Labor in the Gilded Age - Study Notes

Overview of Labor in the Gilded Age

  • Focus: Socioeconomic continuities and changes linked to the growth of industrial capitalism (1865-1898).

  • Notable Commentary: Comparison of the Gilded Age to a "golden covered turd," emphasizing the superficiality of wealth amidst underlying social issues.

Wealthy Class and Conspicuous Consumption

  • Distinction of Economic Classes:

    • Major division drawn between rich and poor due to industrialization.

  • Wealth Displaying Practices:

    • Wealthy business owners exhibited their wealth flamboyantly.

    • Term coined by economist Thorstein Veblen: Conspicuous Consumption.

      • Definition: The practice of displaying wealth to signal social status.

  • Example of Excess Wealth: Biltmore House

    • Completed in 1895, the largest private residence in the U.S.

    • Structural details: 175,000 square feet, 35 bedrooms, and 43 bathrooms (notably humorous remark about the need for 42 bathrooms).

    • Owned by Cornelius Vanderbilt (a notable figure in American history).

Working Class and Economic Hardships

  • Living Conditions:

    • Many individuals lived in poverty; wages fell well below standard living expenses.

  • Economic Turmoil Effects:

    • Impacts of economic downturns, notably the Panic of 1873 and Panic of 1893;

      • Wealthy class remained insulated during these crises.

  • Contrast in Purchasing Power:

    • Although working class wages were low, they gradually increased alongside prices dropping for many goods.

    • Result: More goods and services became available to industrial workers (immigrants from Europe and rural migrants).

  • Overall Conclusion: Despite the widening wealth gap, many Americans experienced increased standards of living during this period.

Worker Safety and Labor Advocacy

  • Importance of Workers' Rights:

    • Workers faced dangerous jobs; high rates of injuries and premature deaths.

  • Barriers to Advocacy:

    • Individual workers couldn’t effectively demand changes due to leverage held by factory managers (ability to replace workers easily).

  • Formation of Labor Unions:

    • Collective action necessary for better wages and safety standards.

      • More effective representation than individual voices.

Major Labor Strikes

  • Great Railroad Strike of 1877:

    • Causes: Railroad companies cut wages during a recession.

    • Outcome: Strike spread to 11 states; over 60% of railroads were shut down.

    • Government Intervention: President Hayes deployed federal troops to restore order.

      • Consequence: Over 100 fatalities and recognition of the power of organized labor.

  • Pullman Strike:

    • Background: Pullman company cut wages in response to the Panic of 1893.

    • Union Response: Workers went on strike; Eugene V. Debs led the opposition.

    • Government and Company Tactics:

      • Pullman cars linked to federal mail trains to prevent strikes.

      • Result: Strikers, including Debs, faced legal repercussions for their actions.

Influential Labor Unions

  • Knights of Labor (Founded 1881):

    • Included all laborers, focusing on inclusivity (including black laborers and women).

    • Main Goals:

      • Abolition of child labor (children ages 10-15 comprised 18% of the workforce).

      • Destruction of trusts and monopolies.

    • Peak Membership: Over 700,000, strong voice for laborers.

    • Decline: After the Haymarket Square Riot in 1886; public associations shifted to viewing labor unions as violent and radical.

  • American Federation of Labor (AFL):

    • Led by Samuel Gompers, focused on skilled craft workers.

    • Membership: One million by 1901.

    • Goals: Similar to Knights of Labor, focused on higher wages and safer conditions.

Conclusion

  • This period significantly shaped labor movements and the modern understanding of workers' rights in the United States. The efforts and struggles of these labor unions laid the groundwork for future labor reforms.