BLOG 11: Progressive Era

It was a period of social activism and reform that flourished from the 1890s to the 1920s. Herbert Croly wrote one of the most powerful works during this era, which “justified a powerful Hamiltonian government as a means of realizing Jeffersonian goals of democracy and individual happiness.” In other words, it was the idea of combine both ideas and constructs a powerful country, a big government that promotes equality. He focused a lot on approaching to the idea of democracy. Individual liberty cannot be taken away and the government should not interfere but secured it. Also, governments should guarantee the individual liberty to people. However, this liberty brought a lot of conflict. The equality will not be regulated. Many will violate and try to over rule and work for their own interesting. Every individual will demand different interest and will demand for an equality, which many time, will not be fulfill and cannot be afforded. It will bring “ambiguities and self-contradictions.” Therefore, people will fight to have the same powers.

BLOG 10: W.E.B DuBois

William Edward Burghardt DuBois was an attacker of injustice and a defender of freedom.  He was against racism.  He was an intellectual leader of the black community in America. He wanted to find ways to overcome the racial discrimination. One of his most powerful writing is call “ The Souls of Black Folk.” This book contains essays on race. He believed that social science could provide the knowledge to solve the race problem. He expressed his disagreement with Jim Crow laws. He clashed with Booker T Washington who urged blacks to accept discrimination for the time being and elevate themselves through hard work and economic plan. DuBois disagreed with it and wanted all Negros to be free and had the same opportunity White Americans had.

BLOG 9: Social Darwinism

Social Darwinism refers to the idea of “the survival of the fittest.” Those are the people whom generate the wealth to the country. In addition, the best human being needed to fit, be healthy and responsible for his/her own wealth and actions. The most prominent form of such views stressed competition between individuals in free market capitalism. Moreover, it s associated with ideas of struggle between national or racial groups. Working class was just going to work for their own interesting while in the individual level lose sight of the larger society. This was the reason why people were dividing into different social level depending on their need and the stronger will survive. Plutocracy was the political system governs by the wealth people. It abused the government just to increase the wealth.

BLOG 8: Abraham Lincoln "Speech on the Dred Scott Decision"

Abraham Lincoln, considered by many as the greatest American president, was the 16^th president of the United States. He was the president during one of the most difficult situation of the United States, which was the Civil War. Lincoln was losing interest in politics when Kansas-Nebraska Act was passed by congress in 1854. This law promoted the slavery and immoral things as Lincoln viewed it. During his presidency, one of the most injustice cases took place. Dred Scott was a slave whom sued the Supreme Court demanding his liberty and freedom. He wanted to get his USA Citizenship.  The Supreme Court decided that a slave was not protected by the constitution and could never be U.S. citizens. Also, it was prohibited a slaves to sue in court. Basically, slaves were not considering human beings. I found it ridiculous. How can a person be classifying just because of skin color or where they come from? What makes a human being more human than others? 

BLOG 7:Civil Disobedience

Civil disobedience is the act of protest against what people believe it is unfair. It is the active refusal to obey certain laws. It is also know as being nonviolent resistance. In the United States of American, there have being certain civil disobedience that has marked the country. People use this technique to call the attention to a necessary change. Henry David Thoreau was essayist to protest against the authority of the government, which really wants to control people’s consciences. He was motivated by his disagreement with the slavery and the Mexican-American War. During that time, slavery was a difficult situation. It was getting out of control with the Fugitive Slave Act after the 1850. However, it was not the only problem but also the desire of America to become imperialism with the Mexican War.