In today’s economic and political upheaval, the common man is often forgotten. He is forced to carry on his back the cost of every ill-conceived social program and the well-intended, but morally offensive, dictates of a bankrupt government. The situation was no different in 1883 when the author penned this brief essay.
The Forgotten Man examines the system which demands that the hardworking man and woman support the lifestyles of those who will not provide for themselves. The Forgotten Man “is the simple, honest laborer, ready to earn his living by productive work.” Instead, he is often at the mercy of the machinations of government leaders who are all too eager to force the Forgotten Man into economic servitude for the benefit of those who refuse honest gain for honest work.
William Graham Sumner was sometime Professor of Political and Social Science at Yale University. He advocated free markets and liberty with restraint. While some of his views about the social development of mankind are less than agreeable, the ideas expressed in this essay are worth reflection in light of the state of modern society.
Softcover. 48 pages. Sparks Media. ISBN 9781934788059.
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This book is actually a speech that was given in 1883. The concept of this speech is that the lawmakers ask for help for the poor and overlook the class of people that make life in the country possible, the forgotten man. There were a few ideas and beliefs that the author talks about in which I don’t agree with, but he makes very valid arguments for his ideas. I also did agree with some of what he mentions, however I don’t know how feasable his ideas are, and if they would work in the society that we live in today. One thing that surprised me is that even though this speech was written over 100 years ago it was still pertinent to today. I don’t know if that is a sign of a great speech writer, to write something that holds true for over 100 years, or if it is a sign that our country really hasn’t changed that much in 100 years. It was a quick read, and if nothing else it makes you think about our social and political structure. It was a bit on the rough side to read, because it was pretty dry, but I think more of that was because it was written as a speech rather than a book or a story. I think it was interesting and was worth the hour or so it took me to read it.