Effect of the Industrial Revolution:

 

         Ida Tarbell belonged to a group of crusading writers named Muckrakers. (1) These early investigative journalists wrote exposing compositions during the Industrial Revolution. The Muckrakes first prime targets were the trusts, railroads, corporate organizations, and later the government and urban political machines. (2) The Muckrakers works prompted many reforms during the Industrial Revolution. Theodore Roosevelt believed the Muckrakers concentrated only on the wrongs of the nation, ignoring the good. (2) He believed the Muckrakes brought up unnecessary and petty controversies. Many members of the Muckrakers were greatly influenced by personal altercations. (5) Ida Tarbell wrote The History of the Standard Oil Company, which revealed the corrupt and unjust inner workings of John D. Rockefeller’s monopoly. (1) It was later revealed Tarbell’s Father was forced out of business by Rockefeller. (4)

         Henry George was born and raised in a lower middle-class family, his career developed before he became an economist and land reformer. He began to fail as an economist, which caused him to recognize the corruption, scandals, and overall injustice. (3) In 1879, George wrote Progress and Poverty where he proposed the concept of the single tax. The single tax plan forced the state to tax all economic rent, which was income from the use of bare and unused land, but not from improvements. The concept also forced the abolishing of all other forms of taxes. (3)

 

Reforms:

 

        Ida Tarbell proposed her reform ideals through the publishing of her book The History of the Standard Oil Company. Tarbell devoted her life to in-depth research of Rockefeller’s endeavors in Standard Oil. (4) Her book was a comprehensive exposé about the corruption and injustice in the inner workings of the business. Tarbell recognized the genius of Rockefeller and his faultless business structure he had developed. (1) She revealed the unfair predicament of other independent Pennsylvanian oil workers that was created by Rockefeller’s dominance but was careful to not denounce capitalism. (1) Tarbell’s work revealed to the public eye the dishonesty that existed in big business and left it to the people to judge.

         Henry George proposed the single tax concept. George was convinced taxes suppressed production of goods; income tax would diminish people’s motivation to produce. (3) He believed in taxing the natural land on which production took place, not including any improvements. George believed that almost all economic issues emerged from “The fact that the land on which and from which all must live is made exclusive property of some”. (3) Both Tarbell and George worked as an aid of the middle and lower classes. One was they differed was in their delivery of their reforms. They believed in an economic structure which favored both small and large business, and was overall equitable to all.

 

Arguments: 

 

         Ida Tarbell asserted against the dominance of Rockefeller’s Standard Oil monopoly. She believed it cast a damaging shadow over the small independent businesses of America. Tarbell supported her beliefs with the research that formed her book, her knowledge came from years of investigation into the industry of Rockefeller. (1) Henry George supported his single tax plan with his belief that it would produce more frequent booms and fewer busts. (3) George believed it would stimulate the economy a keep it stable. 

 

Result:

 

         Ida Tarbell’s work was effective and resulted in the Supreme Court breaking up the Standard Oil Company. (4) Tarbell also influenced a new generation of investigative journalism which still exists today. (1) Tarbell received many awards and honors for her work. Henry George’s ideas were widely supported during the time. In more modern times economists understand his single tax plan to be flawed. Many economists and reformers were greatly influenced by George’s book Poverty and Progress. (3) Overall these reformers were successful in integrating their  reforms. Both went about it in different ways, but the result was the same. 

 

 

Bibliography:

 

1.)  ”Biography: Ida Tarbell." PBS. PBS, n.d. Web. 10 Feb. 2016. <http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/americanexperience/features/biography/rockefellers-tarbell/>.

 

2.)   Brinkley, Alan. The Unfinished Nation: A Concise History of the American People. Boston: McGraw-Hill, 2004. Print.

The Editors of Encyclopædia Britannica. "Henry George | American Economist." Encyclopedia Britannica Online. Encyclopedia Britannica, n.d. Web. 10 Feb. 2016. <http://www.britannica.com/biography/Henry-George>.

 

3.)   ”Henry George." : The Concise Encyclopedia of Economics. Library of Economics and Liberty, 2008. Web. 10 Feb. 2016. <http:www.econlib.org/library/Enc/bios/George.html>.

 

4.)   King, Gilbert. "History, Travel, Arts, Science, People, Places | Smithsonian." History, Travel, Arts, Science, People, Places | Smithsonian. N.p., 5 July 2012. Web. 10 Feb. 2016. <http:www.smithsonianmag.com/history/the-woman-who-took-on-the-tycoon-651396/>

 

5.)  The Editors of Encyclopædia Britannica. "Muckraker | Journalism." Encyclopedia Britannica Online. Encyclopedia Britannica, n.d. Web. 11 Feb. 2016. <http://www.britannica.com/topic/muckraker>.

 

Wikipedia. Ida M Tarbell. Digital image. Https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/4/4f/Battle_of_Antietam.png. Wikipedia, n.d. Web. 9 Feb. 2016. <https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/0/07/Ida_M_Tarbell_crop.jpg>.

 

Henry George Cigar Box. Digital image. Steadystate.org. Steadystate, n.d. Web. 10 Feb. 2016. <http://steadystate.org/wp-content/uploads/henryGeorgeCigarBox.jpg>.

 

HenryGeorge. Digital image. Econlib. Econlib, n.d. Web. 9 Feb. 2016. <http://www.econlib.org/library/YPDBooks/George/George.gif>.

 

A Horrible Monster. Digital image. Motherjones. N.p., n.d. Web. 10 Feb. 2016. <http://www.motherjones.com/files/images/horrible-monster600.jpg>.