American History

The term Gilded Age was coined from a novel The Gilded Age A Tale of Today by Mark Twain and Charles Dudley Warner in 1873. The book though fictional, gives a critical assessment of US politics and the corruption issues that were evident during 19th century. It was during the Gilded age that raging corruption was very common in economic and political arena in United States. There were large political payoffs in order to secure government contracts.

Corruption was so rampant during the Gilded Age that even big political parties like the Republicans were divided into two. The Gilded Age is a social satire name that was given by Mark and Charles, this era covers the period from the 1870s-1900s. Many people are inclined to perception that during this era, the legacies of the Civil War and modernization were key providers for the transformations that revolved around the very last three decades of the 19th century.

Label of American society from 1875-1900
Gilded Age is labeled as a progressive era for industrial revolution in America society. It was at this era when America experienced both industrial and technological advances, for example it was during Gilded Age that products from manufacturing industry in America exceeded the sum of products from key countries in Europe, namely, Britain, Germany and France (Larson 251). In the Gilded Age, it is estimated that ten million immigrants came to the United States. This era is known by some as the new migration. Many of the immigrants came to America in search of great prosperity and religious freedom.

The Gilded age in America was marked by the emergence of a new nation with boundless economic growth. The country already had a reputation for being a country that offered opportunities for the poor immigrants as well as for adventurous. Yet, during this period the rapid change from a mercantile and agricultural economy to an industrial economy brought with it unprecedented opportunities to outgoing entrepreneurs and economic speculators. As the economy transformed in America opportunistic industry leaders like Vanderbilt, Morgan, Gould and Rockefeller emerged as new tycoons who led the growth in the economy.

The Gilded Age in America was rooted in industrialization. Roediger (97) affirms that heavy industries like coal mining factories and railroads emerged around America. During this era deep new natural resources and access to American Indian homelands became the raw material for corporate and economic expansion. After the civil war the American government coerced treaties between the tribal nations and the American federal government that gave the government access to fisheries, arable land, mineral deposits and tribal timber. A short period after the civil war the rail system was completed and this greatly facilitated the massive export and military presence across the country

Twain articulation of paradox
The fiction serves as the insights of Mark Twain, given that he was born and brought up in American society at that time. Twain had invested in a number of business ventures, however none had prospered, and later on in his life, he turned out to be more sarcastic on American society as he narrated his story throughout United States.

The novel explores the deeply rooted corruption in US economy and politics. The protagonists (key characters) in the novel are Colonel Beriah Sellers and Senator Abner Dilworthy. The two are coupled jointly in a regime railroad corruption plot. Mark and Charles portray a paradox on an American society that, regardless of its manifestation of assurance and prosperity in fight against corruption, is riddled with the same vice and disgrace.

Broad themes of the Gilded Age
The two broad themes that appeared to cause nervousness for the period of the Gilded Age are

Laissez-faire
This meant that government was to relinquish its interference on both economic and political affairs for the sake of peace and property rights.
sharing of powers

It was anticipated that government could limit the concentration of its power to itself. Power was to be spread to all its levels, that is, from local, state as well as federal. But it was during this era that government assumed more authority, mainly by escalating its bureaucratic operation and power. Main parts of power increase by government authority comprised land, tax, immigration and Indian policies, and railroad subsidy.

Effects of technology, gender, region, race and class

Region
The laws of the Congress laid a foundation to many changes during this period, for example, the Homestead Act (1862) unlocked the West region for resettlement by various groups like farmers and cattlemen. More land in this region was also allocated to railroad and Mining Corporations. Indeed, the land policies by the Congress made it possible for land that was being held by Native Americans to be used for settlement and other economic purpose. However, this issue of taking native land for resettlement and farming was not accepted by the natives Americans and instead of uniting them, it divided them on lines of race and class (for the foreigners who were resettled and to fellow Americans (farmers) on class). Railroad policy was the matter of fact for westerners, as well as the farmers and business owners in other regions. Those who opposed railroad policy comprised the northerners, who were mostly business leaders.

Technology
Technological changes played a major role during the Gilded Age. The innovations in technology increased the number of manufacturing industries (steelmaking) and perfected the communication means-use of telegram and telephone. The rising population provided labor that readily available for the manufacturing industries. This fusion of growth in industries and population led to industrialization which later paved way for urbanization. Technological changes also led to the arrival of new immigrants who came from different parts of Europe (Roediger 136). It was also at this moment when rural-urban migration was experienced in search for labor and market as well as the emergency of economies of scale (many companies invested huge sums of money in their business so as to control the market- Larson 253).

The new technologies had also its side effects, for example, more production called for more distribution of products at the market. This yielded a decline in prices of both goods and services by big margin. On the other hand, politics placed limits on currency supply forcing the farmers returns and workers wages and salaries to be squeezed. According to Twain and Warner (302) this faced some resistance from workers and farmers leading to formation of unions to raise their grievances-its at this point that we deduce that technology united Americans in pursuit of common goals of better pay. On the other hand we can also deduce that the same technology also divided Americans on lines of class because workers and poor farmers were being frustrated by their seniors who were believed to belong to another class. It can also be argued that, both the workers and farmers joined unions on the grounds of a class-lower class people, since it was the only way their grievances could be aired.

Similarly, with the coming of more immigrants inform of businessmenwomen or as workers contributed to division of people on race. Roediger (145) Racism was experienced during this era, because many Americans feared that the foreigners will fight for equal opportunities on labor market as well as on business. Industrialization marked many changes and contradictions on the social and economic life of Americans, starting with the American Labor Movement.

Race
The Gilded Age era experienced the injustices and biasness of a society on racial and ethnic bigotry. This was evident during the institutionalization of racial segregation system by the southerners by use of crude means like imposition of poll taxes and literacy tests for African-Americans. Moreover, the racial system was also witnessed in where Indians were corrupted and discriminated on reservation of the West. It was also at this period when anti-Semitism came in place to fight the racism that was very rampant. The group focused it efforts on uniting Americans instead of dividing them.

Gender
Larson (238) started that the Gilded Age period united American on gender based issue. It was during this period that women were allowed to vote, something that was not there. The unification of Americans by gender was witnessed through the formation of associations like General Federation of Womens Club. Some women like Jane Addams rose up to help in bridging the gap between the immigrants and the natives. The efforts of women like Jane can be viewed as a way when gender was seen to unite Americans. The division among the Americans on political arena was more so witnessed where Republican Party allowed few women in politics while for Democrat, no woman were barred from politics.

Class
The issue of class was also experienced at this time of Gilded age, for instance the pursuit of middle class people by the capitalists. Some Americans were united and divided based on the level of their class. For example, the middle class people formed their groups to help them pursue their goals this was same with the lower and upper class people. In the Gilded Age several women from middle and upper class appeared to party in the one group.

Conclusion
We can wrap up by arguing that, money might or might not have been the cause of the entire wickedness however it undoubtedly played a key role within the political and economic arena of the Gilded Age (Roediger 168). Besides, this money came in through a certain means it did not materialize from thin air. On the other hand, the growth and development of the corporations contributed to prosperity of Gilded Age. The rise of US corporations throughout the last bit of the 19th century is an exceedingly interesting issue. The Gilded Age in Americas history can therefore not be ignored since major events happened within that period that influenced the direction Americas society, politics and economy took. This period in time though not very long witnessed the birth of modern day America with its sophisticated society, booming economy and very vibrant industries.