The Gilded Age was a time of extreme social stratification in which there were a select few who controlled the vast majority of wealth in the country while a majority lived in poverty. During this time, two diverging ideas about freedom and liberty characterized the social problems of the late 19th century. On the one hand, bankers, industrialists, businesspeople, and many politicians sought to justify the wealth and power of a few 'captains of industry' as the truest essence of freedom. On the other side, many workers, farmers, and reformers saw the political corruption, exploitation, and greed which ran against their own understanding of freedom. In about 150 words, What were some of these ideas, and how did they seek to define freedom and explain the social ills of the late 19th century? In your own words, how do you think these ideas continue to influence our society, today?