111 pages • 3 hours read
The Jungle
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Activities
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“Debate on The Role of Government in Business”
In this activity, students participate in a classroom debate to argue the role of government oversight in regulating business.
There was very little government oversight of businesses in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. During the Progressive Era, and in response to “muckraker” journalism, multiple policies were introduced to regulate the working conditions and the standard of product quality for businesses. Over the 20th century, many policies and regulations were introduced to improve worker and consumer rights.
In this activity, you will consider the placement of Sinclair’s argument in contemporary US politics.
- Do you think there should be more government oversight or less for businesses in the US?
- Choose whether you’ll be debating for more oversight or less as a team.
- Working with your team, structure your argument so all teammates have a unified position.
- Select an order of presentation with an opening statement, arguments to support your position, possible rebuttals, and a closing statement.
After debating with the opposing side, discuss as a group the strongest and most persuasive points brought to light, and make comparisons to the points Sinclair made in The Jungle.
Teaching Suggestion: This question repositions Sinclair’s argument in contemporary US politics. While Sinclair sought to expose the horrors of working conditions in the US, he also wanted to speak to the larger evils of capitalism while simultaneously advocating for Socialism. Students should consider whether or not his argument is still justifiable today, namely that businesses need to be regulated with the same amount of government oversight in the present day. This debate veers into a possibly heated political discussion, as both the major US political parties have argued about the role of government in big business in recent elections and whether or not adopted socialist economic policies would infringe upon inherent American rights and values.
Differentiation Suggestion: For international students or classes, this activity can be adapted to their countries.
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