How did the rise of big businesses impact social and political thought in the second half of the nineteenth century? Consider how it was justified and argued as a social good, how the federal government responded, at first, to the suggestion that it should intervene to help the poor and needy, and what kinds of arguments were made against large corporations and the incredibly rich.

Impact of Big Businesses

For this assignment, you must write a 1000-word analytical essay responding to the prompt below. The essay should effectively engage with the readings and lecture materials and offer analysis rather than assertion or opinion. Be sure to clearly answer the prompt and to demonstrate your reasoning through use of the course materials. Use Chicago style.

How did the rise of big businesses impact social and political thought in the second half of the nineteenth century? Consider how it was justified and argued as a social good, how the federal government responded, at first, to the suggestion that it should intervene to help the poor and needy, and what kinds of arguments were made against large corporations and the incredibly rich.

Use the following readings:

• “William Graham Sumner and Social Darwinism”
• “Andrew Carnegie and the Gospel of Wealth”
• “Veto of the Texas Seed Bill”
• “Omaha Platform”
• “Roosevelt on the New Nationalism”

(Access readings from the internet).