The Ideology Of Success Proposed By Social Darwinism, Gospel Of Wealth, The Ideas Of A Free Market And Healthy Competition

From the remains of the American Civil War sprung a global powerhouse. The development was astounding. From the end of Reconstruction in 1877 to the unfortunate Panic of 1893, the American economy almost multiplied in size. New innovations and better understanding and approaches for sorting out business drove many influential people to the top. Individuals that were not able to offer good at the cheapest prices were driven to bankruptcy or were purchased by acquisitive, wealthy industrialists. The most important social and economic policies were embodied by the Ideology of Success (proposed by social Darwinism), the beliefs of a free market, and the progressive acts of urbanization are the major strongholds that resulted in the global powerhouse that America had set to become in the 1900s. Nonetheless, the American economy developed and by 1914 the country once observed as a playing field for European domains had now outperformed them all. The United States had become the biggest modern country on the planet.

The Industrial Revolution denoted a time of improvement in the last half of the eighteenth century that changed to a great extent country, agrarian social orders in Europe and America into industrialized, urban ones. Preceding the Industrial Revolution, America had a prevalently agrarian economy and produced income through the exchange of tobacco, and assets, such as wood, hardware, hide, etc. The most important idea reflected through the ideology behind the Industrial revolution was the fact that if any amount of hard work had been put in any individual could be successful. As said by Dr. Tillery in lecture, “In America every individual had the ability to be successful, and it was for anyone who was willing to work hard, it provided hope for new immigrants.” This idea sparked hope in the eyes of many incoming foreigners, especially in business the proposal of “Social Darwinism” could be seen as the reason for many individuals’ success. This suggested that “Wealth, leadership, success, and prosperity were determined by evolutionary superiority (survival of the fittest).” (Lecture). It was understood that business people and other people who were financially and socially fortunate were so in light of the fact that they were biologically and socially the fittest. Then again, they contemplated that the poor were average, frail and unfit and it would be a mistake to permit the ‘weakest’ of the species to keep on reproducing. They accepted that the proclamation of ‘natural selection’ implied that only those susceptible to success should continue to live. Essentially, Social Darwinism was utilized as a defense for American colonialism in Cuba, Puerto Rico, and the Philippines following the Spanish-American War, the same number of defendants contended that it was the obligation of white Americans to enlighten indigenous people.

The impact of the Industrial revolution left the United States with a belief “in unfettered free enterprise and unrestricted competition.” (Lecture), Also known today as a free market industry. The free market framework produces merchandise and ventures superior to any other option. It allows ground-breaking motivated forces to advance, and guarantees individuals’ income mirror the worth they convey to others through work. Additionally, it offers upward growth to individuals who put resources into their own craft and work diligently. Summed up by the french term Laissez-faire (a relaxed economic ideology) it allows for markets to be free and in turn advancingly competitive. The present day US highlights huge geographic variety in every one of these regards, and significant variety in how well the economy is functioning for individuals. It motivates individuals to adhere together to result in the greater good for society, which as stated is a rooted idea behind the global powerhouse America had become in the 1900s.

The last stronghold ideology that appears behind this country’s growth are the progressive attempts at urbanization in the United States. “By the end of the nineteenth century America had entered a new urban age, with tens of millions of “urbanites” and urban landscape, and a growing urban culture.” (Davidson E Text, 397). The Industrial Revolution of the nineteenth century changed urban life and gave individuals better standards for improving their way of life. The expanded number of occupations, alongside mechanical developments in transportation and lodging development, and urged relocation to urban areas. Improvement of railways, streetcars, and carriages in the nineteenth century empowered city limits to extend. Individuals never again needed to live in walking distance of their occupations. With more options about where to live, individuals would in general search out neighbors of comparable societal position, on the off chance that they could stand to do as such.

To conclude the creation of these ideologies existing of Social Darwinism and the embodiment of the Gospel of Wealth, the ideas of a free market and healthy competition, and the urbanization of rural America have figured to be the necessary ingredients in the recipe for what a successful nation cis sough out to be.