(no subject)
WOO HOO! I finished Zinn!
In Chapter 10, “The Other Civil War,” Howard Zinn addresses the conflict occurring between the different social classes during the 19th century while showing the negative effects this conflict had on society.
Zinn starts by defining the problem as essentially “The Rich v. The Poor.” He shows the filth and poverty that the poor lived in and contrasts it to the splendor and wealth that the rich lived in. The rich basically controlled the economy as well as society simply because they had the wealth to do so. On the other hand, the poor had no money and thus had virtually no power to change the conditions in which they were living. In addition to being completely impoverished, the poor were often ignored by the rich, the government, or anyone else who could possibly help. As Zinn puts it, “They were there- like slaves or Indians -invisible ordinarily, a menace if they rose.” Nobody wanted them around, but at the same, nobody had the means or desire to deal with them. Furthermore, as Zinn points out, the economic struggles of the 19th century often go unnoticed because of a bigger issue occurring at the time: The Civil War.
However, the Civil War itself that intensified the class rivalry even more. The poor were forced to fight while the rich could buy their way out of military service. Many workingmen had to leave their jobs, which supported their families, to serve for the army. Prices increases and labor shortages were prevalent during wartime. All these factors combined made the war very unpopular with the poor working class. As Zinn notes, “White workers of the North were not enthusiastic about a war which seemed to be fought for the black slave, or for the capitalist, for anyone but them.” The poor working class saw no reason or motivation to support the war, yet they were being forced to against their will because or their social status. With this added to their list of grievances, the poor felt even more abused, oppressed, and mistreated.
Furthermore, poor women, blacks, and immigrants faced even greater hardships. If they could find a job at all, they were paid less then their white, male counterparts for the same work. Also, because they were minorities and lacked certain rights that white males had, it was more difficult for them to improve their status. Not only did their social status set them back, but also the fact that they were a minority made it even harder.
It was only a matter of time before the poor and impoverished took action to improve their living conditions. First, they tried to do so civilly and democratically. When they couldn’t have an influence this way, they organized into unions and demanded higher pay, shorter workdays, a safer workplace, and better living conditions. However, when they once again saw no changes, they turned violent. Many rioted and protested in response to issues such as lower wages, longer work days, economic depressions, unsafe working conditions, and the draft. Despite their numerous efforts, they saw limited to no change at all. In 19th century America, the poor were truly oppressed, mistreated, and ignored while the rich lived lavish lives at the expense of the less fortunate.
In Chapter 10, “The Other Civil War,” Howard Zinn addresses the conflict occurring between the different social classes during the 19th century while showing the negative effects this conflict had on society.
Zinn starts by defining the problem as essentially “The Rich v. The Poor.” He shows the filth and poverty that the poor lived in and contrasts it to the splendor and wealth that the rich lived in. The rich basically controlled the economy as well as society simply because they had the wealth to do so. On the other hand, the poor had no money and thus had virtually no power to change the conditions in which they were living. In addition to being completely impoverished, the poor were often ignored by the rich, the government, or anyone else who could possibly help. As Zinn puts it, “They were there- like slaves or Indians -invisible ordinarily, a menace if they rose.” Nobody wanted them around, but at the same, nobody had the means or desire to deal with them. Furthermore, as Zinn points out, the economic struggles of the 19th century often go unnoticed because of a bigger issue occurring at the time: The Civil War.
However, the Civil War itself that intensified the class rivalry even more. The poor were forced to fight while the rich could buy their way out of military service. Many workingmen had to leave their jobs, which supported their families, to serve for the army. Prices increases and labor shortages were prevalent during wartime. All these factors combined made the war very unpopular with the poor working class. As Zinn notes, “White workers of the North were not enthusiastic about a war which seemed to be fought for the black slave, or for the capitalist, for anyone but them.” The poor working class saw no reason or motivation to support the war, yet they were being forced to against their will because or their social status. With this added to their list of grievances, the poor felt even more abused, oppressed, and mistreated.
Furthermore, poor women, blacks, and immigrants faced even greater hardships. If they could find a job at all, they were paid less then their white, male counterparts for the same work. Also, because they were minorities and lacked certain rights that white males had, it was more difficult for them to improve their status. Not only did their social status set them back, but also the fact that they were a minority made it even harder.
It was only a matter of time before the poor and impoverished took action to improve their living conditions. First, they tried to do so civilly and democratically. When they couldn’t have an influence this way, they organized into unions and demanded higher pay, shorter workdays, a safer workplace, and better living conditions. However, when they once again saw no changes, they turned violent. Many rioted and protested in response to issues such as lower wages, longer work days, economic depressions, unsafe working conditions, and the draft. Despite their numerous efforts, they saw limited to no change at all. In 19th century America, the poor were truly oppressed, mistreated, and ignored while the rich lived lavish lives at the expense of the less fortunate.