The federal government does have a responsibility to enact policies to help the situation of American workers with the goal of creating a more fair and just society. Upton Sinclair’s novel, The Jungle illustrates this point by describing how big corporations like those involved in the Beef Trust, have managed to steal and cheat without consequence, trampling on the rights of people. Due to their economic power, the corporations seem to sidestep laws meant to protect the people. Therefore, it is the government’s responsibility to “level the playing field” by enforcing existing laws and regulations. First of all, it is already a responsibility of the government to enforce laws on all citizens.
The Constitution and its amendments enumerate the powers of the Federal and State governments and clarify several of the rights retained by the people. One of these rights held by all United States citizens is the right to “the equal protection of the laws,” (XIV.1). However, the Beef Trust in Packingtown seems to be immune to these laws, giving it political, legal, and economic power over millions of people. Since neglecting to enforce laws results in this inequality, it is up to the government to make sure the laws are enforced properly to protect the people’s rights, thereby resulting in a more fair and just society. Second, the law was not enforced on the packers, allowing them to take advantage of people.
For example, the packers had built secret water mains that stole billions of city water. When it had been found out, nothing was done about it, and the practice was to continue. In contrast, families were forced to pay a water tax every year, the added, unexpected cost making it more difficult to pay rent on their home, practically guaranteeing they’d be thrown out. Other scandals caused by the packer’s disregard of the law include the living quarters of the “scabs” during the strike since laws forbade the use of buildings as lodging if they did not have the proper amount of exits, fire escapes, windows, and a license.
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The public is fully aware of this, but the stockyards are able to prevent further investigation, making the strike less powerful for the workers. Clearly, failing to enforce laws makes society more unfair and unjust. Also, many laws were unenforced by the government and police because of the power of a few individuals, such as Mike Scully, the Democratic Party Boss of the district. Scully, “bossed even the mayor of the city,” because he “boast[s] that he carried the stockyard in his pocket,” (Sinclair 107). His influence in the city allowed him to avoid paying water taxes, to control local politics, to employ builders on city payroll, and use property belonging to the city.
The War Whoop league associated with him disregarded laws against prizefights, because the district’s policemen were members of the club. Through association with this club, jobs could be guaranteed, votes could be bought, or a man could be blacklisted for upsetting key figures in the party. Finally, the pay of dead city workers was still being drawn by Scully’s men. Additionally, association with the War Whoop League prevented repercussions for illegal actions because the policemen were part of the club, allowing prizefights, and allying with saloon keepers, quacks, thieves, and store keepers that sold adulterated products and diseased meat.
These alliances hurt the people, stealing from them what little money they had to subsist on, unfairly rewarding crime while another man could be jailed just trying to get proper change because the saloon keeper was part of it all. The cause of this network’s power is due to poor enforcement of laws. In conclusion, it is the government’s responsibility to enact policies to help the situation of American workers with the goal of creating a more fair and just society since enforcing laws is already a responsibility of the government. Otherwise, it allows the rights of people to be trampled on while the misbehavior of corporations and networks go unnoticed, as described in The Jungle.
