The invention of the light bulb and telephone brought about significant changes to America in a relatively short period of time. More jobs were needed in factories, which enticed many immigrants and African Americans fleeing the South to fill those roles. It was often cheap labor that led to terrible working and living conditions. Children were working in factories, poverty and greed were at an extreme high, and migrants were often blamed. This doesn’t sound so different from the foreign Children who work for American companies overseas, the current economic and housing crisis, and the dehumanizing treatment of migrants and other people of color.
Child Labor
As demand for production rises, the need for labor does too. The issue here is corporations trying to turn over maximum profit leading them to take advantage of impoverished families. The cheap labor and long hours made production meet demand and turned over massive profits for the companies. This still happens to this day, just not where you can see it. Supply chains exacerbate poor and or underdeveloped civilizations the same way they did in America years ago. Due to the lack of oversight and minimal penalties, child labor still runs rampant. Who keeps up with the demand and consumerism in the US? The ones that can never access those necessities and frivolities, and the cycle goes round and round.
Economic Growth and Disparity
The mirroring doesn’t stop there. Back in the Gilded Age, people worked long hours day and night for pay that just barely covered the bills. Labor laws were put in place to instill a more hands-on economic government, an 8-hour work week, with minimum wage, and work regulations. While this may have worked for a while, housing began to grow far beyond what modern Americans can afford. JCHS of Harvard University came out with an Article titled Home Price-to-Income Ratio Reaches an All-Time High and said “Nationally, home prices grew by 43 percent between 2019 and 2022, while incomes grew by just seven percent in that same period.” This has caused many Americans to resort to renting and working nonstop around the clock to keep up with the economy which leaves them behind. Sound familiar?
Mass Migration and Blame
Lastly, the treatment of migrants and people of color was and still is utterly deplorable. These migrants saw that there were many job opportunities and decided to seek a better life for themselves and their families. No one told them they were to be taken advantage of and oppressed. A large influx of migration and jobs didn’t mix well with an unprepared, apathetic, and selfish economy. The same can be said today, as many seek the American dream, but so few can reach it. Migrants are blamed for the lack of jobs, homes, and many more ridiculous things, but in reality, it’s their own government and economy that have put them in this position.
Conclusion
The Gilded Age and Industrial Revolution tell us a lot about what too much greed and power can do to a society. We must look back and remember how it all started and how it’s become so twisted once again. That’s the whole point of history, to ensure lessons that were learned aren’t doomed to repeat.
Works Cited
Sleeper, Kelci. “Invisible Hands: Confronting Child Labor in Global Supply Chains on World Day against Child Labor 2025 – USCRI.” USCRI, 12 June 2025, refugees.org/invisible-hands-confronting-child-labor-in-global-supply-chains-on-world-day-against-child-labor-2025/.
Hermann, Alexander, and Peyton Whitney. “Home Price-To-Income Ratio Reaches Record High | Joint Center for Housing Studies.” Www.jchs.harvard.edu, 22 Jan. 2024, www.jchs.harvard.edu/blog/home-price-income-ratio-reaches-record-high-0.apien ornare eu. Nam et quam non ante interdum molestie. Aenean sed pulvinar justo. Aenean sit amet consectetur eros. Praesent a arcu justo. Mauris tempor ante vel facilisis maximus. Vestibulum ante ipsum primis in faucibus orci luctus et ultrices posuere cubilia curae; Vivamus nec nibh ut augue tempus cursus vitae ut ipsum.
