Benjamin Franklin's Virtues vs. Puritan Ethics Compared

Introduction

There were many different aspects to Benjamin Franklin's character, and while many Americans like to concentrate on his more worldly endeavors, his ethical beliefs were a very important part of his life. In fact, Franklin listed thirteen virtues in his autobiography which he found instrumental in becoming a moral and honorable person. It is interesting to note that Franklin's list of virtues bears remarkable similarities to Puritan beliefs and virtues. Yet while there are similarities between Franklin's self-professed virtues and those of the Puritans, Franklin was not simply parroting Puritan thought — there are also a great many differences between the two. An examination of the two codes of ethics demonstrates that while Franklin's code may well be based on the Puritan code, he diverted from a strict religiously grounded ethical system toward a more practical system rooted in the natural world and its natural laws. While the Puritans concentrated their efforts on the religious dimensions of virtue, Franklin believed these virtues could be applied to a more worldly arena.

Puritan Ethics and Virtuous Living

The Puritans, who settled in Massachusetts, were a religious sect from England who sought to purify the Church of England of its perceived papist and sinful ways. They believed that a person's basic nature was sinful, and that a person could only live a good life through strict regulation of their personal conduct. It was the religious duty of every Puritan to devote themselves to a virtuous life, which included hard work and the rejection of such vices as fornication, drunkenness, blasphemy, and gambling. For instance, one famous Puritan stated in a sermon that "the abuse of drink is from Satan… the drunkard is from the Devil" (Johnson, 2001, p. 2). The emphasis of a Puritan's effort was to help a person become moral and religiously faithful — not to gain in the world. However, many non-Puritans also viewed these virtues as something to emulate, though not always for the same reasons.

Franklin's Thirteen Virtues

Throughout his life, Benjamin Franklin developed a system of ethical behavior based on thirteen virtues which he believed, if followed, could aid a person in becoming moral and virtuous. These virtues included temperance, silence, order, resolution, frugality, industry, sincerity, justice, moderation, cleanliness, tranquility, chastity, and humility (Franklin, 1909, pp. 69–70). Franklin's virtues, while honorable, also profess to teach a person how to live in the world and make something of themselves. Franklin did not restrict a person to religious activities — though he did encourage them — but also allowed for worldly success, particularly in commerce. Franklin's ethics took into account the natural world and the natural tendencies of human beings, blending these with a religious ideal to create a set of practical ethics for living in the real world.

Conclusion

An examination of both ethical systems reveals that while Franklin's code may well be rooted in Puritan tradition, he diverted from a strictly religious framework toward a more practical system grounded in natural law and worldly experience. The Puritans concentrated their moral energy on religious devotion and the avoidance of sin for the sake of salvation, whereas Franklin transformed these shared values into a comprehensive guide for living virtuously and successfully in the present world. Franklin's ethics thus represent a meaningful evolution of Puritan thought — preserving its moral seriousness while reorienting it toward human flourishing in everyday life.