Age of Betrayal

How America sold its soul in the 'Age of Betrayal'

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In their hundreds they answered his call. In all these bitter years you will find nothing so moving. At the time, how much did the everyday worker understand that his government was being controlled by the interests of the wealthy? The inarticulate neither wrote many letters nor left memoirs.

But to judge by the number of strikes—between and , 1, , men, women, and children went on strike in Pennsylvania alone! So how did the parties get their votes? Nothing could be done with the unregenerate parties and nothing could be done outside them. Railroads changed the economic landscape of America and the world almost overnight.

Do you see a similarity today as technology allows for instant, global connection and communication? Nothing today, economic historians argue, compares to the existential difference the railroad made in American lives. In , via the just-opened Boston and Lowell Railroad, it took four hours. The railroad was a change in kind.

Questions?

What parallels do you see between the Gilded Age and our current time? Let us count the ways. First, the grip of organized money on politics and policy. In Gilded Age One, a survey of the census found, 4, families possessed as much wealth as 11,, families. The veto power the rich exercised over politics in Gilded Age One blocked the adoption of income taxes.

Government relied instead on regressive taxes on property, on drink and on tobacco—as well as the sly tariff tax. The movement faces a presidential veto should it get through a Republican-led filibuster on the Senate floor. Inequality today follows decades of broadly-based prosperity and narrowing inequality, the fruit of the egalitarian policies introduced by the New Deal. Our ancestors lived before equality; they could not imagine a fairer future. We live after equality; we have forgotten a fairer past. A hard-to-document parallel is a loosening of the restraint of shame then and now.

In Gilded Age One the Chicago Tribune ran weekly summaries of duels, yet money-honor was everywhere honored in the breach. When public codes of decency collapse, people who act honorably come to feel like suckers. That happened then and happens now as the papers bring news of the self-dealing CEO du jour and the latest sell-out of the public to the private interest by government officials. There is an exhaustion of indignation in both eras, a moral numbing, a sinking of expectations.

Who expects better of public life—of public men and women—today? This was an era of unrestrained capitalist growth, the creation of huge personal fortunes including John D. Ro Conservative historians like to complain that histories written with the present in mind results in bad history. Rockefeller the world's first Billionaire , systemic political corruption i. Written with a clear eye towards our own moment - please note that the NYTimes has recently begun referring to our current era as a "New Gilded Age" - The Age of Betrayal provides current readers with an arsenal of relevant historical and comparative insights.

The real strength of this work is that it places the growth of the modern business corporation at the center of American history, focusing in particular on the Santa Clara case With the Santa Clara case, the US Supreme Court granted the modern business corporation the legal rights of individual persons under the 14th Amendment.

Now, it was no mistake that the same sitting Court was actively depriving blacks of these very rights and protections while handing them over to the corporate "legal personage" who has "no body to incarcerate nor soul to save. Dec 22, Jerry Landry rated it liked it Shelves: While I think this book had some really fascinating facts and analysis in it and helped to improve my knowledge of the time between and in the US, I almost feel that it would have been better served to have had its subject matter divided up into a few books.

As a reader, I felt disoriented jumping from two chapters about the Supreme Court to two chapters about Tom Scott and the Pennsylvania Railroad to a chapter about Populism and so on and so forth. The transitions between topics were While I think this book had some really fascinating facts and analysis in it and helped to improve my knowledge of the time between and in the US, I almost feel that it would have been better served to have had its subject matter divided up into a few books.

The transitions between topics were a bit too abrupt from me. Also, for a book with the mission to examine a certain period of time, I felt that there was a great deal of time spent analyzing the antebellum and Civil War era. While useful and insightful analysis, I did not anticipate there being so much of an emphasis on pre Overall, I do recommend this book as Beatty does a great job at analyzing what, at times can be muddy issues in the history of America, but would warn readers that sometimes the text can take a circular route around the focus of each chapter, so just sit back and enjoy the ride to where Beatty's thought process takes you.

This is a first-rate history of the Gilded Age that shows very clearly the betrayal Beatty's title refers to -- how special interests managed to corrupt the government and one of its noblest achievements the 14th Amendment to empower corporations. It's a searing book about how the system once worked against the very people government is supposed to protect -- we the people -- and instead became an instrument for the wealthy and powerful to protect themselves. One nit I would pick is Beatty's h This is a first-rate history of the Gilded Age that shows very clearly the betrayal Beatty's title refers to -- how special interests managed to corrupt the government and one of its noblest achievements the 14th Amendment to empower corporations.

One nit I would pick is Beatty's habit of sometimes trying to mix what are essentially book reviews into his book: But overall, a good summary of an era that continues to prove controversial in American history. Jul 13, Zack Anchors rated it really liked it.

Age of Betrayal

All those people chattering so much about "populist rage" these days need to read this book, a history of late 19th century populist uprising and related events. Then, as now, vigorous debate over substantive economic issues became watered down by the infusion into the political discourse of completely phony issues -- most notably the "currency question". Ultimately, whether the US used silver or gold as the standard for its currency didn't matter all that much. But the choice was rife with symb All those people chattering so much about "populist rage" these days need to read this book, a history of late 19th century populist uprising and related events.

But the choice was rife with symbolic potential. To adopt anything other than the gold standard would be to accept impurity, to, as Henry Adams wrote, "attempt by artificial legislation to make something true. Sep 16, Todd Thompson rated it really liked it Shelves: The period of in America is the subject of this book, characterized by the author as a betrayal of a higher moral longing in American culture after a hard-fought and bloody period of civil war. Described in great depth, Beatty tells the stories of the building of the railroads, the incumbent risk and eventual wealth of those who built them, along with the empires created around them, subjecting this Gilded Age accomplishment to a critical analysis and showing convincingly the social an The period of in America is the subject of this book, characterized by the author as a betrayal of a higher moral longing in American culture after a hard-fought and bloody period of civil war.

Described in great depth, Beatty tells the stories of the building of the railroads, the incumbent risk and eventual wealth of those who built them, along with the empires created around them, subjecting this Gilded Age accomplishment to a critical analysis and showing convincingly the social and political prices that were paid by those upon whose backs the few became wealthy. The most engaging story in the book is that of the failure of populism to turn the tide and redirect the political realities toward the higher moral longing of the post-Civil War country.

Apr 18, Bill rated it really liked it. I think the late 19th century is very interesting This is a very liberal biased look at that time but, being very liberal, I found little that was amiss! It was the gilded age - the time of the Robber Barons - the civil war was over and the United States were becoming the dominant power in the world Slavery had all but returned in the South with the death of Reconstruction and the deal with t I think the late 19th century is very interesting Slavery had all but returned in the South with the death of Reconstruction and the deal with the Democratic Party.

The concept of the corporation had it's birth here for better or worse. This would not be the only book to read about this time but it should not be missed. Fantastic read, especially for anyone interested in a true, un-filtered understanding of the Reconstruction Era of US history and what the start of industrialization really looked like in the US.

Another great takeaway was insight to the modern day foundation of the Democratic and Republican parties, and the Populist and Progressive undercurrents that were disruptive forces and shaped our history and the ideals of each of the parties. A great find on the internet is Jack Beatty himself giving a le Fantastic read, especially for anyone interested in a true, un-filtered understanding of the Reconstruction Era of US history and what the start of industrialization really looked like in the US.

A great find on the internet is Jack Beatty himself giving a lecture on his book, which conveys the voice of passion. The book is not a easy, casual read, so Beatty's enthusiasm in this video gives the book a fresher voice: A rambling, analogy-ridden book that skips it's way through the details of the titular era.

While the subject matter is, by itself, too broad of a subject to accomplish with any single volume in the style of the author's verbose, quote-driven writing; the text somehow still manages to disconnect the natural narrative turns of the period and ham-hands several poor segues onto us the most notable occuring between Chs.

A most impressive piece of Gilded Age scholarship The end notes are amazing.

Gratuitous over-usage of obscure words sent me to the dictionary too often, and numerous sentences took multiple readings to parse their meanings. That said, it's an important book on one of the crucial eras of American history: Sep 06, Anthony Vivirito added it. I knew nothing in detail of "standardized time" and the true impact of the rail system on our emerging economy and clas at the turn of the century.

Beatty writes with a certain fluidity that makes this book less of a hisotry lesson and more like a travel guide through the preindustrialized U. I recommend it highly! Beatty tells engaging stories about politics, law, industry, labor and reform in post civil war america showing how the rich got richer and the poor got poorer. Perhaps most disturbing is the way in which an industry friendly and racist supreme court interpreted the 14th amendment as protecting the "privileges and immunities" of corporations but not freed slaves as was intended.

This seems to be a common theme among books arguing that there was a particular time when business became more powerful in American society: They always seem to hint at an alternative but don't really seem to have it. At any rate, this book is full of interesting statistics and stories. They may not all add up to anything in particular but they certainly add color. Jun 16, Jack rated it did not like it Shelves: I generally agree with Jack Beatty's interpretations and judgments on the topic.

However, this book suffers from poor organization, lack of focus, and truly opaque writing.

Age of Betrayal: The Triumph of Money in America, by Jack Beatty

Regrettably it's one of the very few nonfiction books that I consider "unreadable". Feb 26, Paula rated it liked it.

Not an easy read too many quotes, too much material to synthesize but a most interesting look at the economic and political history of the "Gilded Age". It doesn't sound much different from the way things are today, unfortunately--entirely too much corporate influence.

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Aug 12, Sean Chick rated it did not like it. Disorganized, ham-fisted, and supported by a poor use of source. Oh, and he gets lots of basic facts wrong. But hey, when you are part of the intellectual elite, you get a free pass to fail.

The Triumph of Money in America, 1865-1900

What is true has become true on Wall Street is true in scholarship. He has conducted a vast amount of research, much of it based on the work of distinguished historians such as Eric Foner and C. But the reliance on extensive quotes comes at the sacrifice of smooth reading. The original version misspelled Mr. And Beatty believes that history is repeating itself.

Like many observers, he fears the increasing income disparities of our own era herald a "New Gilded Age. Already a Monitor Daily subscriber? This website uses cookies to improve functionality and performance. By continuing to browse the site you are agreeing to our use of cookies. Monitor Daily Current Issue. A Christian Science Perspective. Beatty offers an angry look at the corporate greed and racism of post-Civil War America. May 22, By Terry Hartle. Could you pass a US citizenship test? Next up Here are more stories that look at the news with empathy, insight, and hope. You've read 5 of 5 free stories.

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