The American Gilded Age Essay Example

America went through a process of having large businesses have an impact on the economy and politics during the gilded age of 1870-1900, and with the major change came American answers to the changes. From 1870 to 1900 corporations grew significantly in number, size, and influence in the United States with the impact of big business on the economy. With the economy an issue that came in was standard oil wiping out its competition. George Rice talks about how the standard oil eliminates its competition “Standard oil company was offering the same quality of oil at a much lower price than I could do from one-three cents a gallon less than I could possibly sell it for ''. 1 The big business is taking away the opportunities of the common person, by selling it at a lower price and having a big project where the oil is going to the railroads. In joseph Keppler’s picture of 2the bosses of the senate, in the picture the big businessperson is standing behind the congressperson making sure that the congress writes the laws that fit to their best interests. In the picture it shows that the big businessperson has more power and controls the government during this time. With the impact of big business on politics, the number, size, and power of companies in the United States rose from 1870 to 1900. George E. Mcneill states the railroad president is a railroad king. “He can discharge any employee without cause… he can withhold their lawful wages. He can control legislative bodies, dictate legislation, subsidize the press, and corrupt the moral sense of the community.” 3 The railroad president is more of a king at this point having more say and having more control over working, press, and what morals the community are having. Andrew Carnegie writes what a wealthy man should be, “which is to be modest, to provide for the ones that count on him. In his judgment to produce the most beneficial results for the community. Bringing to their service his superior wisdom, experience, and ability to administer.”4 The wealthy man brings his wisdom and tries to help the community but the difference between the wealthy and the poor is that the wealthy do not know how it is to be poor and the other way around. Between 1870 and 1900, corporations developed in number, size, and power in the United States, prompting reactions from citizens. Theodore Dresier writes “department stores are the most effective retail organization with hundreds of stores all in one place. Being laid out upon the most imposing and economic basis.” 5 This was in the best interest of both economics and the people at this time making a place that has everything and being coordinated to help the economy. Americans want to restore the government of the republic to the hands of “the plain people.” “The citizens want the government to be restored by the republic “we pledge ourselves that if given power we will labor to correct these evils by wise and reasonable legislation in accordance with the terms of our people.”6 The people want to fix the evils of the big businessperson having more power than the government and have more reasonable laws that are not made by the big businessperson. America went through a process of having large businesses have an impact on the economy and politics during the gilded age of

1870-1900, and with the major change came American answers to the changes. With the big business taking out competition, and making sure laws are in their favor. How instead of being a president there was a kind in control and that the wealthy had more control and power than the government itself. And finally, where Americans responded how they felt about the big businesses were in more power than the government they voted for. This is how America was with the big business in the gilded age.