The Civil War not only abolished slavery, but also threw the significant challenge of rebuilding a war-torn nation. Although initiated with the best hopes and intentions, the ‘Reconstruction’ of the USA had collapsed miserably for it had failed to establish a nation with equal rights for all. As a consequence, class discrimination and racial injustice had engulfed the American society. Besides having similarities and differences, the struggles for racial justice in the late 19th century and the struggles for economic justice in the Gilded Age are not only reminders of the failed ideology of the reconstruction, but are also evidence which shows us that the upper class of the society in that era were reluctant about the upward mobility of the poor.
As the 20th century was nearing, the American obsession with wealth kept increasing, and the poorer class – including the newly freedmen - became the worst sufferers of its effects. To keep up with the rapid global industrialization, it became necessary for businesses to engage in mass production. Since, their largest source of laborers – slavery – had been crushed with the Union’s victory in the Civil War, the rich could only think of bringing back laborers by oppressing the poor through systems such as
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The radical Republicans of that time were not silent against the racist acts. Their initiatives ultimately led to the Congressional Reconstruction, which gave black men the right to vote. But when it came to establishing labor rights, they were not as vocal since the north was in need of cheap labor as well. Thus, the struggles for economic justice always remained unanswered. Often the laborers were prevented from being part of unions that ensured their wages. Soon, a practice of suppressing labor strikes through armed forces came into