The Role Of Muckrakers In The Declaration Of Independence

Thomas Jefferson is one of the most influential people in the history of the United States. He wrote the Declaration of Independence, he was the first Secretary of State, and third president. Jefferson witnessed the American Revolution, and knew what was important for the country to be successful. He knew the potential of the power of the government to be used in a wrong way, so he wanted the people to be able to prevent that. As companies grew and became corporations, they could use their power for wrong reasons as well. For those reasons, Jefferson was a firm believer in the freedom of the press.

The early government of the United States was corrupt and full of unfulfilled promises. Thomas Jefferson realized the United States could not be

successful if the government was deceiving its people. He stated the importance of the press, “Our citizens may be deceived for awhile, and have been deceived; but as long as the presses can be protected, we may trust to them for light.” Jefferson realized the government was not completely honest with the citizens, and knew that would not change, but if the “press can be protected” the deception will be kept to a minimum. The press gives the public a “light” of truth throughout all lies of the government. This idea could also be applied to large corporations that began after Jefferson was dead.
The muckrakers were people who would expose atrocities in many different large corporations.

Jefferson would have approved and even praised the muckrakers. The muckrakers saw how the citizens were “deceived” and were unaware of the terrible working conditions, along with disgusting processes to make products. Muckrakers, such as Upton Sinclair, tried to show the public the “light” and truth of the industries. Sinclair focused on the meatpacking industry in his book The Jungle. The industry put disgusting materials, including bones, into their meats and sausage. Sinclair said, “The use everything about the hog except its squeal.” Sinclair prompted the Federal Meat Inspection Act of 1906 which completely changed the industry and made it safer. Sinclair and other muckrakers attempted to make the United States better for

everyone.
Muckrakers did not die out with the Progressive Era.

There are present muckrakers who also try to change society for the better. One of the greatest muckrakers of the modern day is Morgan Spurlock. Spurlock finds flaws in society and puts himself in the middle of them for thirty days, and makes movies to exploit them. He has worked as a miner, he has gone to prison, he has only eaten McDonald’s, and countless other projects. The reason Spurlock puts himself in these situations is to be the “light” necessary to the public. Clearly, the public does not fully understand the magnitude of the problems. For example, Spurlock made a movie called Supersize Me, in which he only ate McDonald’s for a month. The film shows his struggles, his weight increasing, his energy depleting, and his overall terrible condition. After the movie was released, McDonald’s sale dropped dramatically. This forced McDonald’s and other fast food chains to offer healthier options. It also led to less consumption of fast food. Spurlock realized people clearly did not understand the harmful effects of all of the fast food, and took the initiative to make the

change.
Thomas Jefferson realized the potential of wrongdoing if too much power is with one group unchecked. The press not only check the government, but anyone with power that could be abused. Freedom of the press needs to be protected so the people of the United States will not be deceived excessively. This freedom is taken advantage of by people such as the muckrakers, who promote positive change. Without these people, the United States may have been a completely corrupt and unstable country, bones and other disgusting materials may have been common to find in food, and fast food would be filled with substances close to poison.