The Role Of Industrialization In Upton Sinclair's The Jungle

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The late 1800’s brought a wave of people to the United States as the American dream erupted into a reality. The industrialization is characterized by massive factories, unfathomable industrial output and Immigration of epic proportions. Between the creation of the assembly line and transcontinental railroads, the United States had become the greatest and most efficient industrial empire in history. During this time of industrial extremity, factory work was dangerous and tenement life was depressing. The rise of industrialization and the inflow of immigrants positively influenced America’s economy but created rampant moral turpitude, negatively influencing the ideals of America. In a century, the U.S. changed from a loose group of farmers to …show more content…
“One of the necessary accompaniments of capitalism in a democracy is political corruption,” this quote is from Upton Sinclair, in The Jungle, (Sinclair). The book The Jungle highlights the difficulty in being a migrant worker during the time of the industrial revolution. Sinclair shines light upon the pestilence, famine and purely dangerous qualities of being a lower class, working citizen in the time of factories and locomotives. During his story, he focuses on a man named Jurgis Rudkis, a Lithuanian immigrant who is struggling to make his daily due in Chicago with his family. This family goes on to purchase a subpar tenement home with all of their savings and that is followed by their eviction. As the story progresses, the family must all find work and they all must also become nefarious dwellers of a twisted world. Many families looked forward to finding money and happiness in America like the Rudkis’, but many are met with the shackles clasped on them by industrial giants taken by …show more content…
Without the flowing rivers of blood from machine rooms, coal mines and construction sites throughout 19th century America, the America we know today would not exist. The negative aspects of industrialization were death, poverty, disease, depravity and other difficulties for the working class. Positive influences were deflation, a boost to national economy, global recognition and the integration of the free market economy. The rise of industrialization and immigration were necessary to give the U.S. the wealth, power and influence to stay on par with other national powers in its time. Yet the moral decay and extreme corruption left an overall negative influence on America’s
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