Casting a backward glance toward the American industrial era, from 1870 through 1900, one can find many similarities between now, at the beginning of the twenty-first century, and then, at the end of the nineteenth century. Major issues, then and now, included growing concerns about the concentration of wealth, transforma- tions in the relationship between capital and labor, and the devel- opment of new forms of mass culture. Then, as now, disputes over immigration, the purpose of government, and religion’s place in society were part of public debate. However, that is not to say that little has changed. In writing this book, we have rarely found ourselves becoming nostalgic. Life was not simpler “way back then,” particularly not for the vast majority of Americans who struggled to make a living and support families without any of the social safety nets that are so easily taken for granted today. Nevertheless, there is much to admire in the ways many women and men joined together to improve their lives and the lives of others. Though the industrial era was a time of hardship for many, it was a time of cynicism for relatively few. Problems were seen as difficult to solve but not as intractable. Many of the major reforms of the industrial era came about because individu- als believed that there were solutions to be found. If there is an overriding lesson to be taken from the experiences of those in the industrial era, it is a belief in possibilities. PREFACE TO THE SECOND EDITION
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