Recapping this week: from the growth of steel production to Social Darwinism. At the beginning of the week we talked about the American Industrial Revolution, in which steel and oil production started to boom. There was the steel race of 1870, in which people were trying to produce steel faster and give others the ability to buy it cheaper. This was called the Bessemer process, which allowed for mass steel production from molten pig iron. A huge part of the steel race was the start of the American Railroad system that was allowing people to ride from Utah to San Francisco. The use of oil also grew during this time, being used for gas, kerosene, etc..
In class we talked about how the states and governments were pro business, but like most things it had its downfalls: those being child labor, labor injuries and environmental destruction.
Friday, we talked about whether the rich were considered "robber barons" or "captains of industry" I think it was a little bit of both. What do you think?.
Another topic that was discussed briefly was Social Darwinism, which is the belief that only the strong survive, that those who can adapt the fastest to the changes in the economy will be better off than those who can't adapt. Henry Ward Beecher, was a 'man of God', but followed these beliefs. It was mentioned in class, that everything that happens to the poor or rich was Gods plan and what they receive is based on God's love for them. These comments are similar to those of Malthus, that there are winners and losers in society, and if some of the poor die it will only be beneficial to everyone else. There is still the mentality today that there are winners and losers so, do you think that there is any Social Darwinism remaining in todays society?
There was a question asked in class, if Capitalism was such a great system with trade, production etc. then why were there so many people living in poverty?
Social Darwinism I feel like is still a very prominent part of society today. Lets say we have a smaller company that produces a good quality product and their competition is a super store like a Walmart. Although the companies can make the same product and they are comparable to one another, Walmart can edge the smaller company out because they will be able to produce more and at a faster rate than the other company can. That is social Darwinism in its simplest form. The bigger and more well known Walmart takes down a smaller mom and pop store.
ReplyDeleteThose that were called "robber barons" and "captains of industry" could equally be called both. They were in charge of an monopolized the industries. These were men were extremely smart and knew exactly what to do in order to take over the industries. Because of this, though, they could be called robber barons by the things they did to get to where they needed/wanted to be. They knew how to swindle the poor and take away their benefits in order to keep and make their own money.
ReplyDeleteSocial Darwinism in super prominent in today's society, but it is masked as the "American Dream." We are supposed to work our hardest to achieve the greener grass. those who don't work as hard will not get more money, success, etc. These weak then don't "survive."
capitalism do have many upsides to it, but many of the people that owns the top industries only care about making money, they do not care about the people that do the labor, and most of the top industrialist run each other out of business that creates more poor people. And some of the owner ship their company over sea which leaves a lot of people out of jobs all because of making more money
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