Inequalities In The Second Industrial Revolution

Inequalities still exists in todays world. We still have strikes. We still want better pay. People will always want more than what they are given. The years between 1865 and 1915 can more of less be summarized as the Second Industrial Revolution in America. The first Industrial Revolution was a transitioning period to new processes of manufacturing. This involved going from using machines over a more hands on approach of production, new iron production processes, an increase in steam power, a better way to harness water power, and a big rise in the use of factories. This put many of people out of jobs.

Like the first Industrial Revolution, the Second Industrial Revolution was also a period of quick industrial development in the United States. During this time the United States built a lot of railroads, developed an even
It also created millions of low paid, unskilled, and unreliable jobs with long hours and awful, dangerous working conditions. Industrial capitalism also created many inequalities. The sudden, and extreme wealth of industrial leaders and owners far outweighed that of rural and urban Americans. Theses included railroad tycoons such as Cornelious Vanderbuilt, oilmen like J.D. Rockefeller, steel owners such as Andrew Carnegie, and bankers like J.P. Morgan. These people earned such fortunes that, even when accounting for inflation, are the largest that the country has ever seen. It was astonishing. “In 1890, the wealthiest one percent of America’s inhabitants owned own about a quarter of the nations assets, and the top ten percent owner about seventy percent of the nations assets.” (Terence V) Sadly, thanks to such things such as Social Darwinism, inequalities like this weren’t just tolerated, but encouraged. Social Darwinism believe all growth should occur at the top, that the strong should get stronger, and not bother with uplifting the