The Gilded Age was a term described by Mark Twain as the era of rapid economic growth during the late nineteenth century (Gilded Age.) The Gilded Age was an era in which there was a dramatic increase of not only industrialization, but also an increase of wages. During this era, two powerful philosophies influenced the growth of economic concentration and social conservation. These Philosophies were Gospel of Wealth and Social Darwinism (Gilded Age.)
The first Philosophy that was published was Gospel of Wealth which was published by steel industrialist Andrew Carnegie. Andrew Carnegie argued that the growth of monopoly capitalism was decreasing small business opportunities, promoting the exploitation of working people, and providing lack of competition in pricing of products for consumers (Progressive.) Carnegie proposed that the best way of dealing with the new phenomenon of wealth inequality was for the wealthy to redistribute their means in a responsible and thoughtful manner. Carnegie also argued against wasteful use of capital in the form of extravagance, irresponsible spending, or self-indulgence, instead promoting the administration of said capital over the course of one's lifetime toward the cause of reducing the stratification between the rich and poor. He believed that the wealthy should administer their riches responsibly in order to help others who less opportunities.
On the contrary, English Philosopher Herbert Spencer came up with the idea of Social Darwinism; which was the belief of “survival of the fittest.” (Social Darwinism - The Gilded Age. )This belief stated that only the strongest and the fittest would survive and flourish in society, while the weak and unfit should be allowed to die. Social Darwinists believed that the government should not interfere with poverty, and in no way should help these people. The Social Darwinism ideology negatively impacted America by giving wealthier Americans a justification to ignore the poor, having...