Discussion #3: The late 19th-century self-made man.
Industrialization brought great wealth to America, but the price was quite high. The growing extremes of poverty and wealth that were being exhibited at the end of the 19th century, caused some to seek ways to make possible a just and humane society, while others sought justification for the emerging social order. The promise of success was made, promoting the idea that America was the land of opportunity and that hard work led to success. Social Darwinism was used to provide a scientific explanation for why some acquired great wealth while others barely survived. Rags-to-riches stories presented a picture of the opportunities that were available to all, and the success of the self-made man.
In order to prepare for this discussion forum:
- Review and identify the relevant sections of Chapter 19, that support your discussion.
- Review background information on the works of Horatio Alger Jr., and read one of his short stories: Ragged Dick, available on this linked site.
- Read this selection from Andrew Carnegie’s the Gospel of Wealth .
- Read this brief selection on written by Herbert Spencer, 1857, who applied Darwin’s theories of evolution to society. He also coined the phrase “survival of the fittest.”
After you have completed your readings post your response to ONE of the topics in the following question:
- How would you respond to someone who presents you with the arguments proposed by Social Darwinists, OR the stories written by Horatio Alger, OR Carnegie’s Gospel of Wealth (choose ONLY ONE of these), to explain the success or failures of individuals in the society? What evidence would you use to support your position? For this discussion, you must first identify and present their arguments, and then your counterargument. As you collect your information for this discussion you should keep in mind the opportunities that were available to many, but also the climate of racism that permeated parts of the American society and the legalized discrimination that existed.
In order to earn the full 100 points (100%) for this assignment, you must:
- Directly and completely answer at least ONE question. Please make sure that you clearly indicate which question you have chosen to discuss. Clearly and accurately explain your answer based on factual information contained in the assigned readings. (80 points)
- Students must respond to at least one fellow student’s posting explaining the reason(s) for their agreement or disagreement, with the arguments that have been presented, in order to get full credit for the discussion. (20 points)
- When posting your response to a fellow student’s comment, please try whenever possible, to select the question that you did not address for your discussion.
- Make sure that all statements are supported with facts from the reading selections.
Reminder: Please make sure to comply with all Netiquette Guidelines listed in the Getting Started module.