Gilded Age to Progressive Era: Solving Industrialization's Problems - Essay Sample

Introduction

The Gilded Age is a time in history marked with rapid industrialization. Despite bringing about a positive impact on the economy it led to a couple of problems that were mainly monopolies, abuse of workers and coverture.

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The Progressive Era was created to fix the problems that emerged during the Gilded Age. It was a response to economic and societal problems due to rapid industrialization. The problems were fixed by providing good education, a safe environment, and an efficient workplace.

During the 1890s Democratic, Republican and Grange/Populist parties' ideas were that modern values led to the cultural conflicts among people and that many Americans were open to the transformation of their physical environment but could not help but worry about the implications of science on religion, morals and culture. They believed that the government should give its citizens more rights and invest in welfare options to enable a minimum standard of living.

If I were alive during that era I would support the Grange movement because it directly handled the negatives brought about by rapid industrialization during the Gilded Age, for example, the monopoly issue and the unions' financial dependency. The fact that it operated at the grass-root level enabled it to be aware of the farmer's problems and deal with them accordingly. Moreover, the Grange Movement led to the passage of the 'Granger laws' despite being fought off by railroads thus establishing policies to help curb the problems that farmers were facing. The Grange Movement also managed to fight off the federal government's economic policies which favored industry over agriculture. The events during the Gilded Age seem to rhyme with the recent activities in the 21st century namely: economic equality, technological innovation, monopolistic power, and conspicuous consumption and philanthropy. However, it is not every time that history repeats itself.

The gilded age was important in the urbanization in the U.S and development. However, this age was associated with corrupt leadership and a bad economy. Wages were low and this needed reforms both socially and politically. This was important because it helps the current government to understand the importance of valuing its people and ensuring they get better wages. American imperialism was a way through which the U.S used to influence other countries worldwide either politically, military wise economically in the year 1800-1920. There was great interest from the U.S to acquire other markets by conquering other countries and even getting new markets. Through the policies it formulated, the other countries referred to them as commentators and dictators. Even currently, the U.S is also being accused of neocolonialism because of the way it exercises power on other countries in the modern world.

The gilded age and progressivism also propelled the Great War. It is very difficult for the U.S to get into the war and they had to get into it because it is believed that they had no other option. They had Americans murdered in a boat which was carrying 128 Americans. This angered them and it was believed that the war was supposed to be all around the world. Progressivism, on the other hand, was a very tough decision for America to get involved in the war. The war was associated with mass killings and this was the only way the president at the time saw was the best way to civilize the people and never want any bloody involvement in changing the future.