Industrialization is always seen as a necessity for a country to grow and progress. However, every nation experiences sacrifice to achieve industrial growth. Thousands of the lower classes always struggle through hard times to make the upper classes get even richer. In the United States, thousands of workers suffered living and working with terrible conditions to benefit the richest industrialists like John D. Rockefeller or Andrew Carnegie. Industrialization is a necessary evil, but the United States could have sacrificed less to achieve a substantial amount of benefits. Thousands of Americans had to live and work in horrible conditions during industrialization. For example, according to historian Daniel Walker Howe, “Life in America in 1815
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However, at the time, the only ones benefitting from industrialization were the very top of society, who were already wealthy. Some may argue that since the United States GDP per capita has sextupled from 1820-1910, industrialization was worth the price (Secondary #3) However, that does not show the giant gap between classes. Just because the “average citizen’s” wealth increased doesn’t mean that most people experienced benefits. In this case, it meant that the rich were getting hopelessly rich by abusing America’s capitalist market. In a capitalist country, GDP doesn’t accurately represent the wealth an average person has because it fails to show the gap in wealth between social classes. GDP per capita would be more accurate in a socialist society with little to no social classes. The top 1%’s growth in wealth doesn’t justify the bottom 99%’s suffering. Therefore, the Industrial Revolution wasn’t worth the price of blood, sweat and tears. Industrialization is necessary for a country to be successful, and some sacrifices must be made to achieve that success. However, the United States made many more sacrifices than the bare minimum, and every decision benefitted only a small 1% of the population. Many workers suffered from a very low standard of living and were living paycheck to paycheck. The bosses weren’t compassionate at all and were quite brutal on their employees. Although
However, at the time, the only ones benefitting from industrialization were the very top of society, who were already wealthy. Some may argue that since the United States GDP per capita has sextupled from 1820-1910, industrialization was worth the price (Secondary #3) However, that does not show the giant gap between classes. Just because the “average citizen’s” wealth increased doesn’t mean that most people experienced benefits. In this case, it meant that the rich were getting hopelessly rich by abusing America’s capitalist market. In a capitalist country, GDP doesn’t accurately represent the wealth an average person has because it fails to show the gap in wealth between social classes. GDP per capita would be more accurate in a socialist society with little to no social classes. The top 1%’s growth in wealth doesn’t justify the bottom 99%’s suffering. Therefore, the Industrial Revolution wasn’t worth the price of blood, sweat and tears. Industrialization is necessary for a country to be successful, and some sacrifices must be made to achieve that success. However, the United States made many more sacrifices than the bare minimum, and every decision benefitted only a small 1% of the population. Many workers suffered from a very low standard of living and were living paycheck to paycheck. The bosses weren’t compassionate at all and were quite brutal on their employees. Although