TO AMERICAN DEMOCRACY                       97

CHAPTER XII
THE TRADE OR BUSINESS TYPE '
(A DOGMATIC-EMOTIONAL TYPE)

BACKGROUND—As was said earlier there is no
absolute way of measuring quantitivel)' innate differ¬
ences of type. Everything therefore must be relative.
All the individuals in one category are found at times
acting in ways more or less used to distinguish a dif¬
ferent type.

The Americans of Italian extraction described here
as constituting the "trade or business" type are
not the adult Italians in New York City who are in busi¬
ness today. Such individuals for the most part are
products of a different environment and social organiza¬
tion. The numerous businesses trafficking in wines, li¬
quors, oils, macaroni, cheeses, groceries, fruits and
other Italian products are for the most part conducted
by Italians or (Americans now) who were not born in
this country and such as a class fall outside this study.
What we are describing here is a type of American of
Italian blood who has been since his early years engaged
for the most part in subordinate positions in different
American industries of all descriptions, offices, factories
and other commercial enterprises.

These Americans of the "trade" or "business" type
are so-called because to all obvious appearances the
main activity which admits of observance is that con¬
cerned with the work which brings in their weekly
wages, in other words, their vocation. The matter of
temperament however is just as important and must not
be overlooked.

It seems that such individuals are less susceptible to
American methods, ways of thinking and of doing things.
Their membership is largely recruited from individuals
representing the 10.4% portion of Italian immigration
that came here before their fourteenth birthday. Their
"Italianism" hangs with them too long for them to be