#Greed and the #GildedAge: Power, Wealth, and Corruption in 19th-Century America

Examining Wealth, Corruption, and Social Change in the Gilded Age

November 16, 2021

Excerpt: "From the 1870s to the 1890s, the United States entered a period of rapid #industrialization. There was a shift from an agrarian economy to an industrial economy and many Americans began to move to urban areas. #MarkTwain called this period the Gilded Age and criticized the era as a time of #greed and #PoliticalCorruption.

Industrialization greatly increased the need for workers in the nation’s factories. The availability of factory jobs that required little or no skills was one of the reasons for a dramatic increase in immigration to the United States. Although working conditions in most factories were poor and unsafe, there was a steady stream of immigrant workers to fill the positions.

While there were millions of factory workers, the #wealthy #entrepreneurs who owned the factories represented a tiny fraction of Americans. The few wealthy controlled most of the wealth in the United States during this time.

During the Gilded Age, the economic disparities between the workers and big business owners grew exponentially. Workers continued to endure low wages and dangerous working conditions in order to make a living. #BigBusiness owners, however, enjoyed #lavish lifestyles.

he industrialization of the United States brought economic growth to the country like never before. The economy moved from agrarian to industrial; consumer goods were mass-produced and readily available. However, manufacturing was not the only industry that experienced growth. The railroad industry grew as the need to transport people and goods increased.

The rapid growth of the manufacturing industry created a great need for unskilled workers. This demand caused migration as farm workers moved from rural areas of the United States to find jobs in America’s rapidly growing cities. The increase in jobs was also a draw for people in foreign countries. Many people immigrated to the United States in search of work and the opportunity to live the American dream.

While industrialization led to an increase in jobs, it also led to poor working conditions for this new industrial labor force. Workers were forced to work in dangerous conditions surrounded by heavy machinery. Unskilled laborers required little training and completed routine tasks. They also worked long hours and were paid low wages.

Big business owners benefitted tremendously from the economic changes in the United States. Some historians have said that these entrepreneurs were robber barons because they got rich through ruthless means. Others have called them captains of industry because they were greatly responsible for increasing productivity, expanding markets, providing jobs, and increasing the nation’s wealth."

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https://brewminate.com/greed-and-the-gilded-age-in-19th-century-america/

#Capitalism #CapitalismSucks #CorporateColonialism #IndustrialAge #RobberBarrons #TechBros #EatTheRich #YeetTheRich #LifestylesOfTheRichAndFamous

Greed and the Gilded Age in 19th-Century America

Explore America’s Gilded Age—an era of dazzling wealth, deep inequality, and the ruthless pursuit of power that shaped modern capitalism.

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So, it seems that technology isn't the problem. It's #HumanGreed! The #IndustrialAge happened not to make life easier for people (though it did in some ways), it was to make money selling shit to make life easier for people (without regard of the consequences -- like PFAS and plastics), and produce cheap shit to profit some fat-cat CEOs and investors. I mean technology is just using tools -- even crows know how to do that! But who is profiting from selling the *tools* that we are told will make our lives easier, faster, more convenient? We know who. People like #NikolaTesla are out there -- willing to create tools to benefit humankind and not destroy the planet. But unfortunately, there are far more #Edisons out there!

#EndCapitalism #CapitalismSucks

Before you continue to YouTube

@lonelystone have other modes of travel been easier to navigate lately? The airlines do seem to have very good (and well-funded) web sites, but I've had a very hard time finding anyone who can help beyond helping me use the web site or at best doing for me what the web site does and nothing more. Seems to be a trend in all (most?) industries lately. In short, #capitalismSucks.

> Americans, we can do anything we want.

Please Lord save me from this capitalist fake patriotic bullshit. 🛸

How about we stop kidnapping women & children, and stop funding the bombing of the same? How about that?

#rant #tvcommercials #fakepatriotism #capitalismsucks

So, I ran out of time (got caught up in collecting seeds). Next week I'll cover #OffGrid communication (after I review the articles I bookmarked). I'll try to get those up by Saturday (if not sooner).

Leaving you all with this brilliant cartoon by @davidrevoy

#SolarPunkSunday #Degrowth #CapitalismSucks #RightToRepair #LoveYourMotherEarth #RenewablesNow #FossilFuelsOut #RepairReuseRecycle #SolarPunk #Wisdom #Krita #MiniFantasyTheater #Webcomic

This is surely the most support the homeless have gotten from Democrats before.
#CapitalismSucks

If #Maduro is the bad guy worth a $25M reward why are all the drug addicts in the #USA ?

Why is #Trump not ramping up #mental #healtcare and #rehab programs?

Could this just be another deflection along with #militarizing #DC and scapegoating #immigrants for his epic failures ?

Maybe he wants us to stop talking about him funding a #genocide in #Gaza and that he won't release the #Epstein files.

#FreePleastine
#FreeTheEpsteinFiles
#CapitalismSucks
#Solidarity