V.                 What Is to Be Done?

CHAPTER 23:  Lessons of History:  The Gilded Age and the Progressive Era

A.     Drastic Changes and Developments

-      One hundred years ago, America went through a period of great technological, economic, and social change.

-      1870-1900 American changed from a rural, traditional society into a modern, industrialized, urban nation. (368)

-      Technological changes were rampant, including the spread of electricity across the nation.

-      Railroad and telegraph changed the once isolated communities into “integrated national economic unit[s]” (369).

-      Modern corporations led to the demise of many occupations while creating new ones, such as administrators or industrial workers.

-      Standard of living dramatically improved at close of Civil War

-      Gap between rich and poor widened

-      Severe recessions followed by economic progressions

-      1893-1897—worst economic period in American history

-      Between Civil War and WWI, rapid population growth and urbanization

-      1870-1900—12 million immigrants to U.S., 1900-1914—another 13 million immigrants

-      Better paying work led to new culture of leisure (movie theaters, record industry)

-      Industrial Revolution progressed, women’s role in public life changed

o       Demanded right to vote, got advanced education, worked and socialized alongside men

-      Cities were “industrial wastelands” full of “vice, poverty, rampant disease; full of dank, crowded slums” (373)

-      Farmers at mercy of massive corporations with little protection against exploitation, expensive credit, and price deflation (374)

-      Working classes made up of foreign, Catholic, or black people

-      Rampant discrimination worsened by late 1800s with passage of “separate but equal” Jim Crow laws (poll tax, literacy tests, grandfather clause)

-      Many civic organizations excluded members based on race or social status.

-      Mail order business increased and many feared small towns would suffer greatly.

-      Rise of professional staff meant a decline in civic involvement (hire someone to fight your fight for you)

-      Dominant belief in social Darwinism (survival of the fittest) began to change

-      Muckraking journalists exposed the hard realities that many faced in America

-      People looked out for themselves first, neighbors later, if at all.

B. Progressive Era

-      Technological changes parallel those of today.

-      Older forms of social connection were destroyed by technological, economic, and social change (382)

-      Challenge is to reform institutions and adapt behaviors to ensure that the basic values and traditions will be preserved.

-      Many clubs and organizations were founded at the end of the 19^th century.

-      An explosion of civic involvement from 1870-1920 unmatched in American history.

-      Groups founded from 1890-1920 were “broad-based professional, civic, or service organizations, like the Boy Scouts, the National Association of Grocers, the Red Cross, or the Lions Club” (388).

-      Most organizations founded during this time were segregated by sex.

-      Fraternal groups provided social solidarity and ritual as well as material benefits.

o       Made up of both middle and working-class members.

-      1890—General Federation of Women’s Clubs formed advocating child labor, women’s employment, kindergartens, and women’s suffrage (390)

-      Immigrants were very involved in associations of their own.

-      Religion played a significant role in the rise of civic engagement at this time especially in the black community.

-      Organized labor increased importance in American life

-      1901-1910—youth organizations founded including the Boy and Girl Scouts, Campfire Girls, the 4-H, Boys Clubs and Girls Clubs, Big Brothers and Big Sisters, and the American Camping Association (393)

-      Settlement houses established for young middle-class men and women to educate and “uplift” the immigrant poor.

-      Kindergarten movement in early 1900s encouraged childhood creativity and was headed by women’s groups.

-      1890s—reading groups began to include social service and advocacy in their agenda (396)

-      “Periodic tent meetings [held] to draw citizens and political leaders into informal give-and-take on public issues” (397)

-      Progressives changed many public policies

o       Presidential primary elections, direct election of senators, secret ballot

A.     Debating the Progressive Era

-      About social reform, control, or revolution?

-      Racial segregation and social exclusion central to public agenda of the Progressive Era (400)

-      Civic organizations founded 1880-1910 have lasted for over a century.

-      “Willingness to err…is the price of success in social reform” (401).

 

CHAPTER 24:  Toward an Agenda for Social Capitalists

A.     Moving Forward

-      Bonds of our communities have weakened

-      Social change must be guided

-      New structures and policies must be created to encourage new civic engagement

-      Challenges ahead are both individual and collective

B.     Challenges in Six “Spheres”

-      Youth and Schools:  “Let us find ways to ensure that by 2010 the level of civic engagement among Americans then coming of age in all parts of our society will match that of their grandparents when they were that same age, and that at the same time bridging social capital will be substantially greater than it was in their grandparents’ era” (404).

o       Improve civic education

o       Employ more community service programs

o       Design service learning programs to improve civic knowledge, increase social responsibility, teach cooperation

o       Encourage participation in extracurricular activities

o       Create smaller schools or “schools within schools” to allow greater opportunities for involvement

-      The Workplace:  “Let us find ways to ensure that by 2010 America’s workplace will be substantially more family-friendly and community-congenial, so that American workers will be enabled to replenish our stocks of social capital both within and outside the workplace” (406).

o       Community or family-oriented workplaces benefit the employer as well

o       Reward companies or firms that enact positive change with respect to their employees’ family or the community

o       Increase availability of part time work which allows enough time for more active civic engagement

o       Provide opportunities for employees to connect socially with one another

-      Urban and Metropolitan Design:  “Let us ensure that by 2010 Americans will spend less time traveling and more time connecting with our neighbors than we do today, that we will live in more integrated and pedestrian-friendly areas, and that the design of our communities and the availability of public space will encourage more casual socializing with friends and neighbors” (408).

o       Increase mixed-use zoning

o       Create pedestrian-friendly street grids

o       Have more space for public use

-      Religion:  “Let us spur a new, pluralistic, socially responsible “great awakening,” so that by 2010 Americans will be more deeply engaged than we are today in one or another spiritual community of meaning, while at the same time becoming more tolerant of the faiths and practices of other Americans” (409).

o       Megachurches use contemporary entertainment and marketing, mixing religion and socializing

-      Arts and Culture:  “Let us find ways to ensure that by 2010 significantly more Americans will participate in (not merely consume or “appreciate”) cultural activities from group dancing to songfests to community theater to rap festivals.  Let us discover new ways to use the arts as a vehicle for convening diverse groups of fellow citizens” (411).

-      Politics and Government:  “Let us find ways to ensure that by 2010 many more Americans will participate in the public life of our communities—running for office, attending public meetings, serving on committees, campaigning in elections, and even voting” (412).

o       Campaign reform should increase social capital and decrease the importance of financial capital