Building Industrial America on the Backs of Labor

ASU HST 200 (Historical Themes) Industrialization and the Rise of Big Business, 1870-1900 Building Industrial America on the Backs of Labor There was a contradiction in the way the American economy grew in the latter part of the 1800s. For many American workers, the level of life rose. The impoverished enjoy things that the wealthy could not previously buy, as Carnegie stated in The Gospel of Wealth. What were once considered luxury items are now necessities. In many respects, Carnegie was right; the laborer now enjoys greater amenities than the landlord had a few centuries ago. Many Americans enjoyed comparatively better lifestyles in 1900 thanks to the industrial age than they had just a few decades before, thanks to price and cost of living declines. There were also more prospects for upward mobility for some Americans. But living conditions in the industries and at home continued to be appalling for the vast majority of the working class. Many workers began to doubt the industrial system, which was based on the labors of many poor Americans, as a result of the challenges they encountered. A pivotal time in American history, the years 1870– 1900 saw the country rapidly industrialize and saw the emergence of large corporations. But there was also a glaring contradiction in the way the US economy expanded throughout this time. Even while the country saw unheard-of levels of economic development and affluence, not all of its residents shared in this wealth. Because of the expanded possibilities and easier access to products and services that industrialization brought forth, the quality of life for many American workers improved. In his article "The Gospel of Wealth," Andrew Carnegie drew attention to this contradiction by pointing out that even the poor were taking use of comforts that were formerly seen as extravagance. The industrial revolution raised many Americans' standards of living by turning once-luxury goods into necessities. In fact, Carnegie maintained that workers in his day had more comforts and conveniences than even the wealthiest people had decades before. Many Americans enjoyed relatively better lifestyles by 1900 compared to a few decades earlier, mostly because of drops in the cost of living and the price of products. For some Americans, this was also a time of greater opportunity for upward mobility since industrialization opened up new employment markets and paths to financial success. But the bulk of working class people's living conditions remained terrible in spite of these improvements. In addition to long hours, poor pay, and little to no job security, industrial workers frequently faced hazardous and difficult working conditions in factories. In addition, the fast urbanization brought about by industry exacerbated social and health issues by creating filthy, cramped living quarters in urban tenements. Many workers as a result started to doubt the industrial system and the injustices it upheld. Many of the laborers who constructed the industrial economy were exploited and impoverished. The working class reality began to offer a different picture, making the promise of prosperity for all appear increasingly illusory. Industrialization brought about tangible development, but social and economic inequality remained, which fed worker unrest and dissatisfaction. As a result of the injustices that workers experienced, labor unions were created to fight for more rights and protections, higher pay, and better working conditions. The paradoxes of the industrial era brought to light the intricacies of American culture at this time. Industrialization revealed societal inequities and long-standing imbalances in addition to fostering economic progress and creativity. The difficulties that workers experienced highlighted the necessity of changes in order to guarantee a more fair distribution of industrialization's advantages and to alleviate the working class's predicament.