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America\'s the de facto aristocracy \'blue bloods\' excelling in

(2024-04-17 13:57:07) 下一個

President Barack Obama 's relationship with the prominent American families mentioned varies:

  1. Adams Family: President Obama has a distant familial connection to the Adams family through his mother, Ann Dunham. Genealogical research has revealed that Ann Dunham is a descendant of Mareen Duvall, who is related to John Adams through marriage. This makes Obama a very distant relative of John Adams, the second president of the United States.

  2. Roosevelt Family: President Obama's connection to the Roosevelt family is through his political career and ideological affinity rather than direct familial ties. He has expressed admiration for Franklin D. Roosevelt and his New Deal policies, which were instrumental in addressing the Great Depression.

  3. Kennedy Family: President Obama's relationship with the Kennedy family is primarily political. He admired President John F. Kennedy and often referenced him in his speeches. Obama's political rise was sometimes compared to that of JFK due to his charisma and eloquence. However, there are no known direct familial connections between President Obama and the Kennedy family.

  4. Bush Family: President Obama's relationship with the Bush family is based on their shared experience in the presidency. He succeeded George W. Bush as the 44th President of the United States and interacted with members of the Bush family during his time in office. Despite their political differences, Obama has maintained a respectful relationship with the Bush family.

In summary, while President Obama has some distant familial connections to the Adams family through his mother, his relationships with the Roosevelt, Kennedy, and Bush families are primarily based on political interactions and shared experiences in the realm of American politics.

** 

Joe Biden's connection to the prominent American families mentioned, such as the Adams, Roosevelt, Kennedy, and Bush families, is primarily through his political interactions rather than direct familial ties.

  1. Adams Family: Joe Biden's connection to the Adams family is through his political career rather than blood relations. John Adams, the second president of the United States, and his son John Quincy Adams, the sixth president, were members of the Adams family. Joe Biden has no known direct familial relationship to this family.

  2. Roosevelt Family: Joe Biden's connection to the Roosevelt family is also indirect. The Roosevelt family produced two significant American presidents: Theodore Roosevelt, the 26th president, and Franklin D. Roosevelt, the 32nd president. Joe Biden's connection to this family is through his political career and not through direct familial ties.

  3. Kennedy Family: Joe Biden's connection to the Kennedy family is through his political career and his interactions with various members of the Kennedy family over the years. While he served alongside Senator Ted Kennedy in the Senate and had a professional relationship with him, there are no known direct familial connections between Joe Biden and the Kennedy family.

  4. Bush Family: Joe Biden's connection to the Bush family is through his political career as well. He served as Vice President under President Barack Obama while George W. Bush was the 43rd President of the United States. There are no known direct familial connections between Joe Biden and the Bush family.

Overall, Joe Biden's relationship with these influential American families is based on his political career and interactions within the political sphere rather than direct familial ties.

** 

In the United States, although elections determine the occupants of the White House and the Congress, the true control of the economy often lies in the hands of wealthy and influential families. Even American political scientists assert without hesitation that "the elite govern America, not the people." This influence extends not only to the cabinets of the White House but also to the federal and state legislatures, where phenomena like succession of fathers and sons, uncles and nephews inheriting power, and brothers joining forces are not uncommon. For these political dynasties in the United States, participating in elections is more akin to a "family business," benefiting from mutual support among family members, which enhances their confidence in winning, thus perpetuating the family's political legacy across generations. In a democratic nation, life is often determined by a small elite rather than the majority of the population. The elites hold power, while the masses lack it.

Although the United States lacks the traditional aristocracy found in Europe, it is not devoid of powerful political dynasties. Represented by four major families—the Adams family, the Roosevelt family, the Kennedy family, and the Bush family—these families wield significant influence. Additionally, there are numerous hereditary aristocratic families, known as the "Boston Brahmins," who excel in wealth, status, careers, and culture, and are considered untouchable in their lineage. In the mid-19th century, Oliver Wendell Holmes, Sr., himself a member of one such family, exposed the power of this group and coined the term "Boston Brahmins," drawing parallels with the Brahmin class in India to emphasize their immense influence.

Boston, the largest port city in the northeastern United States and the capital of Massachusetts, is considered the starting point of American history, where events like the Boston Massacre, the Boston Tea Party, and several early battles of the American Revolution occurred. The early residents of Boston were predominantly Puritan immigrants from England, whose moral standards shaped an extremely stable and well-structured society. These early immigrants were regarded as America's "blue bloods," excelling in wealth, status, careers, and culture, effectively becoming the de facto aristocracy despite the absence of noble titles.

The accumulation of wealth in Boston initially stemmed from the opium trade. In the early 19th century, the British controlled 90% of the opium trade in China. However, within the American share of 10%, the majority belonged to the Perkins family of Boston. Notable families like the Cabot, Cushing, Weld, Delano, Forbes, and Coolidge families were also involved in the opium trade and amassed immense fortunes.

These renowned families formed powerful commercial conglomerates, boasting lineage and prestige since colonial times, and placing a strong emphasis on pedigree. In an article published in The Atlantic in 1860, a member of this aristocratic group coined the term "Boston Brahmins," proudly declaring their significant influence in developing and leading art, culture, science, politics, trade, and academia.

The Boston Brahmins produced numerous luminaries across various fields, including presidents such as John Adams and John Quincy Adams of the Adams family, founders of General Electric like the Coffin family, presidents like Calvin Coolidge of the Coolidge family, presidents like Franklin D. Roosevelt of the Delano family, Chief Justice Oliver Wendell Holmes of the Holmes family, the Kennedy family, and the P...

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美式九品中正製

 
來源: 盧冠霖 於 2024-04-17 08:02:27 [] [博客] [舊帖] [給我悄悄話] 本文已被閱讀: 297 次 (25534 bytes)

美國雖然以選舉決定白宮與參眾議員,但真正控製經濟的還是那些豪門世家。就連美國政治學家們也毫不猶豫地指出:“治理美國的是精英,而不是民眾”。不僅僅是白宮內閣,包括聯邦參眾兩院,甚至各個州,都不難發現父子相繼、叔侄承傳、兄弟攜手等等的現象。對美國政治世家而言,參加競選更像是一項“家族事業”,得益於家族成員的互相扶持,他們對獲勝更有把握,家族政治基因由此代代延續。“民主國家的生活和極權社會一樣,也是由一小撮人決定的。精英是有權的少數,民眾是無權的多數。”

美國的確沒有歐洲那樣的貴族,但也不乏實力強勁的政治世家,比如亞當斯家族、羅斯福家族、肯尼迪家族和布什家族為代表的四大家族。而且也有不少世襲權貴家族群體,這個世襲權貴群體無論財富、地位還是事業、文化都顯得出類拔萃,同時血統又高不可攀,在美國被稱為“波士頓婆羅門”。

19世紀中,有一位Oliver Wendell Holmes, Sr. (1809–1894),自己是其中一分子的後代,著書揭露這一集團的力量,借印度婆羅門階級名號,首創了“波士頓婆羅門”的名稱,說明他們的巨大影響力。

老奧利弗·溫德爾·霍姆斯(Oliver Wendell Holmes, Sr.)

波士頓(Boston)是美國東北部新英格蘭地區最大港口城市,馬薩諸塞州首府。新英格蘭被認為是美國曆史的起點,波士頓屠殺、波士頓傾茶事件,以及美國革命幾個早期的戰役——列克星敦和康科德戰役、邦克山戰役和波士頓圍城戰,都發生在該市或附近的地方。波士頓的早期居民絕大多數是來自英國的清教徒。清教徒的道德規範在波士頓塑造了一個極端穩定、結構良好的社會。這些早期移民被視為美國的“藍血”,無論財富、地位還是事業、文化都顯得出類拔萃,成為了沒有貴族稱號的事實上的貴族。

波士頓這座城市最早的財富積累源於鴉片貿易。19世紀初,英國人控製了中國90%的鴉片貿易。但在美國人所占的10%中,大部分都屬於波士頓的珀金斯公司,而且波士頓一些聲望很高的家族比如卡伯特家族、庫興家族、韋爾德家族、德拉諾家族、福布斯家族、柯立芝家族等,也都參與過鴉片貿易,並中獲得巨額財富。

這些大名鼎鼎的家族構成了資本雄厚的商業集團,他們自殖民地時代起就有著綿延世係與顯赫聲望,而且普遍門第觀念極重。在刊載於1860年《大西洋月刊》的一篇文章裏,這個世襲權貴群體中的一位成員創造了“波士頓婆羅門”一詞並驕傲地宣稱:這個“種性”兼具財富、智識和美德,在“發展和領導藝術、文化、科學、政治、貿易和學術上有極大的影響力”。

“波士頓婆羅門”在各個領域湧現過的名人車載鬥量,包括出過約翰·亞當斯總統和約翰·昆西·亞當斯總統的亞當斯家族、通用電氣公司的創建者之一科芬家族、出過柯立芝總統的柯立芝家族、出過羅斯福總統的德拉諾家族、出過霍姆斯大法官的霍姆斯家族、肯尼迪家族、創建了摩根財團的皮博迪家族,等等。

“波士頓婆羅門”互相通婚而很少與外人通婚,由此形成了一個近乎封閉的血緣群體——這正是“種姓”的定義。他們內部互相通婚,靠血緣、姻親、商業、宗教等關係織成一張綿密的大網,深刻地影響了美國曆史。溫思羅普家族與福布斯家族可以說是“波士頓婆羅門”通婚網的中心。通過來自溫思羅普家族的外祖母,前國務卿約翰·克裏與小布什在內的四任美國總統有血緣關係。

在一個多世紀裏,“波士頓婆羅門”為美國造就了總統(如約翰·亞當斯、約翰·昆西·亞當斯和富蘭克林·羅斯福)、大法官(小奧列弗·霍爾姆斯)和眾多全國性政治家(如溫德爾·菲利普斯和亨利·卡波特·洛奇),以及大批有文化和政治影響力的學者和教育家(如愛默生和查爾斯·埃利奧特)。

“波士頓婆羅門”的這些世家望族不僅擁有巨大的財富,而且以貫通經濟、文化和政治以及具有全國性的眼光和抱負為特性。這些豪門望族通過慷慨的捐贈直接資助了哈佛大學、耶魯大學、普利斯頓大學、哥倫比亞大學、紐約大學等美國名校,甚至可以說,“波士頓婆羅門”掌控著哈佛、耶魯和普林斯頓三所大學。了解西方文化的都知道,世間還沒美國的時候,就已經先有耶魯大學,而耶魯正是“波士頓婆羅門”的專屬禁地。

“波士頓婆羅門”以血統自矜,很少接納外人,圈子封閉,甚至對於自己獨特的口音也十分執著。雖然對於很多普通美國人來說,他們的口音聽起來刺耳,就好像在吵架。他們的發音中會像英式英語一樣吞“R”,但是同時又有著自己非常高傲的音色。對於“波士頓婆羅門”來說,從事哪個行業,是不存在“隔行如隔山”限製的,他們可以在政、商、學界自由遊走。

他們財力雄厚,人脈廣泛,出產了許多作家、政治家,這些人的子女世代在哈佛、耶魯接受教育。在冷戰之前,一百多年來,盡管共和黨、民主黨在公共政治上勢同水火,但是兩黨高層人員的私人談吐、行事風格很類似,因為他們要麽屬於“波士頓婆羅門”本身,要麽就是其代理人。

這些人互相聯姻,產生出第一流的“門閥”,其中有約翰·亞當斯總統和約翰·昆西·亞當斯總統所屬的亞當斯家族、通用電氣公司的創建者之一科芬家族、羅斯福總統所屬的德拉諾家族、霍姆斯大法官所屬的霍姆斯家族、老布什和小布什所屬的布什家族等等。一個突出例子就是奧巴馬時代的美國國務卿,現在的氣候特使克裏,他就是典型的“美利堅藍血”。

通過追溯克裏外祖母的血統,克裏與小布什在內的四任美國總統都能扯得上血緣關係。克裏的外祖父和外祖母的結合,就屬於當年“波士頓婆羅門”內部通婚的典範——一個在商界聲名鵲起,一個在政壇叱吒風雲。克裏全名約翰·福布斯·克裏(John Forbes Kerry),中間名“Forbes”,號稱源自蘇格蘭某大貴族——福布斯家族,這也是他外祖父家的姓氏。這個美國福布斯家族,通過在中國上海販賣鴉片撈到了大筆資本後,又順利進軍了美國的鐵路、石油、地產和零售業,還同時慷慨的資助過哈佛、耶魯和普林斯頓大學,儼然一副“文化財閥”世家的人設。

相比福布斯家族,克裏的姥姥溫思羅普家族的政治色彩更為濃鬱。他們的老祖宗約翰·溫思羅普是第一任馬薩諸塞殖民地總督和“新英格蘭聯盟”主席,被後世稱為“美利堅奠基之父”。這個家族的後代們長期擔任國會議員,更不乏眾議院議長或者總統內閣幕僚這樣的核心權力人士。

約翰·溫思羅普(John Winthrop,1588--1649)

正是克裏的“藍血”身份,幫助他在1960年代上大學的時候,成功加入了耶魯大學的骷髏會,為日後從政積累起了大量人脈。骷髏會最初是由羅素家族成員創辦並資助的,這個羅素家族,也屬於“波士頓婆羅門”中的一員。而克裏的父係,則是德國移民的後代,原本姓氏為“科恩”(Cohen),帶著濃鬱的猶太色彩。後來為了更好地融入美國主流社會,克裏的爺爺把“科恩”改成了“克裏”(Kerry)。

克裏的大長臉確實很像猶太人

在美國的淘金熱中發了財的克裏爺爺,特別重視克裏老爸的教育。非“藍血”的優秀精英人士的克裏老爸,作為一名成功的外交官,費了老大勁,才迎娶到了“波士頓婆羅門家族”的小姐。所以,婚後,克裏老媽也沒舍得放棄自己高貴的Forbes姓氏,而是把它和夫姓並列使用,還認真的傳給了自己的兒子約翰·福布斯·克裏。仔細捋一捋克裏身後三大家族的來龍去脈,不難發現,其中幾乎包含著半部美國史。

由此可見,在美國,精英圈子也分了很多層,通常,麵對中產階級奮鬥上來的新興精英人士(比如克林頓夫婦、奧巴馬夫婦這種),“美利堅藍血貴族”們的骨子總帶著一種油然而生的驕傲和優越感。好像布什這樣的名門望族,放在四五十年前,肯定是瞧不上佩洛西的,現在卻也不得不接受跟她平起平坐。

佩洛西本姓是達曆山德羅,到她這一代已經是第四代移民了。她的父親托瑪索原先是個保險經紀人,通過多年的努力當上了馬裏蘭州巴爾的摩市市長,而且一當就是十年。達裏山德羅家族在巴爾的摩也算是個世家了,但和真正的豪強一比,又隻能算是寒門。如果不出什麽意外的話,他家的勢力將永遠止步於巴爾的摩市。

但南希達裏山德羅攀上了保羅佩洛西的高枝。佩洛西家族是真正的豪門。保羅的哥哥是舊金山市的議員,他的嫂嫂則是加州州長紐森的姑姑,紐森的哥哥是石油大亨保羅蓋蒂。南希攀上了保羅這樣的門閥,又怎麽能不飛黃騰達?

不過,佩洛西的父祖也僅僅為市一級的“門閥”,到了佩洛西這代人,突然上竄到全國級別的政治家族,讓兩邊家族都光耀門楣。不過,放眼全美,無論是亞曆山德羅家族,還是佩洛西家族,都屬於新晉門閥。從傳統底蘊來講,跟布什這樣的真正的名門望族、波士頓婆羅門相比,他們還是寒門級存在。

所以,美國其實是個掌握在門閥士族手裏的國家。在美國的46任總統中,有24位互相是親戚。比如卡特是尼克鬆的表弟,尼克鬆又是塔夫托的侄孫,塔夫托又是亞當斯的沒出五服的親戚。而卡特、杜魯門、約翰遜三個人又都是奧巴馬的親戚。還有福特是羅斯福的親戚、林肯是老布什的親戚等等。

照片裏這幾位總統都是親戚

因此,如果從門閥製度的角度去觀察美國,很多看起來不合理的現象就很容易理解了。因為中國的魏晉南北朝到隋唐,地方豪強一直是中國政壇的主角。首先,中國士族的源頭來自於漢末的世家所謂各地的世家豪強,如袁紹家這樣的四世三公,相當於在地方是豪強,可以組織自己的私人武裝,保衛自己的田地,甚至鑄造自己的城堡。所以相當於在基層地方控製了地方經濟,然後優秀子弟在朝廷做官。

除了經濟,漢末世家也是儒學大師輩出,壟斷了教育與意識形態,門生故吏遍天下,而且能讀書大部分都是世家子弟,所以世家和世家之間,可以通過師徒,婚姻,經濟,政治勾兌等各種方式聯係在一起。

有了門閥政治,自然就有九品中正製。所謂“上品無寒門,下品無勢族”。目前美國的門閥世家壟斷了美國的常青藤大學,高昂的學費就不是一般中產可以負擔。就算有中產的子弟或者海外留學生就讀與這些大學,同樣哈佛畢業,平民子弟最多就是在大公司打工。而門閥因為控製教育,經濟與政治,他們的子弟的起點與機遇是其他人不可比擬的。

這些門閥世家因為掌握了輿論與意識形態,除了越來越奢華與腐化外,也必然慢慢喜歡談玄論道,與現實越來越脫節,也流行類似毒品的“五石散”。產業空心化當然是與現實脫節的表現,除此外,美國政府也開始主導LGBTQ(變性)運動,大麻合法化,流行吸毒等。如3月27日美國巴爾的摩的大橋居然被貨輪撞塌了,靠高調同性戀身份當上交通部長的Buttigieg以極端無能著稱,但符合政治正確。就大橋被撞塌,他居然能扯到種族,說橋上的車輛多是載黑人和波多黎各的孩子,橋孔設計有種族問題。真是大有魏晉南北朝其實的談玄論道之風,當然從文化角度去看,等級自然差遠了,這樣比較好像有辱當時的世家大族。

後來西晉發生“八王之亂”與“永嘉之亂”,東晉南渡。北方是胡人政權。南渡後的東晉皇帝已經失去兵權,唯一作用是維持各大家族之間的平衡。而堅持留在北方的地方豪族則與胡人政權合作,勢力也越來越龐大。慢慢令胡人漢化,胡漢融合,統一南方,建立隋唐。這些豪門大族大族相互通婚,甚至連唐朝的李家也不那麽看重,當時有本冊子,論天下高門大族,李家排在後麵,而崔家排在最前麵,唐太宗雖然生氣也無可奈何。

慢慢,連朝廷都不能控製豪門大族,無法對與官員勾結的豪門大戶征稅,但朝廷的支出的剛性的,就隻能對中小地主與農民橫征暴斂,如果加上天災,就容易發生民變。於是唐朝在代宗時期進行了財政改革,劉晏將鹽的統購統銷變成了統購分銷,並將漕運改成有償雇傭。唐德宗時期,另一位能人楊炎推出了“兩稅法”,春秋兩季交稅,故而稱兩稅法。

唐朝是一個農業國,其立國的稅收是租(田租)+庸(徭役)+調(紡織品),當時,唐朝實行均田製,人人可以分到田地,所以稅基鎖定在人身上。隨著時間推移,與所有的王朝一樣,出現了以下現象:1. 人口數量增加,人口從貞觀年間300萬戶增加到了900萬戶,不管是生育增長還是有人說的避禍人口露麵,總之,人口大大增加了;2. 稅負不均引起的土地兼並。唐朝有爵位以及5品以上官員各有免稅額度,有的人群實際上屬於untouchable,於是,出現了普通人不堪忍受稅收,另一個群體則擁有稅盾。於是乎,瞞報土地、隱匿人口不可避免;3. 在和平年代,有一個累積效應,就是貧富差距自然擴大,人口增長會導致人力資本的回報低於土地資本的回報。如果還以人丁作為稅基,假定此時還是均田就屬於自欺欺人。

 
 
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