Upton Sinclair Essay, Research Paper

Upton Sinclair Through numerous articles, stories, and novels Upton Sinclair brought to the public s attention unsafe, unsanitary working conditions and promoted social activism and the regulation of private industries and the government control of all vital industries (gas, heat, public transportation, phone, electricity, etc.). Upton Sinclair was born in Baltimore September 1878 in an upper-class family, he was raised in Baltimore and in New York City. His father was a liquor salesman and his mother was an Episcopalian from a rich family. He went to college at the City College of New York and paid for his way at college by writing jokes, Stories, and dime novels. After college he started writing serious novels in his twenties inspired by the early nineteenth century romantic writers. Living in almost complete poverty with his wife and child he published three novels which brought him popular attention. After these novels Sinclair built a cabin outside the Princeton campus where he prepared to write his next novel Manassas . Even though this book failed financially it brought the attention of American Socialists, Sinclair became interested in the socialist views and it lead to one of his most famous writings known by him The Jungle this work established him as a leading social critic. This book was one of the most convincing muckraking novel which lead to the passage of the FDA, an organization committed to the regulation of food and drug business s which is a socialist view. There where also concerns of the devastation that wage-slavery and child labor does to families and the common people who lead the industrialization era. With profits from this most popular book Sinclair tried to make a communal living place or a Utopian society as an experiment but was destroyed by a fire. Sinclairs next to novels targeted other devils in American societies during the Industrialization period of the nineteenth century. Most of his novels attack the rich and ruthless of New York City. He wrote other books like King Coal which portrayed the life style of coal miners and why the had the famous strike, like most of his novels this novel was written first hand because he went and investigated the subjects of his books and used real people as the characters in his book. Sinclair eventually broke away from the socialist party after opposing the parties isolationists views on World War I. During the 1930 s, Sinclair wrote less fiction as he became more directly involved in politics. In 1933 he ran for governor of California, he proposed a plan

to end poverty by using reforms one of which would add a greater taxation of the film industry. This then lead to Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer movie studio leading a counter campaign which took his chance of victory. After the United States entrance to World War II Sinclair felt radicals should support their countries in its greatest time of need and national crisis. In accordance to this Sinclair wrote a three volume series which go the name the World s End series which one him the Pulitzer prize even though critics believed these writings weren t as good as his earlier writings. Sinclair s works have been translated into many languages and read worldwide, his novels attacking capitalism like The Jungle and King Coal were circulated throughout the communist world the were understood as being clear pictures of what capitalism leads to. Most believe the novels aren t strong enough to encourage a revolution into communism but they raise awareness into the possibility of socialism and communism into the so-called Free World where people are allowed to be FREE to starve to death and to live homeless also FREE to watch their children die of malnutrition and others causes of death. Personally I believe in Socialism not to be mistaken for communism, socialism is the belief that government should have the right to regulate industries and control all vital industries like water, heat, and electricity. This industries shouldn t be used for profit but should be available to all people rich or poor. Socialism also tries to fix the large class gap, and keep the control of money with majority of the people not the select few. All these things can be one with small reforms like not having a straight income tax it should be higher for the rich and less for the poor. If you actually come to think about our government is becoming some what of a socialist government think of all the regulatory agencies that keep industries in line and we keep edging closer and closer to the income tax situation of losing a straight income tax, but is it enough? Its not if people are dying from small and basic but vital necessities that every human should have like food, shelter, and clothing to name a few. Some na ve people would say isn t this taking away the American principle of freedom that is carved in stone, but then you find yourself thinking does freedom mean that there is nothing left for you to lose .