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A Free History Lesson
Sep. 2nd, 2009 09:19 amMore then a few libertarians argue that, prior to the "interventionists" of the early 20th Century, America was a lovely country, and all was right with our economic and political situation. One of their big arguments is that this was an era of "self reliance" and only if we revert to this ideal, all will be well. Although I truly believe the United States was and is the greatest country in the world, this argument is pure bullshit. Especially problematic for America is the period we refer as the Gilded Age (1865-1901).
During the Gilded Age, we tried a libertarian approach to government. It failed. Much like communism always results in totalitarianism, libertarianism always results in corporatism. Simply put, power abhors a vacuum.
Corporatism as a system of government sucks for the governed. It results in private police forces shooting strikers, low wages, company stores, child labor and limited availability of health care. It sucked so hard that in the 1900 election, both major parties were for reform - the issue was how much reform.
Now, defenders of the era are correct in saying that the US did develop a lot of new technology, industrialize, and expanded into our final boundaries. What they tend not to note was that this industrialization, expansion and invention was by no means limited to the US. The Gilded Age saw the unification of Germany and Italy, as well as the expansion of European empire to every corner of the world. At any rate, the Gilded Age was not all bad. Few eras are - even the Dark Ages gave us stirrups and clocks.
My point remains the same. Self-reliance did not work for the average American at the time. Even considering that health care technology was very limited (the first antibiotics, sulfa drugs, wouldn't be introduced until the 1920s), working people did not get very good health care. Charities were overwhelmed by the need. Factory laborers, store clerks, and general working people were simply unable to generate enough excess resources to provide for any sort of cushion, be it for health care or layoffs.
This failure is why Otto von Bismarck created the modern socialized health care system in the 1880s. To this was added a whole host of other reforms, from minimum wage to safer working conditions. Even a conservative, devoted to the glory of a monarch, could see that the existing system didn't work.
During the Gilded Age, we tried a libertarian approach to government. It failed. Much like communism always results in totalitarianism, libertarianism always results in corporatism. Simply put, power abhors a vacuum.
Corporatism as a system of government sucks for the governed. It results in private police forces shooting strikers, low wages, company stores, child labor and limited availability of health care. It sucked so hard that in the 1900 election, both major parties were for reform - the issue was how much reform.
Now, defenders of the era are correct in saying that the US did develop a lot of new technology, industrialize, and expanded into our final boundaries. What they tend not to note was that this industrialization, expansion and invention was by no means limited to the US. The Gilded Age saw the unification of Germany and Italy, as well as the expansion of European empire to every corner of the world. At any rate, the Gilded Age was not all bad. Few eras are - even the Dark Ages gave us stirrups and clocks.
My point remains the same. Self-reliance did not work for the average American at the time. Even considering that health care technology was very limited (the first antibiotics, sulfa drugs, wouldn't be introduced until the 1920s), working people did not get very good health care. Charities were overwhelmed by the need. Factory laborers, store clerks, and general working people were simply unable to generate enough excess resources to provide for any sort of cushion, be it for health care or layoffs.
This failure is why Otto von Bismarck created the modern socialized health care system in the 1880s. To this was added a whole host of other reforms, from minimum wage to safer working conditions. Even a conservative, devoted to the glory of a monarch, could see that the existing system didn't work.
