Ideology of the New Order

1. Ideology of the New Order American Religious History – Post Civil War to Present Dr. Donald E. Harpster

2. Ideology of the New Order • Classical Economics • Thomas Malthus – “Essay on Principle of Population” • David Ricardo – “Iron Law of Wages” • Social Darwinism • Herbert Spencer • William Graham Sumner • Gospel of Wealth • General • Andrew Carnegie • Success Myth – Horatio Alger • Legal Defense of Laissez-faire

3. Classical Economics • Malthus – Principle of Population • Food Supply – (1-2-3-4-5-6) • Population – (1-2-4-8-16-32) • Population will grow much faster than food supply resulting in poverty and even starvation Thomas Malthus

4. Classical Economics • Ricardo – Iron Law of Wages • Wages be no higher than to maintain the work force at a subsistence level • Higher wages – More children – increase population – wages will go down to previous level • To pay more is unnatural/ lower wages are a kindness David Ricardo

5. Social Darwinism • Herbert Spencer • The human condition • All of life is a jungle-like struggle to keep alive • Survival of the fittest • Need struggle for the improvement of the race • Two laws • Law of absolute freedom • Law of conduct and consequences • Welfare will only take from the fit to help the unfit, blocking progress • Government – soldier, policeman, & judge

6. Social Darwinism • William Graham Sumner • Founder of modern sociology • American disciple of Spencer • Soften Spencer’s doctrines a bit • Do nothing during a depression to aid the poor • Both Spencer’s and Sumner’s ideas were thought of as part of the natural order, scientific, and therefore could not be changed.

7. Gospel of Wealth • Popular Conception • “Godliness is in league with riches.” – Bishop Lawrence • “. . .no man suffers from poverty unless it be more than his fault – unless it be his sin.” – Henry Ward Beecher Bishop William Lawrence Henry Ward Beecher

8. Gospel of Wealth • Russell H. Conwell • Baptist minister in Philadelphia • “Acres of Diamonds” sermon • O.K. to be wealthy

9. Gospel of Wealth • Andrew Carnegie • Wealthy Industrialist in Steel • Concerned about the disparity between rich and poor

10. Gospel of Wealth • Options for the man of wealth to see it is used properly • Family – ruin character of sons • Charity – degrading for the poor • State – misuse it • Self – the best, dispose of it during lifetime or create a foundation to create self-help projects such as libraries, etc.

11. Success Myth – Horatio Alger • Cult of the self-made man • Success is due to practice of virtue and hard work • Rages to riches • Based on actual interviews

12. Legal Defense of Laissez-faire • 14th Amendment of the U. S. Constitution – no state shall deprive any person of life, liberty or property without due process of law • Person – corporation • Life – can’t be deprived on its charter • Liberty – freedom to do anything you want to what is you and yours • Property – Tangible possessions, profession, good will, anticipated profits • Due Process of Law – Can’t single out corporations, e.g. Jacobs Case – Health regulations in a tenement where cigars made – just meddling and interfering

13. Ideology of the New Order • Supportive ideology for big business • Prominent last quarter of 19th century and first two decades of 20th century • Businessmen free to do what they wanted • Labor only as a commodity