Freedom

706 Words2 Pages

The Market Revolution caused tremendous changes in the way Americans live and interact with one another and the environment. Although the Market Revolution had copious extraordinary effects on Americans' life and culture that continues to influence, it also had numerous deleterious effects on the society. In Walden and Civil Disobedience by Henry David Thoreau, he condescended the changes in the market because it changed the way people lived. Thoreau believed that the Market Revolution suppressed people’s enjoyment of freedom and instead of savoring the simple things in life, people chase after materialistic goods and thus incapable of enjoying life.
The Market Revolution occurred during the first half of the 19th century before the Civil War with the introduction of new cutting-edge innovations. People moved away from producing for themselves on small farms to producing for others with price set by competition. The introduction of new technologies spurred the growth of the modern commercial economy as transportation and communication improved tremendously. Prior to the Market Revolution, transportation of goods was expensive and time-consuming, but with the establishment of national roads, canals, steamboats, and railroads, transportation of goods accelerated and cost lowered. Communication during this time also improved excessively with the telegrams. The addition of telegrams allowed merchants to figure out when to expect their merchandises and how much to sell for. Furthermore, the Market Revolution established new methods of production. The establishment of factories for mass production changed the landscape of how people operated. Bygone the day where people worked from the comfort of their home as individuals were brought...

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...helter, food, clothing, and fuel for survival. The Market Revolution in the 19th century changed the mindset of copious individuals about their essential needs. With new innovations that make goods cheaper and easily obtainable, people's greed for more possessions grew. However, the incessant growth of one's desires make the individual a "slave" of their desires because they devote their time in earning money to acquire more, thus losing their freedom. Henry David Thoreau agreed that people enslaved themselves to materialistic possessions and often they forget the genuine meaning of living. Faced with the choice of increasing one’s ability to acquire more goods and decreasing one’s needs, Thoreau believed that minimizing one’s desire will lead to favorable account as individuals gain the chance to enjoy the meaning of life and welcome what nature provide them with.

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