The Great Strike of 1877 by Eric Leif Davin - Essay Sample

The Great Strike of 1877 is a novel examining the events surrounding the tremendous labor upheaval that occurred in America for over a century. Davin sets the novel in the American society of the post-Napoleonic Wars and the Great War. Several societal, economic, and political factors contributed to the two weeks of destruction and burning in America. To effectively communicate his theme, Davin subdivides the novel into three distinct sections. These are the fuse, the match, and the blast. The fuse introduces the characters and the neutral settings that laid the foundations for the Great Strike. Some of these include the economic disparity that builds around the aristocratic and the ordinary citizens of America. Some of the vital characters used in the fuse include Winnareta Singer, Clara Ward, Leland Stanford, Collis Huntington, and Henry Payne, among others. The match, in the novel, reflects on the events that preceded the blast that actually caused the Great Strike. The blast specifically analyzes the events at Pittsburg before and after its burning.

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The historical novel relates to the social, political, and economic climate of the time in numerous ways. Economically, the American citizens were suffering from the aftermaths of the Panic of 1873. The wars that had preceded the Great Strike had negative impacts on the financial and economic position of the people. Therefore, the actions of John W. Garrett, who by then was the president of the Baltimore & Ohio Railroad, sparked the Great Strike. He canceled the 10 percent of the cuts that the workers had on their wages. The signing off of the cut had a severe effect on the brakeman’s salary of $1.35. It is worth noting that the cut was the second to be implemented in the year. The worst economic situation, therefore, enhanced the grounds for the strike. Davin, in the novel, offers a detailed analysis of these events. The social environment of the people was one of the vital factors contributing to the war, as addressed by Davin in the novel. The rift between the wealthy and the poor gradually brewed the poverty amongst the citizens, which finally broke into the strike.

Right from the opening of the novel, Davin makes it clear that wealth and richness are central in the story. Winnareta Singer and Clara are two women who the author uses to illustrate the aspect of wealth and social status in the community. The elevated social status of the characters in the novel played a significant part in the political arrangement of society. The “millionaires club” was the determining factor for the appointment of the political leaders. Therefore, the political portrayal in the novel is more of a way of protecting the needs, desires, and financial interests of the barons. Some of the key political figures presented in the novel include Leland Stanford, Collis Huntington, and Henry Payne, among others. The form of government established by these characters was that which stemmed from economic power and corporate power. It undermined the aspect of the people, by the people and for the people that had been introduced by Lincoln.

The distribution of wealth for the characters and community presented in the novel was never equal. While the barons were extremely rich fellas, ordinary Americans were poor and languished in abject poverty. The disparity in the political affluence and wealth distribution was the primary factor that caused significant concerns in the community. Davin, in the novel, explores the roles that different political rulers, such as presidents, played in the late 1800s in America. Two such presidents are Andrew Johnson and his successor Ulysses Grant. These two leaders are a representation of the state of the political atmosphere at the time. Grant, in the text, stands as an example of the leaders rising from a humble beginning and change once they acquire wealth. Davin states that Grant was exhausted by his poverty situation. As a result, he dropped the war against autocracy and economic influence and resonated with the politics of the rich and wealthy people in the community.

The characters ad the setting of the novel are a vital tool for the communication of the relationship between the strike and industrialization. The violence that erupted and the strike was critically essential in the establishment of the grounds for the industrial revolution to thrive. The shock of industrialization meant that machinery would replace the human resources that were initially used in many manufacturing, agriculture, and processing processes. The same was true for the constriction of the railroad. The Great Strike called the political class and the aristocrats to the realization that they needed to do more to reduce overreliance on the workforce. In other words, the characters that Davin used in the novel communicate the importance of investing in automated systems. The free or cheap labor the served the aristocrats was coming to an end. Therefore, the characters in the novel demonstrate the approaches that brought about changes in the economic, social, and political environment of the United States. They are also an essential tool for portraying the characteristics of the Gilded Age that sparked the Great Strike.

The novel addresses the different economic situations of American citizens at the time. The difference in economic levels and class shaped characters’ outlooks and actions, paving the way for the strike. Those who toiled and remained in the lower class and struggled with abject poverty were angry and stressed. The struggles of working at the railroad and consistent pay cuts pushed these people to the limits. Additionally, those in political powers perpetrated economic injustices to the poor. Eventually, they had to react to the economic injustices through the strike as a way of airing their grievances.

According to the novel, several social, political, and economic environments contributed to the strike and the violence that accompanied it. The differences in the social status ensured that there emerged two sides of social backgrounds. Politically, the rich controlled everything, including the economy. The appointment of the top officials in the political positions ensured that those in power were from the rich or millionaire club. These, among others, were some of the reasons behind the occurrence of the strike and violence. The prolonged labor disputes, coupled with the challenging economic situation for the workers, was the primary factor leading to the Great Strike of 1877. The Financial Panic, cutting down of wages for the workers, and reduced salaries intensified the tensed atmosphere. At Pittsburg, workers had to turn into violent crowds and engaging the security guards and militia recruited to deal with the violence and strike. The characters in the book justified their actions depending on their social status or political class. Those in the aristocratic position felt that the strike and violence were unessential and uncalled for. However, those from the impoverished class saw the Great Strike as the only form of liberation from their life struggles.

In conclusion, Davin’s novel is essential in portraying the events preceding the Great Strike as well as analyzing the social, economic, and political state of America in the 19th century. Both the American Yawp and the events in the novel help in understanding the issues shaping the grounds for the Great Strike. The book itself offers events in chronological order with characters that readers can quickly identify with and relate to the problems and settings. Additionally, it presents the crucial factors that necessitated the Great Strike of 1877. The aristocrat class, the poor working conditions, low and ever-reducing salaries were some of the significant factors that the author addresses in the novel to be the causes of the strike. The Great Strike, according to the book, was instrumental in the industrial revolution and changes in free labor.