Bibliograph

Age of betrayal, the triumph of money in America, 1865-1900, Jack Beatty

Type

Label

Age of betrayal, the triumph of money in America, 1865-1900, Jack Beatty

Language

eng

Bibliography note

Includes bibliographical references (p. 395-463) and index

Illustrations

illustrations

Index

index present

Literary Form

non fiction

Main title

Age of betrayal

Nature of contents

bibliography

Oclc number

71812875

Responsibility statement

Jack Beatty

Sub title

the triumph of money in America, 1865-1900

Summary

A fresh look at the Gilded Age, when an oligarchy of wealth triumphed over democracy. At the end of the Civil War, with the rebellion put down and slavery ended, America belonged to Lincoln's "plain people." But "government of the people" and economic democracy were betrayed by political parties that fanned memories of the war to distract Americans from government of the corporation. Jay Gould, the "Mephisto of Wall Street, " never runs for office, but he rules. A depression brought on by railroad speculation throws millions out of work, the hungry riot for bread in Buffalo, the homeless sleep on Chicago's streets, strikers are shot, and the nation's presidents avert their eyes. God instructs President McKinley to invade Cuba and seize the Philippines from Spain; turning from liberators to occupiers, U.S. troops slaughter and starve the (Roman Catholic) Filipinos in the name of "Christianizing" them.--From publisher description

Table Of Contents

Annihilating space -- Rome of the railroads -- "Vote yourself a tariff" -- "Vote yourself a farm" -- The inverted Constitution -- The scandal of Santa Clara -- Anti-democracy -- Tom Scott, political capitalist -- Bread or blood -- The politics of the future -- Revolution from above -- Mississippi and the American way

Classification