Zinn suggests that the US government’s non-intervention in business practices enabled exploitation and the growing gap between the rich and poor at the turn of the 20th century. At the same time, he points out that the free-market system enabled individuals from poor foundations to become self-made millionaires. During the period of 1890-1910 Big Businesses were steering US poloticians. Inventors founded these big businesses. These inventors included Thomas Edison, Daniel Drew, and Jay Gould. They payed the government to allow their buisnesses to spread. Throughout time the government was becoming a capitalist society where the government felt it was right to serve the interset of the rich for example the owners of busienesses and companies. As time passed politics became more involved in the businesses and companies. As big businesses began to grow, monopolies and trusts were being formed from them. Monopolies were when one person controls an entire product. When the government did not step in to stop it, the rich became richer, and widened the gap between the rich and poor. By 1899 the Standard Oil (notes John D. Rockefeller) company helped many other companies. Politics in the United States was deeply affected by racial, geographic, and social tensions. During the 1800's, each region of the United States had different needs and agendas. The Northeast was the center of commerce for the nation. The Southeast and Midwest were agricultural regions. The West was developing around the mining industry. Due to the differences in their agendas, politicians from the different regions were often at odds with each other. Wealthy businessmen built railroads to connect the regions and enable quicker transportation of raw materials and finished products. controlling the US government with large bribes, bonds, or just plain old cash. (Politicians and Big Business), (Railroads and Spread of Business) ( Money and Growing Economy)
-Joseph Mccall
Refrences:
1.) Howard Zinn's A Peoples history to the united states
2.) http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/A_People's_History_of_the_United_States
3.) http://www.historyisaweapon.com/zinnapeopleshistory.html
