Was there greed during the Gilded Age?

It is safe to say that greed existed and was prominent during the Gilded Age. The Gilded Age lasted from the 1870s to about 1900. It was a period of rapid economic growth. Much of the profit from this growth, which was fueled in part by the expansion of the railroads, found its way into the pockets of the very wealthy. Many lower-class people, especially immigrants, remained very poor and often lived in shocking conditions. The wealthy, in contrast, built huge homes, often modeled on European palaces, in places like Newport, Rhode Island.
Greed is defined as the excessive desire for consumption (of clothing, food, etc.) and as the excessive desire for wealth and power. It should be noted that greed exists throughout history and among all classes. However, the Gilded Age was notable for the extreme ways many of the very wealthy clearly exhibited signs of greed. Industrialists such as J.P. Morgan went around like imperial dictators and very openly acquired as many status symbols as they could, from European art to grand houses. This kind of behavior led to increasing outcries against the poverty other people suffered. Many noted that if the very wealthy were less greedy and paid decent wages or lowered rents or railroad fees, the poor might be able to lead decent lives.

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