¶ … Modern-Day Corruption and Graft
The Watergate incident that occurred in President Nixon's Administration is exemplary of modern day corruption. Here, the government under Nixon's presidency was recognized to have sanctioned a sequence of confidential monitoring operations conducted by highly-trained agents that was financed by illegal campaign contributions. The seriousness of the incident was such that Richard Nixon had to resign his presidency.
Booker T. Washington and W.E.B. Dubois offered differing philosophies, strategies, and tactics for African-Americans following Reconstruction. In your opinion, which of these leaders gave the best advice for their times? Why do you feel this way?
Booker T. Washington primarily believed that the approach to deal with the African-Americans after the Reconstruction was tolerance, adaptation, and self-assistance with maximum attention on the provision of job opportunities for possible advancement of the community W.E.B. Dubois, on the other hand, asserted that the best methodology was the use of campaigning disapproval of the segregation. Both leaders had polar opposite approaches but one could not be instigated without the other, hence it would have been more feasible if both approaches were blended to an extent to attain higher and equal penetration of the African-American community after the Reconstruction.
3. Historians have long debated whether Rockefeller, Carnegie, Morgan, et al., were ORGANIZATIONAL and INDUSTRIAL GENIUSES or ROBBER BARONS. What do you think? Relatively good men? Incredibly evil? A little of both, but more one way than the other? Would the United States have been better off without them? Why, or why not?
The three individuals aforementioned were all great industrial pioneers of their time, and without their efforts, the industrial revolution in the United States would not have surged as much as it did. Some individuals might view the individuals and others of their kind as good men due to their apt captaincy of their respective industries and others might consider them as good due to their philanthropic interests that surfaced later. That is my view, although I do understand how some individuals could view these individuals as oppressors and exploiters, but my stance is pro-capitalism which is why I view them as good men.
4. Has there been much change in the large, U.S. urban areas since the turn-of-the-century? Or, is it all still very much the same? Why do you feel this way? If you find inadequacies in today's urban condition, what can the government do to improve the situation?
Most of the modern urban planning is focused on primarily the beautification aspects of structures and all efforts for city planning, validation of city government, and increments in the nature and expanse of city services are focused thereof for visual appeal with little to no concern for the environmental pressures that they exert. All future urban planning must not only focus on the negative impacts that it will have on the environment but also focus on the exploitation of the natural resources. It is suggested that alternative sources be used for future urban planning ventures.
5. Why do you think the National Government refused to be more proactive (involved) or protective (concerned) for the environment or workers' rights by the end of the 1800's?
The expanding size and nature of the factories during the industrial revolution was the primary reason for ill-involvement and minimal concern shown by the government when it came to the environmental concerns or worker rights. The industrial revolution was bring in huge profits for the governments and simultaneously decreasing their input capital as majority of the work was done by the machines and minimal workforce was required, hence decreasing the percentage of wages which were minimal to begin with at the time (i.e. $400-$500 annually to serve an entire family).
6. Given the greed and aggressiveness of the other superpowers of the day, could the U.S. have done anything other than enter the "sweepstakes" for colonial territory? Could it have permitted its European rivals to gobble up most of the Earth's raw material-producing areas? Did a colony stand a better chance for humane treatment and eventual independence while being controlled by the U.S. Or by one of its European (or Japanese) competitors?
The expanse of colonial rule at the time left literally no choice for the Americans to expand in a similar fashion in order to have a role to play in the use of the abundant raw materials. In hindsight, the use of colonies perhaps was the reason that the Americans were able to have a methodical tactic to attain independence...
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