There are two primary issues in accordance with the progressive era that Putnam discusses. The issues are the economy and the population. Putnam also discusses the gilded age that was positive for part of the economy. Many businesses were established during thie period which led to the new form of economy. This economy was very helpful to the rich but detrimental to the poor.
He believed the President should active in the general welfare of the American people and that since the people could not speak for themselves against powerful forces like business he would. 2. He believed in Social Justice and advocated a federal workmen compensation law, universal healthcare, and the regulation of the conditions for America’s work force. 3. He supported high protective tariffs, but not for the benefit of big business.
Social Darwinism adapted Charles Darwin’s theory of evolution, “survival of the fittest,” to the business world, arguing that competition was necessary to foster the healthiest economy (just as competition in the natural world was necessary to foster the healthiest, or fittest, species). Proponents of social Darwinism adhered to a “help those who help themselves” philosophy: government shouldn’t invest in programs for the poor, because the poor had no positive impact on the nation’s financial health. The rich, meanwhile, were strong, hard working citizens who contributed to national progress, and, as such, should not be subject to government regulation. Prominent social Darwinists included Herbert Spencer and Andrew Carnegie, whose essay promoting free market economy, “The Gospel of Wealth,” was published in
Theodore Roosevelt stood politically as a progressive, and did not move America to large scale corporate capitalism; he in fact tried to do the opposite. He strongly believed that the government had the right to regulate big business to protect the welfare of society. Roosevelt believed that the government should be a trustee for the American people, by controlling and supervising the economy in public interest. Roosevelt altered the government by committing it to providing at least minimal assistance to the poor and unemployed; to protecting the rights of labor unions; to stabilizing the banking system; to building low-income housing; to regulating financial markets; to subsidizing agricultural production; and to doing many other things that had not previously been federal responsibilities. Theodore Roosevelt created what he called, “The Square Deal.” The Square Deal is a domestic program formed upon three basic ideas: conservation of natural resources, control of corporations, and consumer protection.
They did this by establishing Anti-Trust laws. These laws allowed smaller companies to prosper because it prevented larger businesses from trying to either buy them out, or try to close them down by lowering their prices. This shows democratization because everyone is allowed the opportunity to start a business and is not being bullied by a higher power. Document B also shows the stand on monopoly. Woodrow Wilson was highly against Trusts and worked very hard to eliminate the Trusts.
The Revolutionary War ushered a new era of economic prosperity, despite a brief interlude of slow decline. Population had a dynamic impact, as Charles Thomason, secretary of Congress said, “Population is increasing, new houses building, new lands clearing, new settlements forming, and new manufacture establishing with a rapidity beyond conception.” Of course, manufacture was limited to simple textiles. These early institutions however had a profound impact on how the culture of the American economy changed. Taxes were a source of contention soon after state legislatures established them as a source of revenue. State taxes were two to three times higher than they had been during colonial administration and farmers were especially adamant
That’s the reason why it has a shine on the gilded surface. The country started to be a superpower. The United States economy bloom with the industries. The problem with this concept is not fair. It’s not on the same playing field; the wealthier has an advantage over the poor.
These views where portrayed by many liberal philosophers such as Adam Smith, in regards to economic management; he believed that free trade and free markets where fundamental to successful economic growth, as individuals, consumers and business would create competition and feel confident within the economy. However more modern liberals believe in a form of positive liberty (More state intervention for progression by providing individuals with the tools to create a basic standard of living to develop their social and economic lives, with systems such as welfare) TH Green believed there was a need to embrace positive liberty as he stated that individual liberty was only achievable under favourable social and economic circumstances (Creating the welfare system). However today’s contemporary liberal democrats have a combined belief of both positive and negative liberty. There is potential to suggest that there is a contradiction within the lib dems with regards to their position on the state. Liberal philosophy clearly remains at the heart of the liberal democrat party.
How far was the growth of the American economy in the years 1890 to 1914 due to the rise of big business? (24 marks) From the years 1890 to 1914, the rise of enormous business prompted mind-blowing development of the American economy. Formation of trusts among the nation's heading organisations, for example, Carnegie Steel and Rockefeller Oil took up a dominant part of the business sectors. The American economy developed quickly amid this period, despite the fact that it was not developing as emphatically as in the 20s. Huge business unquestionably had impact in this development of the economy, yet there are still other additionally political and social impacts to consider.
The poor will not always be with us in a country filled with opportunity. “The world does not need poor countries in order to have rich countries, nor must some people be poor in order for others to be rich”(Wheelan 145). WHeelan explains that the poor will never be with us because the poor are the ones that are not taking advantage of human capital. The difference between the wealthy and the poverty stricken also lies in the health of an economy. For example, if a factory is closing, they find a new business and buy the old one out then the individual will work for the new owner.