How Did Zinn Have A Liberal View

826 Words4 Pages

List your ten (10) talking points below: Howard Zinn has a liberal view and that comes through in his writings. He does not believe that there was equality during the Progressive Era and that the government treated some groups of people better than others, “what was clear in this period to blacks, to feminists, to labor organizers and socialists, was that they could not count on the national government” There were some changes made like new laws passed that worked towards achieving a more safe and fair economy but most of those changed benefit the white middle class and not the poorer working class, “ordinary people benefited to some extent from these changes. The system was rich, productive, complex” Zinn points out that even though laws …show more content…

“For the first time, then, the federal government acted against commerce only on a potential threat, not genuine behavior” Roosevelt did not want to destroy large corporations, he just wanted to strictly regulate them so they could benefit the public more. He thought that if they were not regulated, they would only have intentions to help themselves and not do what is best for the greater population. “Roosevelt’s comment was the astonishing view that corporations do not serve the public good on their own-that they must be made to-and that furnishing jobs, paying taxes, and creating new wealth did not constitute a sufficient public benefit.” Roosevelt made unreasonable threats and did not honor the constitution. Even though it was most likely not legal to ignore the constitution, he still bluffed to end the coal miner’s strike. The method Roosevelt used was not the most effective, but it got the two sides to come to an agreement where the strikers got higher wages, fewer work hours, and no UMW recognition. “He warned that he would send 10,000 federal troops to take over coal production in the mines if the two sides did not reach an arrangement, a move of “dubious legality,” which prompted Roosevelt to snap, “To hell with the Constitution when the people want coal!” TR’s bluster finally produced concessions, with both sides agreeing to an arbitration

More about How Did Zinn Have A Liberal View

Open Document