The Progressive Era is regarded
by many as a temporary social, economic, and political experiment. The Middle Class, and eventually governments
themselves saw it as their responsibility to fix the problems brought about by
massive industrialization and urbanization.
This reading portrays some of the agendas of postwar America as
continually forward thinking, and that “welfare capitalism” was seen as the
avenue for businesses to support continued economic prosperity. The image of capitalists
as the new source of progress was both convincing and appealing, as their “free
will” seemed enough to propel them to employ many, pay good wages, keep costs
low, and thus encourage spending. While
this may have worked temporarily, it provided no protection to employees during
the next inevitable economic slump. It
also made it appear that the new enemies of progress were not the corrupt
practices of business but rather the continued vice and inability to assimilate
among the poorest immigrant classes and ethnic minorities. Perhaps this is why a candidate like Hoover
was considered ‘normal’—not because he actually fit any previous standard, but
he represented the old-stock Protestant American, and thus the best protector
against the dangers of a “big-city” driven government.
Sounds convincing, right? In many ways it does, but to me, the paradox
still seems unsettling. Why were
Americans so quick to blame outsiders yet again for the limits to the American
dream? Do you think Americans were duped
by welfare capitalism, or was there some merit to this way of thinking? And finally, do you think these thoughts
still occur today, when immigration reform is a recurring (and seemingly
unsolvable) problem?
In every country, probably in 1920 as well as today, there is this thought of the people that immigrants are poor people who come to the country, profit from the support given to them and take away the peoples jobs. Well, this 1920's welfare programm seems a little like a joke to me, when i read about President Hoover endorsing a "prosperity reserve fund, whereby art of surplus government income in good timeswould be set aside for public enterprisesto be launched in deflationary periods" To me that sounds like, okay, sometimes I cook too much and in these cases I will feet my kids with what I haven't eaten. So although they were willing to help the people who weren't wealthy, at first place were still the rich people and in risky times, they were gonna care only for themselves?
ReplyDeleteI do think that the Americans were very quick to judge during this time. But, as in countless other moments in history, we see the need to find a scapegoat. Pinpointing someone to blame just seems like a part of our human nature. And naturally, minorities were targeted. I do think that capitalism gave Americans a reason to blame minorities because these immigrants were taking the jobs, houses, food, etc that "natural" americans could have had during this prosperous time. But how far can you go to blame the immigrants? Wasn't it the immigrants (not the americans) that wanted to come to America to work in the factories, therefore bringing success to the industries?
ReplyDeleteAmericans were duped by welfare capitalism. I didn't even think those two terms could even coexist. If a company is taking part in welfare, it is simply because they profit from it one way or another, whether it is a marketing ploy or increases worker productivity. Once it loses it's profitability, it becomes unfeasible and the countries source of welfare has just dried.
ReplyDeleteAs for the first question about being quick to blame outsiders, that one i blame human nature or similar concepts of human behavior. That saying that everyone is a little racist, it hold true in the example of Americans, and humans in general looking for something besides themselves to take the blame of their sort comings. This shouldn't be surprising since this regularly occurs at the individual level, why not on a national scale?
ReplyDeleteFor the next question about Americans being "duped" by welfare capitalism, i firmly agree that is was simply that. Like previously stated, Its 'human nature', but in this case just because everyone's doing (or in this case thinking) it doesn't make it right. So i do not believe there is any merit in this method of thinking.
As i believe all the actions/thoughts i described to be human nature still persist today, otherwise it wouldn't be our nature.
In many cases, it is always easier to blame someone else than to accept your own mistakes. This is what may have been done in America at this time. These thoughts could still be occurring today as we again have entered into an economic slump.
ReplyDeleteI think that americans see the outsiders, like Nicki said, as a weak and sorta the perfect scapegoat. I think that as things start to get bad, people will aways look for an outsider to blame it on. It is very hard to admit that you have a problem let alone that the country and the citizens of a country have a problem. I also think that when Hoover ran for his presidency, it appealed to the bulk of american for the exact reason he was a "natural and true" american. Being a protestant and a white, hard working guy gave people that impression that he was normal and people wanted that after WW1.
ReplyDeleteI find it difficult to propose any other answer to the first question other than: the quick-blaming of the outsiders by the Americans was because they were minorities; easy targets. As many people before me have mentioned, it seems to be part of "human nature" to blame others for your own mistakes. Americans were definitely duped by welfare capitalism, as it allowed immigrants to attain American opportunities. I think these thoughts will always be inevitable. Everyone's mindset seems to be along the lines of, "what was first ours always will be."
ReplyDeleteAmericans blamed outsiders because they were minorities, the perfect scapegoat, but also, because it was just so easy. They had hardly any say and when they did, nobody wanted to hear them out. It is way to easy to blame others rather then tell the truth and face the consequences. This is still happening today. When people find a problem they not only blame minorities, but rather anyone that has opposing views to you.
ReplyDeleteI agree with my boy Doulye. An absolute welfare state can not exist, nor can absolute capitalism work. I though it was interesting how Ms. Sutton said "The Middle Class, and eventually governments themselves saw it as their responsibility to fix the problems brought about by massive industrialization and urbanization." There was once a time where the middle class put in on themselves to get out of a depression. Governments were there to guide, but it was the responsibility of the people to better themselves by creating the private secotor. This selfish act is what we call capitalism. The idea of government taking responsibility is called welfare or a welfare state. Welfare capitalism is the "happy medium" were governments request private ownerships to give their employees welfare benefits. I think there is a lot of merit in this thinking. It costs a lot of money to be giving our federal welfare, and complete capitalism is very risky.
ReplyDeleteAmerica was quick to play the blame game. Instead of taking ownership of our own actions, we tend to judge others first. I do think Americans were duped by welfare capitalism. Those 2 words shouldn't even be next to eachother; they contradict one another. Anyways, I think Americans still are bothered by the fact that immigrants are "taking over" what is theirs.
ReplyDeleteAmericans have always resented new influxes of immigration the current hostility is nothing new. They take 'American Jobs' away from 'real Americans' it's unavoidable. As for welfare capitalism it just made it so that everyone was pointing fingers at each other and not taking the blame for what they caused.
ReplyDeleteThe people were tricked by the welfare capitalism system. Throughout history, people look toward an already oppressed race to place blame on for their own shortcomings, and immigrants fit the bill. In every society, behavior like this will occur, because there will always be downfalls to sweep under the rug. Economic crises are by in large the majority of times where this thinking is rampant. We absolutely have people in this country that think the same way, and blame their bad economic standing on the "fact" that immigrants are taking our jobs.
ReplyDeleteRather than saying that people were tricked by the welfare capitalism system, i think people were not really familiar with a new dispensation of fortune and were excited for the short term prosperity created by the illusion. Somehow the welfare capitalism seems like socialism to me,the generous arrangement of property, which trying to save the economy of the US by step in a completely new idea of "bigness" of the nation. To be honest, i do not even see how it possible welfare and capitalism could coexist at all, capitalism is like a Forrest and the fittest one survives, welfare is like socialism to take care and give hand out every one in the community. Speaking of the blame of immigrants is sheer aftermath of racial difference, the biological difference is some thing that just inevitable.
ReplyDelete