Compare And Contrast The Political Parties In The Gilded Age

During the Gilded Age, the two main political parties were the Republicans and Democrats. However, neither party was ambitious enough to make real social changes. The most concerning issue during the Gilded Age was corruption. Politicians accepted bribes and provided their supporters with government jobs as rewards. A "political machine" controlled a city's politics and used to engage corrupt practices.
The Republicans were in favor of greater government intervention in both economic and social issues. They were usually protectionists. In contrast, the Democrats had a strong base among Catholics, poorer farmers, and people who supported free trade as well as other free market policies. In addition, Democrats also favored small government and