Franklinism

/ˈfræŋklɪnɪzəm/ noun

Definition

The philosophical principles, ideas, or methods associated with Benjamin Franklin; adherence to his beliefs.

Etymology

From 'Franklin' with the suffix '-ism' (from Greek, meaning 'belief system' or 'practice of'). This productive suffix creates nouns for ideologies, philosophies, and movements: capitalism, communism, feminism.

Kelly Says

Franklin's practical wisdom—'Early to bed, early to rise' and his emphasis on self-improvement, hard work, and civic virtue—became so influential that 'Franklinism' appears in 19th-century writings as a distinctly American value system contrasting with European aristocratic ideals.

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