Commentary On The Book 'The Driver' By Garet Garrett

For my popular press book assignment, I chose the book “The Driver” by Garet Garrett. Garet Garrett was an American journalist and author, who is mostly known for his opposition of the New Deal and the U.S. involvement in World War 2. He is noted for his work as a non-fiction and fiction author. He lived from 1878-1954. The Driver was published on August 1st of 1922, and provides an excellent lesson on how entrepreneurship works. The Driver is a fictional, political and free-market capitalism story that follows the story of a Wall-Street speculator financier, Henry Galt, who is said to be inspired by Edward Henry Harriman, in real life. The story begins during the Panic of 1893, with Coxey’s army, who are doing a march across the country to go to Congress in 1894. Which gives a fictional description of what it was like to live through the march and movement of the unemployed people. The main character is a Wall Street speculator …show more content…
The U.S government works with envious competitors to control Henry by using the Sherman Antitrust Act, also known as the “competition law”. Which is a historically accurate act to the time that allowed certain business activities that federal government regulators deem to be competitive, and recommended the federal government to investigate and pursue trusts. Through the act, competitors and the government expose him as a “monopolist” to society. Galt delivers some defenses on hard money and free markets through conversation and in front of the US Congress. Despite everything trying to pull him down, he continues to live in success. The line “Who is Henry Galt?” appears twice in the book which kind of had Great Gatsby vibes, as the protagonist, Henry and Jay Gatsby have relatable qualities, and share the similarity of being wealthy, successful businessmen with people who have it out for them. But at the same time people are always asking “who is the successful