The Gilded Age Analysis

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The progressive era was regarded as the “Gilded Age” by prominent critics during that period, such as Mark Twain. The expression illuminated the acute contrast between the highly modern appearance of the modern urban area and the underlying social problems; corruption and injustice hided under the prosperity. The most notorious social issue during the “Gilded Age” was that African Americans lived in endless trauma and suffering. Their lives were abounded with fear, insecurity, hunger and injustice. As minority in the society, particularly in the South, African Americans often were lynched, in the forms of hanging and beating to death; officers also apprehended them for their “vagrancy.” The sharp contrast between the prosperity of city and …show more content…
African-Americans who fought for civil rights were “brother’s keepers” who assisted in bringing reforms and change to America (“Progressive Era Overview”). The author, from poverty history, authorizes the claim that brother’s keeper has a moral obligation in a way that he delineates multitude of reformers emerge despite the harsh political environment. During that time period, Black people were extremely incompetent politically, while the racial injustice was a formidable problem; however, the reformers still stand up despite the overwhelming pressure due to moral obligation for other black people. Some of the reforms were revolutionary given the fact that they completely altered the perspective of human beings’ view on black people. By presenting such views, black people were given opportunities to prove themselves (“Progressive Era Overview”). Despite the overwhelming hardship that African Americans were under, their collective effort defied most of the prejudice against African Americans during the late 18th century. Booker T Washington, a prominent educator and advisor to the president, proposed that African Americans should use their knowledge to integrate into White people’s community (Washington). Enduring considerable social opposition from white community, his view during that time was a …show more content…
Debs suggested, moral obligation motivates people to support their “brothers.” Human beings are different from other savage animals because we help each other based on moral obligations; whereas in the world of animals follows the rule of Darwinism- “Survival of the Fittest.” Strong animals eliminate their weak counterparts ruthlessly and cruelly in order to occupy the limited natural resources; however, human beings have moral obligation to give the weak ones a hand. Human beings must not degenerate into cold-blooded animal by giving up morality, the most valuable characteristic in our
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