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Today, we open our mailbox only to be bombarded by the next Visa ad "0% APR until 2010" and many American consider it, after all, the second refinanced mortgage payment is due soon. We are swiping away our values and mortgaging our morality all in pursuit of what American history has been found upon: consumerism. Through the history of this nation the ethnically and culturally different people who have helped build our material oriented society all have one thing in common: the American dream. This pursuit of wealth gained momenteum on the eve of the industrial revolution's assembly line and today's dot.com speed whirls American to pursue faster than can consume it. This has left us an greedy indebted nation. In this essay I will illustrate how our taste for newest and best production has shaped modern American history. I will focus upon how public opinion towards this consumerism, beginning in the 1890s and leading into the great depression of the 1930s, is seen through the eyes of gender, class and ethnicity.
With the end of lassiez faire politics that guided what Mark Twain coined the Gilded Age, public opinion was becoming aware of the brash work ethics of a newly industrializing society, however, the pursuit of wealth outweighed all. Foreign policy was guided by Anglo-Saxon views, but below these views were desires of industry. The only reason we began to explore the surrounding Caribbean and free Cuba' was because we could not consume at the speed of our production as seen in 1893's slight depression. American consumerism was forced to export making moral claims to Cuban Libre mere heresay. The northern cities impressed by the Cornelis Engine at the 1893 World's Fair sparked pride to continue to work hard for industrial goals. In Upton Sinclair's The Jungle he clearly describes the harsh conditions and corrupt that guided Chicago's meat packing district. This big business corruption, particularly the RR monopoly, called for populism in politics in the southern states. The Sherman antitrust and Hepburn RR acts were drafted with such suspion, but only because they wanted to gain a piece of the monopoly pie. Southern republican public opinion played the ethnic sympathy card in the 1893 elections, but they only did so to win votes. The industrializing southern textile mills challenged traditional Protestant farm values, but the quest for wealth prompted families to be hired together; this is how they justified there farm values were upheld.
Imagine going to work and being sprayed by a scorching splash of molten metal. Wouldn't that be just terrible? Unfortunately for the working-class Americans of the early 20th century (who worked in a steel-factory of sorts), this hellish scene was a reality for them (Sinclair 215). Upton Sinclair's book The Jungle, a ficticious yet all-the-more realistic novel about the Chicago meat packing industry (and just working/life conditions in general for city-dwelling Americans at the time), follows Jurgis Rudkus --- A Lithuanian immigrant trying to live the “American dream”. Unfortunately, that dream is crushed under the deepest and darkest aspects of Capitalism through terrible working conditions, appalling living situations, homelessness/unemployment, and unfair legal and political procedures. These obstacles make excellent examples as for why some rules and regulations are needed in our otherwise Capitalistic society.
The Gilded Age marked a period of industrial growth in America. Mark Twain termed the period of 1865 to 1896 as the “Gilded Age” to {indicate} the widespread corruption lying underneath the glittering surface of the era. Known as either “captains of industry” or “robber barons,” several prominent figures shaped this time period; these capitalists gained great wealth and success with their industries. Corrupt and greedy are two words associated with the term “robber barons,” which referred to the capitalists who acquired their great wealth in less than admirable and ethical ways. On the other hand, many referred to the capitalists as the “captains of industry” that were celebrated as admirable philanthropists; their way of acquiring extreme
At the beginnings of the 1900s, some leading magazines in the U.S have already started to exhibit choking reports about unjust monopolistic practices, rampant political corruption, and many other offenses; which helped their sales to soar. In this context, in 1904, The Appeal to Reason, a leading socialist weekly, offered Sinclair $500 to prepare an exposé on the meatpacking industry (Cherny). To accomplish his mission, Sinclair headed to Chicago, the center of the meatpacking industry, and started an investigation as he declared“ I spent seven weeks in Packingtown studying conditions there, and I verified every smallest detail, so that as a picture of social conditions the book is as exact as a government report” (Sinclair, The Industrial Republic 115-16). To get a direct knowledge of the work, he sneaked into the packing plants as a pretended worker. He toured the streets of Packingtown, the area near the stockyards where the workers live. He approached people, from different walks of life, who could provide useful information about conditions in Packingtown. At the end of seven weeks, he returned home to New Jersey, shut himself up in a small cabin, wrote for nine months, and produced The Jungle (Cherny).
1. The main idea is not only that owning stuff is not the key to happiness, it’s also that consumers today own more than they need to thrive which directly impacts the environment. Hill illustrates the environmental impact by showing statistics of global warming today versus the past century, and how consumerism is leading to a hotter climate. Hill debunks claims of buying happiness by discussing a study where stress hormones spike to their highest when people are managing their personal belongings. Hill’s most prominent example that consumerism is not the answer is himself, as he discusses some of the most stressful times of his life being right after coming into a large sum of money and buying whatever he fancied. When Hill concludes his article, he states that “I have less—and enjoy more. My space is small. My life is big” (213).
Several years before and after the turn the turn of the twentieth century, America experienced a large influx of European immigration. These new citizens had come in search of the American dream of success, bolstered by promise of good fortune. Instead they found themselves beaten into failure by American industry. Upton Sinclair wanted to expose the cruelty and heartlessness endured by these ordinary workers. He chose to represent the industrial world through the meatpacking industry, where the rewards of progress were enjoyed only by the privileged, who exploited the powerless masses of workers. The Jungle is a novel and a work of investigative journalism; its primary purpose was to inform the general public about the dehumanization of American workers. However the novel was much more effective at exposing the unsanitary conditions of the meatpacking industry.
The world consists of economic competition which throws people for a whirlwind. Many however do thrive, yet there are still some with scratched knee’s left to dig through the dumpster. Throughout the modern history of society, it has been a constant struggle for practically everyone. A world popular example of this struggle is Upton Sinclair’s 1906 novel, The Jungle. The groundbreaking book takes readers along on a journey into a new world for a family of recent Lithuanian immigrants. The family trekked to America, which in the early twentieth century was said to be the land where any man willing to work hard during the day would make a fair amount of living and could support his family. It happens to be an ideal that every American should be familiar with at least one of the foundations that got the American society to where it is at today. Yet, while telling his story, Upton Sinclair put the reader in a metaphorical war against Capitalism. Sinclair’s disdain against capitalist society is present from cover to cover, shown through the enthusiasm of Jurgis to work, the struggle for workers of Packingtown, and the corruption that was put on “the man” at all levels of society.
The dawn of the 20th century was met with an unprecedented catastrophe: an international technological war. Such a horrible conflict perhaps threatened the roots of the American Dream! Yet, most do not realize how pivotal the following years were. Post war prosperity caused a fabulous age for America: the “roaring twenties”. But it also was an era where materialism took the nation by storm, rooting itself into daily life. Wealth became a measure of success and a facade for social status. This “Marxist materialism” threatened the traditional American Dream of self-reliance and individuality far even more than the war a decade before. As it morphed into materialistic visions (owning a beautiful house and car), victims of the change blindly chased the new aspiration; one such victim was Jay Gatsby in The Great Gatsby. As his self-earned luxury and riches clashed with love, crippling consequences and disasters occur. F. Scott Fitzgerald’s The Great Gatsby delves into an era of materialism, exploring how capitalism can become the face of social life and ultimately cloud the American Dream.
During the Gilded age, the United States used its growing industrial development and began to appear as a profitable powerhouse. During this time America had a sufficient economic capital to endure such hasty industrialization; however it was a different story when it came to labor. The solution to this problem was European immigration. Since many European immigrants came to America looking for work opportunities, they unintentionally provided an alternative of cheap labor for American factories and businesses. These Europeans were thrilled to come to the United States. They saw America as a land of opportunity, and a chance to live the "American Dream". Upon arrival to this dreamland of opportunity, the United State's capitalistic society ruined many ambitions of said immigrants and embedded them into a harsh routine that controlled each aspect of their lives. In Upton Sinclair’s story The Jungle we are introduced to Jurgis Rudkus and his family, they are poor Lithuanian immigrants who came to America in search of an easier life, only to end up working in Packingtown also known as the meatpacking plants of Chicago. To some readers Jurgis and his family face massive hardships such as cruel and hazardous working conditions, poverty and famine, corrupt businessmen who take their money and crooked politicians who take advantage of them. To other readers, Jurgis and his family made rash and senseless decisions on their own. Upton Sinclair's The Jungle accentuates the manipulation of many immigrants as they attempt to achieve the unachievable "American Dream".
As a well-known socialist, Sinclair’s purpose in The Jungle is to demonize capitalism. While the concept of socialism is not introduced until the end of the novel, the evils of capitalism is present from the onset. The Jungle is famous for its effect on society and its views of factory labor, even if this was not the author’s intent (Trott, 2006). The novel did, however, precede an era which heavily discussed and dissected capitalism and socialism. As the 1900s progressed, Upton Sinclair would have seen a rise in opposition to his beliefs with the Red Scare and the publishing of Ayn Rand’s Atlas Shrugged (Winship, 2014). In our time, term “socialist” is now commonly used as slander against a supposedly overly liberal politician, and capitalism is a staple in American patriotism (Wing, 2012). Admittedly, our society has developed laws that prevent the tragedy that Jurgis Rudkus experienced from occurring, but our society is far from economically ideal. When half of American households hold only one percent of the country’s wealth, it is difficult to not wonder if Sinclair’s forewarning should have been more thoroughly examined (Froomkin,
The conclusion of The Reckless Decade: America in the 1890's that one can take is that H.W. Brands got it right. America was and is often what Americans believe it to be. It is in a state of decline and it is prosperous. It has been a battleground between populist reformers and greedy, corrupt politicians. It has seen labor unions and massive industries lock horns and pitch ferocious battles over wages, eight hour workdays, and working conditions. The country has fought over foreign lands and even against its own people. It has seen advances in technology and industry never seen anywhere else in the world, and it has dealt with near economic ruin. The United States has been through stratospheric highs and epic lows, and yet it continues to move forward. That was H.W. Brands’ message in this book, and he got it right.
...prosperity. It does not allow for emotional and ideological growth, as money-oriented assets do not always acclimate to physically intangible desires. Hamilton’s work stresses the notion that the capitalist media disillusions the American dream; Fitzgerald is more so certain it stems from human elitism and social pressures. Showcasing that ideologies should be questioned as to the legitimacy of its source and function, serve to inform our current society that we must watch what we chase. The accumulation of opinions leads to revelations. The unrest and discomfort voiced by both are societal stimulation, had they stayed quiet perhaps society would have gone about living lavishly and selfishly. The pressures regarding the importance of epiphanies create change. Modern society is itself due in part by educated deductions realized and voiced during the 20th century.
After World War II, America had to take a step back and take a look at their country. The American Dream had been restored upon the atrocities of the war. In the 1930’s the American Dream was primarily focused on working hard, men providing for their families, and trying to rise from the depression. In the 1940’s, post World War II things changed and consumerism and feminism began to play a key role along with many other factors. There are many ways to describe the American dream and what aspects were influential to it, such as World War II, modernism, new technology and entertainment.
America’s current standard of living is going to cause our demise. Consumerism is a problem throughout Americans culture since mass production began in the late nineteenth century. The obsession with consumerism has led to mindless wastes of resources, a diseased society and economic instability. Rick Wolff, a professor of economics at University of Massachusetts, states “economics of capitalism spread consumerism—now uncontrolled, ecologically harmful, and fiscally disastrous—throughout the United States”. Wolff’s viewpoint on consumerism aligns with mine. Believing that an economy based on promoting endless consumption is volatile and unsustainable. Consumerism can be analyzed and seen to be embedded by corporations and politicians.
What seems to go unnoticed by many Americans is the evident and growing wealth gap. According to Pew Research Center, the current U.S. income is at its highest since 1928. This large dispersion of wealth can be attributed by the “fall [of the] routine producers” (Reich). Where jobs that were once attainable during the 70s are declining due to advancing technology and corporations finding workers in poor countries who are willing to work at half the cost of the routine producers. What also drives this wealth gap is the power of corporations in an age of extravagant consumerism. Through media, the demand to buy what we want is unavoidable. Corporations are able to gain revenue while people go unemployed because of America’s vast opportunities to buy what we want when we want it.
Comparing the perspective of the American dream in the 1920’s to the American Dream in the 1940’s and present day seems to be a repeating cycle. The American dream is always evolving and changing. The American dream for present day is similar to the dream of the 1920’s. An Ideal of the American life is to conform to what our society has determined is success. Money, materialism and status had replaced the teachings of our founding fathers in the 1920’s. A return to family values and hard work found its way back into American’s lives in the 1940’s. The same pursuit of that indulgent lifestyle that was popular in the roaring twenty’s has returned today for most Americans, many Americans are living on credit and thinking that money and the accumulation of material items can solve all problems. Through film, literature, art and music, an idealized version of what it means to be an American has changed from money, materialism, and status of the 1920s to hard work and family values of the forties.