The 19th century was a very important point in American history.

There were technological

advancements that led to many changes in government, business, and quality of life for the average

citizen. Although many ideas such as Social Darwinism and Laissez-faire were popular during this time, I

believe that the government did not keep their hands off the economy. There were implementations the

government applied that benefited businesses and did not fit the narrative of “hands off”.

Social Darwinism can be defined as the idea of “survival of the fittest”. The government should

not interfere in the economy or in people’s lives. Social Darwinists applied the concept of natural

selection to the affairs of men, which included: individuals, politics, businesses, and international

relations. Those who survived would go on and have children that were destined to succeed, as their

parents had. This was believed to benefit all of society, not just those at the top.

Laissez-faire is similar in the idea that the government should keep its hands off the economy, or

it might disrupt “natural forces”. Laissez-faire translates to “free market”, which sums up the structure

simply. It is a structure that encourages competition and hard work. The benefit of competition is it

keeps prices low and quality high, which is beneficial to the middle/lower classes of America. Businesses

supported this idea as it meant they weren’t going to be regulated, which brings another issue. Caveat

emptor, which is translated to “let the buyer beware”. No regulations meant the companies could sell

goods without being truthful as to how dangerous it is. This leads to many deaths as a result of

dangerous ingredients or just plain disregard for the safety of consumers. On the other hand, this

brought many money-making opportunities to businesses, as they could sell anything they wanted and

lie about what it really was.

Even though these ideas supported less government intervention in the economy, they did just

the opposite. One of the beneficial things the government did was implement protective tariffs. These

were high taxes on imported goods, which would deter consumers from buying them and instead spend
money on American-manufactured goods. This in turn also raised the prices of American goods since

they could get away with barely raising the price and still undercutting imported goods. There were also

low interest loans that were taken out for businesses, which encouraged more competition and

stimulation in the economy.

Another big policy that was beneficial to a certain business was the land grants to railroads. This

policy gave railroad companies 20 square miles of free land (in a checkerboard pattern) for every mile of

railroad that was built. This was an incentive for railroad companies to build trans-continental lines

across America since it was too expensive for them to do it themselves. In this same policy, the

government also benefited. They were given the right to move troops and supplies westward for half the

normal cost of a fare. It also benefited the economy since people went where the railroads were built,

which means more cities and expansion. This policy was a success because the first transcontinental

railroad was completed in 1869, with four more following by 1900. These railroads were crucial in the

development of America, as they allowed transportation of goods, resources, and people.

These policies implemented by the government do not follow the ideas of Social Darwinism or

Laissez-faire. They specifically benefit businesses, which is against both of these concepts, but businesses

in the 19th century could not care any less, if it made them the most money in the long run.