Reform 19th Century Essay

Several factors contributed to the unsuccessful reform efforts in the nineteenth century. A few major roadblocks were violent methods that monopolies used to combat the unions such as The National Guard, and Pinkerton Guards. Despite seeming like a positive aspect , rags to riches stories by Horatio Alger significantly reduced change due to the fact that the poor still believed they too could be rich. The last major issue that blocked reform was the fact that unions were viewed as radicals and anarchists.

The government support of the monopolies and violent methods used to control unions significantly halted the labor movements that attempted to correct what they viewed as faults in monopolies.For example the use of militia men and pinkertons to forcefully remove the unions during the carnegie strike. Despite the efforts
of the governor Illinois attempted to stop the use of troops against unions he was unsuccessful due to interference by President Grover Cleveland. Pinkerton guards were present at multiple strikes although the most famous being the carnegie strike where thousands striked and Henry Clay Frick used Pinkerton Guards to break up the strikers.
Another issue that halted the unions was the public's view on union strikers. Most citizens of the United States of America viewed them as anarchists due to multiple riots and the Haymarket Affair. The Haymarket Affair was a major strike that convinced the public due to the throwing of a bomb at multiple police members and killing a total of 74 people. Other riots such as the Carnegie Steel Strike where an assassination on Henry Clay Frick was attempted persuaded to the public that all unions were anarchists.
The rags to riches story type was a big part of capitalism and described in a series of books written by Horatio Alger.
Despite some millionaires like Andrew Carnegie had indeed come from poor families, research in the nineteenth century showed that almost 90% of millionaires come from middle or upper class families. A socialist party was almost formed in the U.S in the late Nineteenth century and early twentieth century due to the expanding gap between the rich and the poor. Working conditions were also horrendously bad as several people a day would be injured without any compensation. Even through such terrible times workers still had hope because of Horatio Alger's
books.

The attempts at reform was attempted many time by the poor but factors like Horatio Alger's rags to riches stories, the monopolies power over the government, guards for hire, and the bad reputation of the hated unions had failed reform.
The KL who had once had 700,000 members dwindled down to 100,000 and eventual failing of the group. The AFL who were once conducting strikes had it’s leader imprisoned or shot. Despite all the hard fights and loss of life the unions died
down.