Chapter 23: Political Paralysis in the Gilded Age 1869-1896 Flashcards
- Why did politics in the Gilded Age seemingly sink to such a low level? Did the Gilded Age party system have any strengths to compensate for its weaknesses?
The Gilded Age kicked off with dishonesty. The “best men” no longer took place in politics, instead moving into the world of business. Business men and government officials were corrupt. Railroad promoters sold shares dishonestly, judges took bribes, and stock market man worked dishonestly. Though not all these men were corrupt, many were, and even a small stain can make a difference. The Crédit Mobilier scandal occurred in 1872, when the Union Pacific company men hired themselves at high prices and earned ridiculous sums. The company gave similar shares to elite congressmen, hoping to buy their ignorance. All of these factors combined to give the times a feel of deceitfulness. The Gilded Age did have some strengths, however. The population grew exponentially, making the United States the third largest nation in the West. Also, despite corruption, people experienced an increased interest in politics.
- Was the Compromise of 1877 another cynical political deal of the era or a wise adjustment to avoid a renewal of serious sectional conflict?
The Compromise of 1877 was a wise adjustment that helped prevent violence, at the expense of Southern freedmen. As Democrat “minute men” started to use violence in their political campaign, the Compromise of 1877 was frantically being drafted. The dispute could have led to more sectional issues if an agreement had not been reached. The compromise succeeded, but only when the radical Republicans abandoned their fight for racial equality.
- What were the short-term and long-term results of the Jim Crow system in the South? Why was the sharecropping system so hard to overcome? Were blacks worse off or better off after the Civil War?
The Jim Crow system caused blacks to be treated unfairly. If they tried to claim their rights, they would be harmed. Many were forced into sharecropping and tenant farming, which was not much different than slavery. Some freedmen were even made to work under their former masters. The “crop lien” system ensured that this system was hard to overcome. Storekeepers gave credit to farmers in exchange for a share of their harvest money, forcing the farmers to remain in debt, which in turn caused the southern blacks to continue in this system. Blacks were discriminated against brutally. They could vote, but otherwise, their lives were no different than before the war.
- Why was the political system so slow to respond to the economic grievances of farmers and workers, especially during the hard economic times of the 1890s? Were the Populists and others more effectively addressing the real problems that America faced, or was their approach fatally crippled by their nostalgia for a simpler, rural America?
Farmers faced many economic problems during the 1890s. They were part of a market that was now dominated by powerful business owners, which made it difficult to sell products. Also, farmers were often in debt. These problems went unsolved by the political system, which was occupied by conflict and less than capable politicians. The Populists, on the other hand made many successful campaigns. Their movement to change the currency system, help indebted farmers and workers, and shorter workdays spread quickly. Their biggest fault was their nostalgic view of the past as a way to model the future. Their radical viewpoint created division in the recently reunited country. On the other hand, the Populist movement also led to a unified stand of whites and blacks working together for a common cause. While the Populists were more effective than the political system, they still fell short of their grand goals.
