Mark Twain invented the term “Gilded Age” because of how economic wealth and extreme poverty mask the poverty and abuse of people during that time. There were many technological advancements, an increase in urban population and increased transportation, including the railroad, from 1870 to 1900. This was the catalyst for the growth of large businesses. Despite the fact that these large businesses provide cheap and easily accessible consumer products, the government’s “laissez faire” economic policy allowed them to dominate congress and abuse workers. Both labor unions and organized labor sought to combat these economic practices. The Populist Party was not the only party that attempted to do so. The strikes were a way for the labor unions to push for improvements in working conditions. Populist parties advocated for economic and government reforms. They did this by forming political parties. Both groups sought to create work hours that were reasonable and demonstrated that people can organize and drive change. Both the workers union members and the Populist Party gathered together to push for reforms. These reforms challenged the dominance of big business in the Gilded Age’s economic process. The Gilded Age 1870-1900 was a period of economic success. The country’s wealth increased by 72 Billion dollars and the manufacturing industry grew by 10 Billion. These economic successes were due to technological and transport advances. The invention of steam tractors, reapers and harvesters for agriculture greatly improved productivity. The Bessemer and Siemens-Martin processes revolutionized the steel industry. The railroad also had over 200,000 miles, which made it easier for people to reach the markets. The railroad saw advances in pullman palace sleeping car, standard rail gauge, time and standard time. In urban centers, there were 30,000,000 people, approximately half of whom were immigrants. This gave rise to a stable workforce. These advancements led to the creation of large businesses. They first formed informal partnerships by using cartels or pools of people, then they created trusts. Andrew Carnegie and Rockefeller were both big business leaders. Carnegie employed vertical integration to manage every stage of his business. Rockefeller opted for horizontal integration. In this case, he purchased or crushed all his competitors. This allowed him monopoly control over 95% American Oil. These businesses were beneficial because they made products affordable and easily accessible to people. However, the workers were abused and taken advantage of. The so-called prosperity of that period was not shared by the unskilled workers. They were forced to work in unsafe conditions and earned low wages. The average hourly wage for an unskilled worker in the industrial sector was 10 cents per hour. Nearly 2,000,000 children aged 15 and under worked in the USA in textile mills or factories. Families lived in unsanitary, cramped slums. The slums were devoid of water or sanitation facilities, which meant that diseases like cholera, tuberculosis and typhoid could spread across the city. The government was also controlled by big business. Fear of their growing power became a common fear in America. Reforms were necessary to correct these economic beliefs. William H. Sylvis, the National Labor Union founder, established it in 1866. It was the union of over 300 local unions. They wanted to establish an eight-hour working day. A bill was passed by Congress in 1868 that mandated an eight-hour work day for government employees. The Labor Reform Party was formed in 1972. David Davis was elected president of the Labor Reform Party. The Union was disbanded in 1873. Uriah Stephans was the leader of Knights of Labor which formed in 1869. They were not union-members but organized people. They fought 8-hour days for safety laws and equal pay. They preferred to have their disputes settled by an arbitrator. Terence Powderly was the president who opened unions to immigrant, black, and unskilled workers. He was against strikes and advocated rallies and meetings for support. The first national strike took place in 1877. It was in West Virginia. The strike was against the Ohio-Baltimore rail lines. They were protesting the wage increases, increased workdays, and other issues. They succeeded in obstructing the scabs. 26 people died when President Hayes sent troops in to stop the strike. Samuel Gompers, who was the leader of the American Federation of Labor, founded it in 1881. They included skilled workers but did not include women or african-americans. They voted in support of the candidate who met their demands. They used collective bargaining and strikes. To pay their workers during strikes, the Union took dues. It was the most powerful union in America. The Haymarket Affair was held in Chicago’s Haymarket Square, May 4, 1886. McCormick Company went into strike and McCormick employed strikebreakers to replace the striking workers. After striking workers clashed, four police officers shot and killed them. Parson, Spies and Feldon then spoke out about labor issues. The police arrived to set off a blast and they killed four workers. Police opened fire, killing 7 officers and wounding 50 others. Three radicals, including one of the men arrested, were hung. The incident was caused primarily by the knights labour. They eventually split. Eugene V. Debs, a leader in the American Railway Union, created it in 1893. All railway workers were included in the union. To improve workers’ lives, the Unions used strikes and political parties to reform economic policies and government policies.
The Populist party emerged in 1892. Similar to the unions, they sought economic-government reforms. However, this was done from a political party point of view. The 1870s Farmers Alliance movement opened the door to the Populist Party. Their goals were to create unlimited silver coins, nationalize the telephone and railways, as well as direct elections for senators. They also wanted to establish a referendum and initiative. Their primary goal, however, was to create unlimited silver coins. Harvey supported the populist stance towards Silver in Coin’s Financial School. Donnelly, a Minnesota congressman, was elected on the basis that silver is a priority. The Populist Party was fueled by the Panic of 1893. Many unemployed demanded change and traveled to the District Columbia. The Commonweal Army marched into DC, calling for a government-run program for public works and for the government’s printing of $500 million dollars worth of paper money. They wanted inflation to make it easier to pay their debts. It ended when the army was caught on grass walking. James B. Weaver won almost 10% of votes in the 1892 election. The Populists had the coinage and silver campaign stolen by the Democrats. They joined forces to create the demo-pop party. McKinley became the president of the Populist Party.
Both the Unions of Labour and the Populist Party argued for political and economic reforms that were based on a political party viewpoint. Both of them proved that common people could organize and bring about change. They helped to open the door for 20th-century reform. The 20th-century “muckrakers” attempted to change urban America’s problems, starting in the gilded era. Jacob Riis was a journalist at the New York Tribune. He was responsible for the New York Police Department. A series of articles about corruption was started by Lincoln Steffens. The Shame of the city was published by him, which exposed corruption. It led to the arrest of several monopoly-owners. He helped cities by beautification campaigns and better planning, prosecuting corrupt officials, and increasing city service. Presidents like Theodore Roosevelt were trustbusters and tried to end monopolies. He believed that big business exploited workers and cheated the public by eliminating competition. He supported coal miners striking and told mine owners he would send troops. The mine owners agreed to this, so he signed the agreement. After having read Sinclair’s The Jungle and signing the 1906 Pure Food & Drug Act, he was also a signer. The Federal Trade Commission of 1914 was headed by President Wilson. It gave companies the power of investigation and ordered them to cease using business practices that have destroyed their competitors. The Clayton Antitrust Act also strengthened Sherman Antitrust Act. It banned certain business practices which limited competition. Antitrust laws were not to be used against unions.
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