AMERICAN HISTORY SINCE 1900 Assignment Two - Essay Example

The argument that social benefits would result from unrestrained enterprise sounds very sincere when one reads Hoover’s writing. He actually adopts a moderate position at some points, recognizing that abuses of power do occur in the business world. He acknowledges that exploitation is possible; therefore he renounces a laissez faire attitude towards the regulation of business (Hawley, 218). The problem arises, says Hoover, when government exerts too much control over business. That is when abuses occur, only this time it is the government in the role of abuser.

Finding the balance seems to be his message, but he undeniably states that the vast majority of business should be unregulated or else individual freedom would be lost. These documents reveal that Hoover really views business as a noble benefactor to all who participate. He seems to assume that businesses will pay a fair wage because it is the right thing to do. He also seems to assume that discrimination of any type does not exist. Discrimination of sex, religion or ethnicity really hinders the freedom of some groups in America.

He ignores the fact that business does nothing to address discrimination and the resulting loss of freedom for the individuals affected. Work Cited Hawley, Ellis W. Herbert Hoover as Secretary of Commerce: Studies in New Era Thought and Practice. Des Moines: University of Iowa, 1981. Print. Americans responded positively to the new business spokesmen because their priorities had shifted and they were looking for a new way to address the ills of society. Americans have always felt that their nation was unique among other nations.

Some have expressed the idea that America was a sort of Promised Land because of the ideals that are expressed in the Constitution. Others point the freedoms in the Bill of Rights while some point to the abundant natural resources of America as evidence for the nation’s success. That said, most Americans recognize that there are still abiding difficulties in our society. Discrimination, poverty and homelessness are problems that were present in the 1920’s, and they still exist today. Americans were so receptive to the idea that business could solve all of societies ills because they recognized some in America were treated unfairly and that there was inequality.

Business was so attractive partly because many of the other social institutions had failed to remedy the problem. It is apparent that the writing of the pro-business supporters exposes some assumptions Americans make about their society based on past experiences. Specifically, it shows that Americans have long looked to religion and education to help cure some of the ills in society. Edward Purington was such a supporter of business that he said there was more Christianity in a square inch of the office equipment of leading industrialists that there was in an entire Sunday congregation (Lorence, 188).

For Americans to buy into this sort of rhetoric, they must have had bad prior experiences with religion and education. Work Cited Lorence, James. Enduring Voices: From 1865. Washington D.C.: Heath, 1993. Print. The 1920’s were a time of great social change. Many different groups were trying to advocate for their place in society. Division along ethnic lines was especially fierce during this decade. Mexican and Japanese immigrants were routinely denied citizenship and discriminated against in the courts.

The rise of the KKK happened during this decade as well