Discussion Topic
In the late-nineteenth century, Americans began to focus on government corruption. As the press exposed more and more scandals, the public demanded reforms to the political system.
In your first posting, write about one of the following issues that concerned Gilded Age reformers:
- The power of big business over government
- Civil service
- The campaign of 1884
Write about why the issue received so much attention, and whether you think it was a major problem.
As you read other students' responses, respond to one or more of these questions in your follow-up posting(s):
- Is there more or less corruption now than there was in the Gilded Age? Does today's corruption differ from the corruption in the Gilded Age? Explain.
- Are there fewer or more political scandals today than in the Gilded Age? Do they receive more or less attention? Why?
- Did the press go too far in exposing scandals in the Gilded Age, or not far enough? Does today's press use greater or less restraint?
Required Reading
Before you enter the discussion, be sure to read the related pages in your textbook. If you're using Tindall and Shi, see:
| 8th Edition | 7th Edition | 6th Edition | 5th Edition |
| Chapter 22, pages 865-880 | Chapter 22, pages 820-838 | Chapter 22, pages 892-911 | Chapter 22, pages 990-1012 |
Scoring
This discussion is worth a maximum of 15 points. You'll get 10 points for your first post. Your instructor will give you another 5 points if you post a follow-up comment or question that furthers the discussion.
In your post try to make connections to contemporary politics
ReplyDeleteOriginal:
ReplyDeleteCivil service reform was a major issue during the gilded age because many people were receiving employment in the government through medthods of favoritism and nepotism. While party members favored their fellow party members for certain political offices, civil service become an important issue to address. While President Rutherford B. Hayes failed to get civil service legislation, he was able to mandate his own rules for political appointments based on merit, where party members would have no more influence in appointments than other respectable citizens.
I believe this was a major problem because favoritism never allows for the most competent and compatible person to recieve the political employment they rightly deserved.
Follow-Up Post:
ReplyDeleteI believe that there aren't more or less scandals now than in the Gilded Age; the difference being that the media today is more likely to ferret out scandals and display them across newspapers, magazines, television and te internet whereas the media in the past weren't compulsed by the need to bring to light every scandal involving political officers.
I believe there was more corruption in the Gilded Age then there is now, if not more, definitely different then the corruption we have now. The corruption in the Gilded Age consisted of political machines and big leaders such as Boss Tweed. Plus the press did not do much to expose corruption as they do today. Corruption back then was like the big elephant in the room, everyone knew it was happening, but nobody did anything about it. Today corruption is hidden and unless it is leaked nobody ever knows. For example with Senator Blagovich, nobody knew he was offering the job until it was released. Back in the Gilded Age jobs were sold left and right all the time, and everyone knew what was going on, they were just afraid to do anything.
ReplyDeleteJasbir: I agree completely, today the media does much more then they did now of exposing scandals then they did during during the Gilded Age. Thats why government scandals are covered up today because of the media. It almost makes you wonder if back then the media was payed off as well in order not to bring the stories of corruption to light.
ReplyDeleteThe corruption of the Gilded Age was a completely different ball game than it is today. There were massive political machines that functioned on patronage, bribery, and insensitive for voters.
ReplyDeleteAfter the Civil War people were highly interested in politics, as they were concerned about the delicate balance between the North and the South. In turn Congress was constantly changing hands, as the public attempted to distribute this balance. Congress was nearly unable to pass any legislation that was measurable, which is where the Bosses came in. They took advantage of the spike of voters, at which point nearly 80% of people were attending elections and attempted to sway their vote.
The media wasn't what it is today either. Today the media does its job in keeping politics in check, mostly. If politicians step out of line you can be sure you will hear about it. Carl Bernstein and Bob Woodward road their careers on "All the President's Men" which unleashed the Water Gate Scandal.
It can be said, that today there is a load of corruption that is just simply swept under the rug, however it is much more maintained and civil than that of which occurred during the Gilded Age, which was outright public corruption.
Xander, your reference to Senator Blagovich was great, I didn't even think about that. And you have a point that when something get released its going to be magnified by the Media. Corruption isn't often released but when it is, it is a really big deal to the American people.
ReplyDeleteThe power of big business over government during the guilded age, in my opinion was very corrupt. By business controlling government, they could do whatever they felt necessary and showed that the government could easily be taken by the worth of a dollar. With businesses becoming a great power it allowed freedoms of workers to become at risk.
ReplyDeleteAlex, I agree with your original post completely. I think that in todays society we do have about the same amount of corruption in some aspects, but the difference between today and the guilded age. Is that the guilded age was more public compared to know where things are hidden from the American Public. As you stated, a good example is the water gate scandal; since in todays time more people are less tolerant of corruption then prior, in which they accepted the corruption due to their social standings back then.
ReplyDeleteOriginal:
ReplyDeleteWith respect to big businesses, corruption during the Gilded Age was quite prevalent in government. Since there were many monopolies with deep pockets and governmental ties, big businesses could get away with bending the rules in order to dominate their competition and stop the passage of laws that would adversely affect their hold on their respective markets.
Follow Up:
ReplyDeleteThere may be the same amount of scandal today as there was in the Gilded Age, but corruption today is seen more in the public eye with the more prominent role of the media in politics. Instances like NY Governor Spitzer's prostitution scandal were unknown to the public during the Gilded Age since the media and politics were kept relatively separate. However, now that the media intermingles with the political world, politicians have little to no leeway when it comes to their political image and activities.
One major issue that occured in history was the US election of 1884. The campaign became very infamous and recieved much attention because it had excecive mudslinging basically meaning both parties spread sick, dark rumors for public opinion. I belive that was a major problem because it seemed very corrupt for some of these sick rumors to be spread in a professional presidental election. For example, one rumor was Grover Cleveland fathering and abandoning his "child".
ReplyDeleteI believe that there is less corruption today then there was back in the gilded age. I agree with jasbir and Xander on how its connected to media. Media today is all over the place 24/7 and corruption is much harder to get away with while back then there wasnt as much media meaning they could get away with it more. I also agree with Alex on how there was more bribing back then and the use of political machines.
ReplyDeleteThe power of big business over government was a huge problem during the Gilded Age. There were no real policies that regulated businesses effectively. Even when policies were enacted, they were not effectively followed and they did very little to control business. Some felt that in order to keep corruption out of government, that a Laissez Faire method be adopted. Some felt that this would not be the right thing to do.
ReplyDeleteIn agreeing with 57cfd2be-3b16-11e0-bebe8-000f20980440 i also agree with Jasbir and Xander. I think that media does play a role in how much corruption is in government. Back in the Gilded Age, media did not play as big a role as it does now. You do not hear that much about corruption now a days because the media plays such a pivotal role in our society that no one wants to be single out and gain national attention.
ReplyDeleteNext time you blog, make sure you add more facts and details. For example when Alex mentnioned the spike in voting up to 80% due to political machine corruption. Excellent.
ReplyDeleteDuring the Gilded age the major problem was indeed the power of big business over politics. That is a problem today but it definitely was a bigger problem in the past. Lobbyists and political machines had extreme power over politicians where monetarily donations had major influence in the decisions of laws and bills. This influence became extremely evident during the gilded age and reformers tried their hardest to rid the government of these things.
ReplyDeleteI believe that the media now is doing a better job at showing corruption to the public, though it began in the gilded age with muckrakers who decided to show bad politics to the people.
ReplyDeleteThe Blaine-Cleveland Mudslingers of 1884
ReplyDeleteJames G. Blaine became the Republican candidate, but some Republican reformers, unable to stomach this, switched to the Democratic Party and were called Mugwumps. The Democrats chose Grover Cleveland as their candidate but received a shock when it was revealed that he might have been the father of an illegitimate child. The campaign of 1884 was filled with perhaps the lowest mudslinging in history. The contest depended on how New York chose, but unfortunately, one foolish Republican insulted the race, faith, and patriotism of New York’s heavy Irish population, and as a result, New York voted for Cleveland; that was the difference.
The amount of scandal most likely increased because there more of a clear line of what is and what is not acceptable to legal today than there was then. Since the Gilded Age, people have found more creative ways to creates chaos for themselves and others. Scandals are given much more attention in our era. Media is able to propagate much more and at a faster rate thanks to the age of emerging new technologies.
ReplyDelete