The poor living conditions in the period 1890-1910 in the US because of the capitalist socialist

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The historical period of the 1890's and 1900's in the US is the time when the economy in the country experienced the corporate capitalism. Indeed, big corporations led the market with no pity for the small businesses. Skilled workers, big capitalists and businessmen who could get new markets were the winner of this corporatism age. But at the opposite their wealth happened at the detriment of the worker. 1890-1900 is the time when the gap between the richer and the poorer is deepened. Social conditions had never been worse and the American Dream seemed to be a chimera. How mechanization of production, the great merger movement from 1899 to 1904 and judicial decisions and the power of the courts contributed to produce and perpetuate these conditions?

From the end of the XIXth century to the 1910's a huge wave of mechanization occurred in the industry. There was a huge investment in machines and plants. The mechanization of the industry is the replacement of skilled workers by machines. THe mechanization offered big opportunities for the industry : the work got faster, less workers were needed to do the work and unskilled workers were qualified to do the job creating huge savings. The assembly line is the perfect example of the mechanization as the scientific management of the work intended to create. This concept had been created by Henry Ford as a blend between rationalization and efficiency. The work is divided at precise moments and the workers constantly repeat the same task. But consequences of the mechanization and the scientific management of work clearly catastrophic for the worker. Indeed, while the profits roused for big industries, the work became dehumanized and people were deskilling.

Extraits

[...] The work is divided at precise moments and the workers constantly repeat the same task. But consequences of the mechanization and the scientific management of work clearly catastrophic for the worker. Indeed, while the profits roused for big industries, the work became dehumanized and people were deskilling. There was a separation between management and production and people were deprived from any responsibility. The socialist De Leon saw the capitalism as evil and dreamed of an ideal society were workers were not deprived of their tools and could contemplate the result of their product. [...]

[...] The poor living conditions in the period 1890-1910 in the US because of the capitalist socialist Introduction The historical period of the 1890's and 1900's in the US is the time when the economy in the country experienced the corporate capitalism. Indeed, big corporations led the market with no pity for the small businesses. Skilled workers, big capitalists and businessmen who could get new markets were the winner of this corporatism age. But at the opposite their wealth happened at the detriment of the worker. [...]

[...] People started to live neat the industry as there was a need of labor at any time. Margaret Byington studied the poor condition of living in her book. Homestead : the household in Mill Town. She called the work of women «the boarder of evil». Conditions of living were catastrophic without any good form of health. People payed a huge rent because of the high demand and the search workers couldn't ask for improvement as the demand was extreme. Florence Kelley particularly focused on the conditions of living of women and children who where less paid. [...]

[...] The Supreme Court also contributed to reinforce the segregation and racism in the country in the Plessy vs Ferguson case in 1896 by stating Plessy outlawed the «separate but equal doctrine». Other cases followed during the years such as Lochner v NY in 1905, Adnair v US and Adkins v Hospital all reinforcing the power of the capitalist leader and the employers other the workers. Conclusion Thus, the 1890-1910 period is known to be the worse period for workers in the US. [...]

[...] The Great Merger movement in the increase of the size of industries by their fusion with others. The Great Merger was the consequence of the search of profits from the big capitalists. JP Morgan is a famous capitalist who largely contributed to the movement at that time which allowed him to become millionaire. This phenomena basically contributed to make competition disappear. Industries reached agreement to become one or they divided the market between them. This created big monopolies such as the American Corporation of refining sugar which owned 98% of the refining in the country. [...]