Analysis Of Edward Bellamy's Looking Backward

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Looking Backward In Looking Backward, Edward Bellamy argues that monopolies running the American economy was one of the most significant problems in 1887. It was Bellamy’s belief that small independent businesses would not have the ability to succeed due in part to corporate monopolies running them out of business, or just buying them out. He gave an example of the railroads being slowly brought up until,“a few great syndicates controlled every rail in the land.” Bellamy’s opinion was that the monopolies were able to take advantage of their customers and small business owners because they had too much control of the markets. (34-38) Edward Bellamy criticizes the American government system because of the corruption present behind their curtains.…show more content…
If someone were to have a relative that was handicapped, they were given the responsibility of acquiring enough money to pay for both themselves and the handicapped person. In Bellamy’s world, there was a workers corp. that put these disabled people to easy work in order for them to benefit society and make their own money. The disabled and handicapped were often left unprovided for because they could not find a job, and take care of themselves. The handicapped are a functioning part of society in Looking Backward.…show more content…
In 19th century America, Bellamy believed there was too much crime present. In 20th century America, crime is no longer present, and becomes an ancient trait that people rarely fall back on. The reason for this halt in crime is the execution of economic and governmental reforms, and through them, crime fades away, due to no real motive to perform criminal acts. Instead, on the rare occasion that crimes are committed, it is guessed that certain ancestral trait caused the individual to commit the crime. Most of the individuals committing these crimes plead guilty because they don’t see a reason to try and win the case. These “criminals” are not thrown in jail, but rather they are sent to work their problems out in a hospital. Bellamy explains that the root of almost all crimes in his time is money, and once money is not needed, neither is crime.
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