How did INDUSTRIALIZATION affect the role of government?

GoldenBear

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Mar 2, 2000
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Yes, I'm just asking your opinions, not because I have to write a paper on it tomorrow or anything :)

So what are your guys' thoughts?
 

BA

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Dec 3, 1999
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The Industrial Revolution to me is just like a story I know called "The Puppy who Lost his Way"...
 

I think that with the boom of industry, it took the govts. roll from being a developer and rebel, down in the dirt, to one of being a over power a wathing eye.
Which is obviously more prevalent in todays society.
But I believe that was a foreshadow of today.
 

SuperGroove

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Dec 17, 1999
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As the economy grew larger, means of controlling became difficult. The government acted as sort of a moderator, instilling basic laws, protecting both the consumer and provider.


Meh?
 

saxman

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Oct 12, 1999
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The government played a huge part in the Industrial Revolution here in the US.


  • Its hard to believe but, did you know that the US army frequently and forcefully broke up strikes?
  • Land 1.5 times the size of Texas was given away to railroad companies.
  • The Group of presidents from about 1865 to ~ 1900 are frequently reffered to as the "Robber Barons"
  • The House of Commons of that time period has been reffered to as an "Auction House"

There is much more info out there...this is just a small sample.
 

ElFenix

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Mar 20, 2000
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<< Land 1.5 times the size of Texas was given away to railroad companies. >>



most of that was IN texas.


i'd say that what was the increasing size of the military's effect on gov't is a bigger question.
 

axelfox

Diamond Member
Oct 13, 1999
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You see, the puppy, or &quot;society,&quot; was lost....

Mr. Madison, what you just said had no relevence whatsoever to the question, and everyone here is more stupid than before. I award you no points.

Ok, a simple &quot;wrong&quot; could have been ok.
 

sandorski

No Lifer
Oct 10, 1999
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Most of the effects were indirect. The Industrial Revolution was the death knell of Feudal Rural society as people flocked to the cities looking for a better life. Urbanization concentrated populations, decimated the power of Feudal Lords, and generally forced governments to consider the issues of the poor.

I think that last point is the most significant. Before the IR, governments dealt mostly with the wealthy and powerful, because they controlled the majority of the population. As peasants urbanized old ways of control were obsoleted forcing governments to change.
Different governments reacted in different ways. In Britain, governments began moving towards a Democratic model, while in France an attempt to maintain the status quo eventually failed through Revolution.

To the Peasant, the role of government changed considerably. Before the IR, government was a faceless even insignificant council in some far off place. After the IR and as governments reformed to the new dynamic, government became central if not the most important force in the former Peasants lives. Government became a voice and seat of power for the powerless.



This is from memory, so some of my points may not be totally accurate, but I think it's close. :)
 

Gibson486

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Aug 9, 2000
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<<The Group of presidents from about 1865 to ~ 1900 are frequently reffered to as the &quot;Robber Barons&quot;>>

That is incorrect. The &quot;robber barons&quot; was a term given to the rich during to people such as Andrew Carnegie, who was accussed of being a greedy ruthless individual who ruined the compitition by unfair practices such as monopolies. Inversely, some referred to these people as Captains of Industry, who were people who worked hard and earned what they have. Infact, more than half of the presidents during 1865 - 1900 were awful and sometimes even useless(ie Useless S. Grant)