The Duty Of The Man Of Wealth

Whether or not the politics of the Gilded Age failed in dealing with social and economic issues has long been debated by historians. Peeling away streaks of gold plastered on the deficiencies of the time, the cause of such problems can be unveiled. In finding a blame for the corruption within the growing economy and its demands on a wavering society, all fingers point to the politics of the Gilded Age.

1.Tariffs It is one of the political issues during the Gilded Age that brought changes in the way politics were conducted. The conventional tariffs were taxes charged on imported products to raise money for agencies that looked after goods and individuals entering America (“Politics in the Gilded Age”). On the other hand, the protective tariff was introduced to so as to govern industries and businesses in America. As a result, high tariffs ensured that producers competed on fair grounds with foreign products, as they raised the price of imported goods, and, therefore, made American products more attractive. Therefore, workers were encouraged to support political parties that supported high tariffs to avoid losing their jobs. 2.Rise and Fall

The post-Civil War, also known as the extended period that came to be known as the Gilded Age, was largely centered around and influenced by big business and corporations. The newfound efficiency of resources and mass production resulted in a wide variety of available products but also a wide divide between classes and a misdistribution of power that led to the forming of unions and passing of anti-trust legislation. Big business employed money and power to control and manipulate the economy and politics to their own advantage through dishonest means and exploitation of poor immigrants. Americans such as Samuel Gompers worked on the creation of different labor unions to protect the common people and authors such as Jacob Riis and Stephen

The Gilded Age was characterized by rapid industrialization, reconstruction, ruthless pursuit of profit, government, corruption, and vulgarity (Cashman 1). After the Civil War, America was beginning to regroup as a nation. There were many other changes developing in the country. Industrialization was taking over the formerly agricultural country. The nation’s government was also in great conflict (Foner 20). Many changes occurred during the Gilded Age. These changes affected farmers, labor, business, and politics.

From the remains of the American Civil War and the end of the Reconstruction in 1877, an economic powerhouse emerged. The factories built by the Union to defeat the Confederacy were not shut down at the war's end. Now that the fighting was over, these factories were converted to peacetime purposes. Although industry had existed prior to the war, agriculture had represented the most significant portion of the American economy. After the war, beginning with the railroads, small businesses grew larger and larger. New technologies and new ways of organizing business led a few individuals to the top. The Gilded Age, from 1875 to 1900, was evidently presenting the tremendous wealth of the new economic minor elite and the major extreme poverty of

Following the finish of the American Civil War, the period known as the Gilded Age emerged. During this period, industrialism increased rapidly as well as the amount of cities. However, with a growth of industries and cities, corruption and complications would also follow. Since businesses were booming and the economy was improving, the United States’ Presidents of this time period, such as Hayes, Garfield, and Cleveland, granted businesses large amounts of power in hopes of continuing the success of the nation. The wealthy business men were given favorable tax rates and free land, as well as a free range of power. These big businesses greatly impacted the economy by controlling the flow of production along with the wealth of the people, as well as politics through achieving an unlawful amount of power and corrupting the government, which led to the opposition of the American people and fabrication of labor unions and labor strikes.

During the Gilded Age America experienced the “Second Industrial Revolution”. Between the end of the Civil War and the early twentieth century, the United States underwent one of the most rapid and profound economic revolutions any country has ever experienced. There were numerous causes for this explosive economic growth. The country enjoyed abundant natural resources, a growing supply of labor, an expanding market for manufactured goods, and the availability of capital for investment. The uprising of big businesses, railroads, and factory transformed America from being based on small farm work into an industrial powerhouse. During the Second Industrial Revolution the role of “big business” in federal and state governments was a monumental turning point in the history of this country, setting a foundation which has come to play a big role in government policy today. In a time period where the American Government did not have a real system in place for becoming an elected official, a great portion of the government was “corrupted” by people put in place by owners of big businesses and in turn they agreed to pass laws or do other favors for their benefit. Moguls such as John D. Rockefeller, and Andrew Carnegie played major roles big business. The rapid expansion of factory production, mining, and railroad construction in all parts of the country except the South signaled the transition from Lincoln’s America—a world centered on the small farm and artisan workshop—to a

During the rise of industrialization, the United States had just ended the Civil War and was starting to move on. People had an aspiration at this time to make a more than decent living for themselves, and the economy was at the right spot for this to be possible. This time period in American History is referred to as the Gilded Age, termed by the famous author Mark Twain, which simply means covered in gold; however, Twain did not necessarily mean this in a good way. He believed right under the surface of this gold plating was still problems with the American society that didn’t look so appealing. This essay will discuss how practices during the rise of industrialization during the Gilded Age shaped the American work and labor force.

Throughout history, America was faced with many problems socially, economically, politically, and technologically. But America has also experienced many great successes in these areas as well. Some opportunities were seized, while others were wasted. We can learn from our past failures and successes and take what we have learned from them forward with us into the future, to help build and maintain a better America. The Gilded Age, during the late 1800’s, was a time in America where we experienced explosive economic growth, serious social problems, new innovative technology, and the rise of corporations and corruption in politics. We have learned from some of these things that we went through in the Gilded Age and fixed them, but we are still facing some of the problems we faced back then, today.

The Gilded Age (1869-1896), cynically named so by Mark Twain, was a time of industrial growth and underwhelming political movement. After Andrew Johnson, Ulysses S. Grant, the Union’s top general, was elected President of the United States during the 1868 election. Grant himself really wasn’t cut out to be a politician, however, with the support of the Republicans and the campaign slogan “let us have peace” that resonated with the still war scarred nation he won. Other one liners such as “vote as you shot” and waving the bloody shirt, or reminding the public the gruesome war they just finished, were commonly used to rally citizens behind the Republican candidate.

After the Civil War, America was divided into three regions, the North, the South, and the West. The expansion and settlement of the West had led to the building of railroads that were funded by the government. The railroads needed steel, coal, and oil to function, creating the start of power and wealth for big businesses. Although men like Vanderbilt, Carnegie, and Rockefeller, were referred to as Captains of Industry, their actions proved that they could be both Captains of Industry and Robber Barons by creating more jobs, but then providing horrible working conditions, helping society, but enforced strikebreaking techniques.and innovations and

After the Civil War and Reconstruction, The Gilded Age, named by Mark Twain, became a period when large corporations and businesses took root as well as a time of innovation and production. With the rich getting richer and the poor being forgotten, the period was filled with corruptions and monopolies. Between the period 1870 to 1900, large businesses ruled over the society and politics through all means which ushered in a backlash from the majority of Americans who were mostly receiving the back end of the deal.

The Gilded Age is defined as, “the name for the period 1877-1900 that suggested the amazing achievements of the period were like a thin gold layer that covered many social problems” (Keene, 132). This era was filled with new ideology that sparked modern concepts; however, these thoughts took time and revision to actually impact America positively. The Federal Government could have advanced these effects in a more efficient manner through the economy. The role of the Federal Government in regulating the economy during the Gilded Age should have been organized and powerful by taking action and setting standards.

Carnegie was a wealthy man himself, but he practiced exactly what he preached. He notices how American society has revolutionized and created the divide between the rich and the poor as it changed. Carnegie compares the American past equality to the equality experienced among the Sioux Indians. Carnegie does not disapprove of the change, but recognizes it as “highly beneficial” (Foner 29). According to Carnegie, the evidence of the changing society is present in the “contrast between the palace of the millionaire and the cottage of the laborer” (Foner 29). Although Carnegie recognizes the divided between rich and poor, he does not see it as a bad thing, nor does he believe that people should stop obtaining wealth. Carnegie believes that the wealthy should use their money to provide for good instead of “hoarding great sums all their lives” (Foner 29). Carnegie approves of the implementation

The Gilded Age will be remembered for the accomplishments of thousands of American thinkers, inventors, entrepreneurs, writers, and promoters of social justice. The Gilded Age and the first years of the twentieth century were a time of great social change and economic growth in the United States. Roughly spanning the years between Reconstruction and the dawn of the new century, the Gilded Age saw rapid industrialization, urbanization, the construction of great transcontinental railroads, innovations in science and technology, and the rise of big business. Afterward, the first years of the new century that followed were dominated by progressivism, a forward-looking political movement that attempted to redress some of the ills that had