While challengers to Upton Sinclair’s radical methods for reform label him a socialist foe of American values, Sinclair’s efforts where truly aimed towards publicizing the plight of the average citizen in America. Sinclair helped Californians and citizens throughout the nation realized that their voice and their vote were a powerful political tool. Sinclair’s so called radical policies established a set of Democratic values within California that is still present today. California, The Golden State, was known as the land of milk and honey. It was the home of the gold rush, and industries such as oil, agricultural, and Hollywood flourished. Citizens felt that if that could make it to California and secure employment the American dream would …show more content…
However, Sinclair was and unlikely savior. He had roots in socialist agenda, which unapologetically opposed capitalism and lobbied for full government takeover. In addition, Sinclair had alienated himself from elitist circles by authoring over 40 books which muckraked industry and institutions such as Hollywood, the press, and religion. Sinclair’s book, The Jungle, described the in detail the horrors of the meat packing industry and led to government regulation of the industry. Sinclair realized that America was in desperate need for immediate reform and could not await social victory over capitalism. He switched sides to the democratic party and ran for governor of California in an attempt to enact his reforms.Sinclair use his skilled as a writer to published a book called Epic (End Poverty in California), which outlined his road to reform. Sinclair planned on expanding existing California cooperatives to the state level. He also proposed taking idle factories and farms and placing them in the hand of the unemployed citizens to boost the economy and fight joblessness. Sinclair also met with President Roosevelt and to discuss his plans for EPIC and how they could align with the effort of the New
I have a 1st edition copy of "The Jungle" written by Upton Sinclair and published by Doubleday & Page in 1906. The book binding is very solid. The hard cover is in good shape with some wear on the white detailing on the cover and spine.
• Upton Sinclair wrote “The Jungle” which exposed the conditions of the meat packing industry in Chicago. • Moved to Pasadena, California in 1915 and wrote 47 books by 1933. • Sinclair ran for governor of California in the election of 1926 and in 1930 but in 1933 ran as democrat for governor of California • “I, Governor of California, and How I Ended Poverty: A True Story of the Future” (1933) a utopia novel written by Sinclair, if elected, he would end unemployment. • Sinclair proposed another program called End Poverty in California (EPIC) • If any farms were sold for taxes would be purchased by California and establish cooperative agricultures communicates known as “California Authority for Land.” This would only be put into effect
Upton Sinclair, a socialist and muckraker (Source 2), wrote The Jungle in order to promote socialism, but what really popped out was the few pages of descriptive horrors of the meat-packing industry (below). They were so descriptive that its said that when Franklin Roosevelt read it, it convinced him to pass the Pure Food and Drug Act. However, despite all this, The Jungle was written to show how socialism would positively impact America and the world. This point was illustrated through the lives of an immigrated Lithuanian family.
1. Hopeless is the word that best describes the situation of the working-class in America in the early twentieth century. In this time period, people’s lives were controlled by their work. Unfortunately, the workers were paid very poorly. They were paid small wages to do large amounts of work in twelve to fifteen hour shifts.
The Jungle by Upton Sinclair follows the life of Lithuanian immigrant Jurgis Rudkus and his family living in Chicago. Jurgis finds work at Brown's slaughterhouse and there he endures harsh working conditions as well as his family members. Ultimately he and family suffer many tragedies related to their work environments. While this book is a work of fiction it mirrors real life. The Jungle was published in 1906 during the Gilded Age.
A Book for Societal Change As one thinks about the change brought about by a book named The Jungle, one might think of its call to preserve forests or wildlife. However, in Upton Sinclair’s The Jungle, he writes about something completely different. Sinclair writes this book to expose the meat packing industry and its horrific conditions for the meat and for the workers while also promoting socialism as the ideal form of government. His socialists views expressed in the book lead the book to be banned in several countries.
In 1906 Upton Sinclair published The Jungle, a fictional novel that depicted the working class’ lifestyle and working conditions in the American city of Chicago. It focused on the meat-packing industry of the 20th century and the capitalist elite achieving success through the manipulation of poor immigrants, corruption of the capitalist government, institutions and its exploits of the growing industrial American state. Though Sinclair’s novel received critical acclaim for its reveal of the poor environmental and health conditions of the meat-packing industry, was there an underlying ideology he sought to impose and if so was he successful in his attempt? The third-person narration of The Jungle, enables Upton Sinclair from making his argument
The NCL also worked to pass state pure food laws and in 1906 it established a permanent food committee. This committee had played an important role in securing President Theodore Roosevelt’s support for the Federal Food and Drug Act (National Consumers League). Another reason for this is Upton Sinclair’s book, The Jungle, that was published in 1906 and critiques capitalism. In this book, Sinclair wrote that socialism is the solution for the poor Americans working in factories stuck in “wage slavery”. This book also made the public more aware of the unsanitary and unsafe conditions in factories, especially the meat packing factories.
Ultimately Sinclair’s novel, The Jungle, assisted in passing new federal food safety laws. (Constitutional Rights Foundation, 2008) What was the social concern that was being addressed? Sinclair’s novel was centered on a young man who had
The Jungle is a naturalistic fiction book written by the famous muckraker Upton Sinclair. The book follows a poor Lithuanian immigrant Jurgis and was made to expose the horrors of the meat packing industry in Chicago, and the life of an immigrant. Upton Sinclair believed that capitalism has undermined the American value of liberty, but capitalism has created many more detriments to the U.S. and the world as a whole. I believe socialism would have produced a superior version of America compared to the capitalism seen in the Gilded Age because America would have been more efficient, less exploitive of other countries(post-Gilded Age), and would have seen results similar to that of other far leftist countries. Socialism promotes efficiency more
His political influence and clout in California led to the swing of its views as a state going from a mostly conservative region to a predominantly liberal one. (source 2). 5.Perhaps Sinclair’s most meaningful and notable contribution to society was his
California was never viewed as a land of opportunity before the Gold Rush, this event created a state that was now viewed very different. This discovery had many different effects on people’s lives in the United
Once the Native Americans were removed, Americans were free to enjoy the land for themselves. Furthermore, the government encourages Americans to move west to the acres upon acres of available land. The drive to excavate new land was increase even more during the Californian gold rush of the 1840s. Those that came to California had a twinkle in their eyes that yearned for the success that they had dreamed of obtaining. Whether young, old, rich, or poor everyone shared the same curiosity that had convinced him or her to search for
Many women had to stay home making only 8% of California female. The American Dream, ultimately, was only applicable by American men during the California Gold Rush. Not only was the Gold Rush kept from women and foreigners, it also discriminated against
Democratic candidate Upton Sinclair called for the state to front significant capital in land and machinery in order for these unemployed people to provide for themselves with their own two hands. A reason why this was a popular plan is because it laid the foundation for these people to provide for themselves. Through this plan, there would be no recurring service that the tax payers would have to pay for in order to support others. The goal of the plan itself was to release the burden of millions off of Americans who already pay taxes on their income, so that they would have more to take home to their family. To front the capital needed to get this program started, Sinclair proposed a “Cooperative System”.