Freedom In The Gilded Age

Freedom is a significant concept in American history, often influencing ideas of citizenship, equality, and political philosophies. This is seen through the differing meanings and changing boundaries contributing to the coming of the New Deal in the 1930s. The development of industrial capitalism, modern liberalism and a desire for economic security are all key factors that led to the New Deal due to the desired role in improving the broadening the framework of citizen’s individual freedom.

Between the 1870s-1890s, America’s economic state transformed, creating opportunities for work and status. This period became known as the Gilded Age, recognised for its wealth and technological innovation concealing the vast social inequalities and corruption

But it quickly led to corruption, corporate manipulation, and monopolies in the workforce. One monopoly that evolved was the introduction of industrial railroads across America.2 Although railroads promised general economic prosperity and growth, railroad moguls of the 19th century manipulated the development to gain political and economic control, affecting the growing wealth gap. The Gilded Age was a time of inequality, with those who belonged to the upper class using their power and privilege to extend the wealth gap, leaving many of the lower classes facing issues of economic security, housing, and employment. This inequality led to the introduction of a free labour ideology.3 Its purpose was portrayed with the interests of labourers as its primary intent, however it truly benefited the employer's ability to oppose unions, manage the growing immigrant workforce, and enforce laissez-faire capitalism. Due to the introduction of the free labour ideology, it became the citizen’s “choice” to continue to work through freedom of contract. An example of this is Thomas O’Donnell, an immigrant mule spinner battling to raise enough money to

A considerable influence during this time was the Progressives and their reform agenda. The progressive reformers introduced the idea of modern liberalism in shifting the meaning of freedom away from negative freedom to positive effective freedom.6 John Dewey, a renowned progressive, argues effective freedom is the “effective power to do specific things.”7 The Progressives definition of modern liberalism combined the meaning of effective freedom with the right to individualism. Modern liberals also argue in the favour of equality for it to work effectively in terms of social justice, civil rights, and economic security. It was introduced to fight against the large monopolies and industrial capitalism normalised in the 1870s-1890s and in doing so created the push for democracy and power of the people. Not only did the reform era grant personal freedom for many, but it also brought promises of rights for minority groups. In their campaign, the Progressives allied with the women’s suffrage, to push awareness and vocalise the aims of the reform. It was their belief the suffrage movement was strictly non-partisan, with a lack of affiliation, and could thus change the outcome of the monopoly-controlled governments and remove corruption.8 However, as many leaders of the progressive party did not