Monopolies In The Gilded Age

Branching out west with the technology of railroads, monopolies who ruled the economy, and rapid population growth through immigration and expansion, marked what historians call the Gilded Age. Though some might see that this was a time of growth and expansion for the United States, muckrakers point out the underbelly of the time and how most of the United States really lived like. A muckraker is a journalist who uncovers issues and corruption in society, bringing light to things that the public may not be aware of . Henry Demarest Lloyd was a muckraker during the time period of the Gilded Age.He argued that the glutinous monopolies, competition, and the concentration of wealth are responsible for the issues brought about in the Gilded Age. Overpowering monopolies limiting the competition and distribution of wealth, causes a large inequality among the upper class, middle class, and lower class, making …show more content…
She writes on what life was like during the Gilded Age, almost as a reflection of the middle and lower classes lives as a result of the monopolies discussed in Lloyd’s document. Edwards discusses the difference between blue collar workers and white collar workers. White collar has the ability to buy new white collars everyday that are pressed and crisp, representing their actually wealth and status. Blue collar are the opposite that work the tiring jobs that “soil[ed] their dresses” and “kept them in a standing posture” (Edwards 66). While the white collar workers, like Telegraphers got better pay of ten dollars a week while for blue collar, there was not a set legal minimum wage. This reflects Lloyd’s argument by the different distributions of wealth. Women also were in threat of sexual harassment while at work, but still endured for one African American women would do the hard and demining work for a white man, than have her daughter undergo that same harassment (Edwards