#Greed and the #GildedAge: Power, Wealth, and Corruption in 19th-Century America
Examining Wealth, Corruption, and Social Change in the Gilded Age
November 16, 2021
Excerpt: "From the 1870s to the 1890s, the United States entered a period of rapid #industrialization. There was a shift from an agrarian economy to an industrial economy and many Americans began to move to urban areas. #MarkTwain called this period the Gilded Age and criticized the era as a time of #greed and #PoliticalCorruption.
Industrialization greatly increased the need for workers in the nation’s factories. The availability of factory jobs that required little or no skills was one of the reasons for a dramatic increase in immigration to the United States. Although working conditions in most factories were poor and unsafe, there was a steady stream of immigrant workers to fill the positions.
While there were millions of factory workers, the #wealthy #entrepreneurs who owned the factories represented a tiny fraction of Americans. The few wealthy controlled most of the wealth in the United States during this time.
During the Gilded Age, the economic disparities between the workers and big business owners grew exponentially. Workers continued to endure low wages and dangerous working conditions in order to make a living. #BigBusiness owners, however, enjoyed #lavish lifestyles.
he industrialization of the United States brought economic growth to the country like never before. The economy moved from agrarian to industrial; consumer goods were mass-produced and readily available. However, manufacturing was not the only industry that experienced growth. The railroad industry grew as the need to transport people and goods increased.
The rapid growth of the manufacturing industry created a great need for unskilled workers. This demand caused migration as farm workers moved from rural areas of the United States to find jobs in America’s rapidly growing cities. The increase in jobs was also a draw for people in foreign countries. Many people immigrated to the United States in search of work and the opportunity to live the American dream.
While industrialization led to an increase in jobs, it also led to poor working conditions for this new industrial labor force. Workers were forced to work in dangerous conditions surrounded by heavy machinery. Unskilled laborers required little training and completed routine tasks. They also worked long hours and were paid low wages.
Big business owners benefitted tremendously from the economic changes in the United States. Some historians have said that these entrepreneurs were robber barons because they got rich through ruthless means. Others have called them captains of industry because they were greatly responsible for increasing productivity, expanding markets, providing jobs, and increasing the nation’s wealth."
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https://brewminate.com/greed-and-the-gilded-age-in-19th-century-america/
#Capitalism #CapitalismSucks #CorporateColonialism #IndustrialAge #RobberBarrons #TechBros #EatTheRich #YeetTheRich #LifestylesOfTheRichAndFamous
