Cha3U : American History : Assessment Answers

Industrialization brought great wealth to America, but the price was quite high. The growing extremes of poverty and wealth that were being exhibited at the end of the 19th century, caused some to seek ways to make possible a just and humane society, while others sought justification for the emerging social order. The gospel of success was preached, promoting the idea that America was the land of opportunity and that hard work led to success. Social Darwinism was used to provide a scientific explanation for why some acquired great wealth while others barely survived. Rags-to-riches stories presented a picture of the opportunities that were available to all, and the success of the self-made man.

The gospel of wealth as coined by Carnegie is a story that gives room for a just society through sharing in the United States society. It is human to consider the situations that unfold to those who don’t have enough to sustain their lives then give back to the community as portrayed by Carnegie (Fredrickson, 2015). It is quite interesting to note that the story that Carnegie gave is a reflection of what he had been practicing for twenty years before trying to influence the society to follow suit.

In any society, it is the responsibility of each citizen to pay taxes and the idea that someone is not capable of doing so, should not allow them to depend on the super rich people to help them cater for their needs. The level of hard work goes hand in hand with the success of the individuals (Furner, 2017). When someone is lazy, they will be poor unless they inherit wealth. The idea of generalizing the use of public and charitable funds to the poor will cause a lot of problems to the society. Many people especially the natives will tend to become lazier. The society cannot be just and fair with the difference in color, social class, and origin. Therefore, the idea of giving wealth to the community development so that it can help the poor is a waste of time, and it won’t work. Instead, it will make the individuals who are unable, to relax and wait for the free aid from the super-rich and thus compromising the economy of a country or state.

References:

Fredrickson, G. M. (2015). Models of American ethnic relations: A historical perspective. In Diverse Nations (pp. 19-28). Routledge.

Furner, M. (2017). Advocacy and objectivity: A crisis in the professionalization of American social science, 1865-1905. Routledge.