The Response to Industrialism, 1885-1914

by Samuel P. Hays

In this new edition, Samuel P. Hays expands the scope of his pioneering account of the ways in which Americans reacted to industrialism during its early years from 1885 to 1914. Hays now deepens his coverage of cultural transformations in a study well known for its concise treatment of political and economic movements.

Hays draws on the vast knowledge of America's urban and social history that has been developed over the last thirty-eight years to make the second edition an unusually well-rounded study. He enhances the original coverage of politics, labor, and business with new accounts of the growth of cities, the rise of modern values, cultural conflicts with Native Americans and foreign nations, and changing roles for women, African-Americans, education, religion, medicine, law, and leisure. The result is a tightly woven portrait of America in transition that underscores the effects of impersonal market forces and greater personal freedom on individuals and chronicles such changes as the rise of social inequality, shifting power, in the legal system, the expansion of the federal government, and the formation of the Populist, Progressive, and Socialist parties.

Genres: History, American History, Nonfiction

280 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 1957

About the author

A leading scholar of American environmental history, Samuel Pfrimmer Hays was Distinguished Service Professor of History Emeritus at the University of Pittsburgh. A 1948 graduate of Swarthmore College, Hays earned a doctorate from Harvard University in 1953 and taught at the University of Illinois and the University of Iowa before moving to Pitt in 1960, where he taught until his retirement in 1990.

Reviews

[Jalen Sowell · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book highlighted to me the ever-increasing way our world is becoming more knitted together and brought some context to the struggle that exists between government and private industry.

American innovation and business practices in the 19th century led to a consolidation of wealth through the increasing interconnectedness of society. People were no longer looking to their local markets as a means to survive, but had the opportunity to accumulate unprecedented amounts of wealth through mass exportation and trade. Farmers no longer made their money locally, but by shipping their produce on grain carts. Everything became bigger. The US and the West went from a place where the majority were private, specialized workers to urbanization and factories leading the masses to working in cities and at plants where there was no minimum wage and few other options since competing with those companies would be impossible.

Things becoming bigger in the private industry led to the exploitation of workers, who responded by looking for assistance from government to curtail their oppression. This led to many trying to use government to leverage their own self-interests. Big businesses needed friendly people in office, workers needed advocates in office.

As businesses expanded over international waters, they requested and received help from our federal government, which in turn contributed to the realization of the US government that there was opportunity to enrich themselves and “keep up” with its private industry by taking a more active role in advocating for itself overseas.

Essentially, since the late 19th century, the US federal government has been trying to keep pace with a private industry and in doing so has behaved more like a business than a government, though those same policies have largely contributed to the powerful positions Americans find themselves in today.

Overall, a very interesting book, but the layout could’ve been better. The author would jump from 1911 to 1872 in the same paragraph. Maybe that says more about my inability to keep up with the web of information being presented, but I just prefer my history as chronological as possible.

[Cameron Barham]

“Americans subordinated religion, education, and politics to the process of creating wealth. Increased production, employment, and income became the measure of community success, and personal riches became the mark of individual achievement. Records of the time, however, emphasized far less that other aspect of change that touched the lives of Americans as fully as did work and income: consumption.”, p. 3

[Greg · Rating 4 out of 5]

Interesting conception of the so-called progressive era from 1870-1920. Helped me understand the role of medium size cities in trade between metropolitan areas and the hinterlands.

[Laura]

American history