Episode 186: When the World Is A Bezzle w/ Cory Doctorow

Published in 1906, 'The Jungle' follows the life of Lithuanian immigrant Jurgis Rudkus and his family as they navigate the brutal realities of working-class life in Chicago's meatpacking district, known as Packingtown. The novel highlights issues such as public health hazards, extreme poverty, and the cruel treatment of workers and animals. Despite Sinclair's intention to expose labor abuses, the public reaction primarily focused on the sanitation issues in the meatpacking industry, leading to significant legislative changes, including the passage of the U.S. Pure Food and Drug Act and the Meat Inspection Act.

Ida Tarbell's 'The History of the Standard Oil Company' is a seminal work of investigative journalism that chronicles the development of the oil industry in the United States and the monopolistic practices of Standard Oil. Originally published in 1904, it played a significant role in the eventual breakup of Standard Oil in 1911. The book provides a detailed account of how Standard Oil dominated the oil industry through strategic business tactics and its impact on the economy and society.