Origins of Democratic and Republican Separation Essay Example for Free

Origins of Democratic and Republican Separation EssayThe political battles during the Gilded shape up (1869-1889) were not fought with weapons and lives as was the Civil War directly in the beginning them, but with pamphlets, verbal accusations and national ideals. However, were the two most dramatic foes vying due to differing economic policies, or were they similar parties that based their separation on national origin, geography, history, and emotion? The prefatorial economic reforms were, in fact, similar, yet the varying ideologies and animosities that remained from prior eras enlarged the gap betwixt Democrat and Republican. After the Civil War, the general consensus of the American population was a yearning for unity (to some extreme), civil service reforms, the tariff, currency, and a prosperous America. The basic disagreement between the parties was on military reconstruction, which was over by 1877, less than halfway by dint of the Age (502). Both Republicans and D emocrats, however, wished for the general union of America the volume of the Republicans (moderates) did not aim to punish the South through Military Reconstruction and the South, although angered, rose above their resentment and waited until 1877, when Northern troops pulled out and the South was leave to govern itself (511). Throughout the various presidencies, of which most were dominated by Republicans (save for Grover the good Cleveland), graft and dishonest means for achieving wealth were not uncommon within some(prenominal) parties, leading to the Panic of 1873 (506).Such a depression shed light upon the unscrupulous practices of many political figures, as well as debtors and other prominent businesspeople. This led to yet another national agreement civil service reforms. Under the Presidency of Republican Chester Arthur, the Pendleton Act was passed in 1883. Considered the Magna Carta of civil-service reform, it prohibited financial assessments on job-holders and establ ished a merit system of making appointments to office on the basis of aptitude. Furthermore, the act created a Civil Service Commission that examined applicants for posts in the classified ad service (518).Most Americans, save for debtors, called for a monetary system based on greenbacks rather than hard-money (gold). By 1879, contraction (or the accumulation of gold stocks against the appointed daytime for resumption of metallic-money payments 1879) and reduction of greenbacks restored the governments credit rating, and revived the greenbacks along with it. Although these developments were actually enacted downstairs a Republican presidency, such reforms were backed by Congress in (almost) its sum (507).One might as, then, why was there political competition? Historically, Democrats represented the needs of the South they were pro-slavery, supportive of states rights, and representatives of an agrarian population. The Republicans did not have such views before and within approxi mately ten years of the Civil War they were anti-slavery, supportive of a strong central government, and representatives of an urban population, brimming with a large rub down force of laborers, debtors, businessmen, and other non-agrarian vocations.However, both(prenominal) Republican and Democratic sentiments were mixed until two competing parties with few varying significant economic issues were the outcome (508). Republicans gradually began to abandon their dedication to black equality, as many votes were already cast and few freedmen would vote Democrat, with the last radical Republican act passed in 1875 (Civil Rights Act). Southerners were left to govern themselves, allowing laws that, under the pretense separate but equal, placed blacks back in the chains that were recently unshackled (511).Although economic issues were not a large factor in party separation, Democratic (South) resentment for Republicans (North) remained. The humiliation that the South suffered during Rec onstruction, including the emancipation of slaves, was not an act that would be easily forgotten (510). Furthermore, the lives and societies of aristocratic agrarians and hard-working laborers were so distinctly unlike that such a large variation could only be bridged over several centuries.The Democrats and Republicans of the Gilded Age were, in reality, overwhelmingly distinct political parties. The groups and ideals that bothparties represented were absolutely opposite. The similarity in their economic reforms is explained by their desire to create a prosperous America one that could only be achieved through civil service reforms, government-issued currency, and further economic legislation.