Upton Sinclair, an American researcher and muckraker, published The Jungle in 1906. Sinclair aimed to bring attention to the oppressive conditions of life and work that immigrants were forced to endure at the time. He spent many weeks laboring at the Chicago meatpacking facilities that are heavily depicted in The Jungle before he wrote it.
The harrowing working conditions in the meat-packing industry were brought to life in this novel through the depiction of infected, spoiled, and sullied meat, which stunned the general population and prompted new government sanitation regulations.
Before the turn of the twentieth century, a significant development had arisen in the US. The reformers, also known as progressives, were responding to issues brought on by the rapid expansion of both cities and factories. At first, progressives focused on eliminating government corruption and improving the lives of those who lived in slums. They then began to criticize large corporations for their unethical business practices at the turn of the century, including Standard Oil, U.S. Steel, and the Armour meat-packing company. The reformists uncovered how these organizations disposed of contest, set exorbitant costs, and regarded laborers as wages-laves.
However, the progressives disagreed on the best strategy for controlling these large corporations. A few reformists needed to separate the enormous enterprises with hostility to restraining infrastructure regulations. Others believed that regulation by the federal or state governments would be more effective. A developing minority contended for communism. All of these proposals were rejected by the owners of the large industries: They demanded that they be allowed to operate their businesses independently.
When the progressive reformers were gaining strength, Theodore Roosevelt was president. After William McKinley’s assassination in 1901, he took office and served as president until 1909. Roosevelt was in favor of large-scale businesses.
Progressive journalists and other writers who exposed corporate injustices did not always get Roosevelt’s approval. President Roosevelt thought that progressive journalist David Phillips had gone too far when he wrote a series of articles criticizing senators from both parties for serving the interests of big business rather than the people.
