Consumerism And Technological Changes During The Gilded Age

The Gilded Age, which occurred in America in the late 19th and early 20th centuries, was characterized by a sharp rise in wealth, particularly among the wealthy. The term "gilded" describes the era's outward veneer, which hid the social and economic issues that persisted at the period. During the Gilded Era, economic expansion and rapid industrialization helped to create big company and advance new technology like the telephone and electric power. Political scandals, socioeconomic disparities, and widespread corruption were also prevalent at this time. One of the things that made the Gilded Age's output boom possible was technological progress.
Technology made enormous strides throughout the Gilded Age, especially in the areas of communication

For instance, during the Gilded Age, a distinct upper class emerged along with enormous wealth growth and new social strata. While some workers in this era experienced genuine benefits from capitalist industrialization, it also came at a significant human cost. There were clear economic differences between males and women, whites and nonwhites, native-born employees and the majority of immigrants. In turn, consumerism and materialism increased throughout the Gilded Age as a result of the new affluence, with many Americans eager to flaunt their money by engaging in extravagant consumption. Even if living standards were on the rise, poverty remained a major aspect of working-class existence. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, there were about ten thousand strikes and lockouts in the United States during the 1880s. In 1886 alone, a year that acquired the label the "great upheaval," about seven hundred thousand employees either walked out on strike or were locked out by their employers. Arnsen 65-67For both Republicans and Democrats of the era, a crucial question in the late nineteenth century concerned whether or how wealthy businessmen like Rockefeller and Vanderbilt should be subject to regulation. Democrats and Republicans have never discussed the subject of governmental power in this way as it was a issue that had been newly developed in the era. Gould Ultimately, during the

Policies and rules were some of the ways the government influenced the time. During the Gilded Age, the government passed a variety of laws and programs aimed at reining in capitalism's excesses and advancing social welfare. The Gilded Age was shaped in part by labor rules as well. Throughout the Gilded Age, the government created labor laws with the intention of enhancing working conditions and defending employees' rights. A excellent illustration of this is Lochner v. New York, which prohibited hour restrictions in the workplace. This case was under the guise of protecting employees' rights. Such a verdict allowed harsh working circumstances that are opposed to the freedom of employment as a method for wage workers to willingly offer their labor for payment, in addition to forcing more economic dependence on employers who were given the ability to exploit their workers. The self-serving efforts of corporations to reduce employee turnover show how the concepts of freedom of employment are being undercut (Lamoreaux 2010, 370-390). The government also molded the era through corruption. Despite these efforts, the government in the Gilded Age was often plagued by manipulation and cronyism, with politicians and bureaucrats frequently acting in the interests of the wealthy elite rather than the