a primary means of achieving success in life.

Franklin and the Way to Wealth

This position is not so different from that of Benjamin Franklin, as is made clear in his Autobiography and his pamphlet "The Way to Wealth." In the Autobiography, Franklin lays the foundation of his work ethic with the following anecdote:

In the evening, when the workmen were gone, I assembled a number of my play-fellows, and working with them diligently like so many emmets, sometimes two or three to a stone, we brought them all away and built our little wharff. The next morning the workmen were surprised at missing the stones, which were found in our wharff. Inquiry was made after the removers; we were discovered and complained of; several of us were corrected by our fathers; and though I pleaded the usefulness of the work, mine convinced me that nothing was useful which was not honest (Franklin 9).

The features of this work ethic are dedication and commitment, but also honesty. The drive to work and succeed manifests even at a young age, but as his father points out, one must work ethically — that is, honestly. Throughout the Autobiography, it is apparent that such a work ethic is ultimately what leads to Franklin's success.

In "The Way to Wealth," Franklin makes a similar argument, asserting that virtue must be the bedrock of all hard work, and stating that "we are taxed twice as much by our idleness, three times as much by our pride, and four times as much by our folly." He rails against sloth, which he sees as a disease and a vice: "Sloth, like rust, consumes faster than labor wears, while the used key is always bright" (Franklin). He argues that those who are lazy will never prosper, no matter how much natural talent they may possess. Work, according to Franklin, is essential for both achieving and maintaining success. In his Autobiography, he lists several virtues that he considers essential components of a good work ethic: temperance, silence, order, resolution, frugality, industry, sincerity, justice, moderation, cleanliness, tranquility, chastity, and humility (Franklin 54).

Conclusion

Though they lived in different centuries and came from vastly different backgrounds, Benjamin Franklin and Frederick Douglass were both remarkable men who helped shape the course of American history. As a Founding Father, Franklin was instrumental in creating the structure of the United States government, played a key role in negotiating the Peace of Paris that ended the Revolutionary War, and was a noted inventor and scientist whose work helped to launch the Age of Enlightenment. Douglass, on the other hand, was an African American abolitionist and social reformer who fought for the rights of all people, regardless of race or gender. Born into slavery, he managed to escape and eventually became one of the most famous orators of his time. Though their life experiences could not have been more different, both Franklin and Douglass left a lasting legacy as men who fought for progress and justice. Yet the one common denominator underlying all of their accomplishments was their belief in hard work and in the virtue of a strong work ethic. As Douglass expressed it most forcefully, the summation of these beliefs can be heard in one resounding call: "Work! Work! Work! Work!"

Works Cited

Douglass, Frederick. Narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglass.

Douglass, Frederick. "Self-Made Men."

Franklin, Benjamin. Autobiography.

Franklin, Benjamin. "The Way to Wealth."