Gilded Age

Knights of Labor

  • Believed that ordinary people needed control over the enterprises in which they worked (shops owned by employees). Membership irrespective of race, gender or field of employment, did exclude Chinese immigrants. Declined due to sprawling, little organization and violence. 

AFL (American Federation of Labor)

  • Focused on securing better wages, working conditions and hours for skilled workers while promoting collective bargaining as a primary strategy. 

Granger movement (Patrons of Husbandry/The Grange)

  • Tackled economic challenges by organizing farmers into a cooperative network that aimed to reduce costs associated with transportation and purchasing supplies. 

Samuel Gompers

  • Labor leader and the founder of the American Federation of Labor

Greenback-Labor Party

  • National Political movement calling on the government to increase the money supply in order to assist borrowers and foster economic growth. 

National Farmers Alliance

  • First National organization of farmers which led to the creation of the populist party

Producerism

  • Members in society that was engaged in producing tangible wealth are of greater benefit to society than aristocrats who inherit their wealth and status. 

ICC (Interstate Commerce Commission)

  • First Federal regulatory board, supervised railroad regulations, interstate commerce act. All charges made by railroads “shall be reasoned and just” 

Henry George

  • American writer, politician and political economist 

  • Most influential proponent of the land value tax and the value capture of land/natural resource rents

Progress and Poverty

  • TreaGtise on the question of why poverty accompanies economic technological progress and why economies exhibit a tendency toward cyclical boom and bust cycles

Coxey’s Army

  •  Protest in led by businessman Jacob Coxey, advocating for the federal government to create jobs for the unemployed through public works projects. 

Captains of Industry/Robber Barons

Andrew Carnegie - steel

J.P. Morgan - railroads

John D. Rockefeller - standard oil company

Cornelius Vanderbilt - shipping

Societal Continuity and Change/Impact/Attitudes

Consumerism - National brands

  • Culture surrounding the buying and selling of products.