Essay Questions

According to the socialists, what is the root cause of social inequalities witnessed in society?

The primary root cause of the social injustices that are within the society is the uneven distribution of resources in the economy. According to the socialists, most of the resources are held by a few individuals who form the oligarchy system within the community. The oligarchy system is a monopoly which is primarily controlled by few efficacious trusts. For instance, they control vital resources which include energy supply and food supply chains such as milk among others. To ensure that oligarchies are in control, they engaged in business malpractices to ensure that they endanger all other small businesses. Therefore, the monopolies have become very powerful to ensure that they control most of the capital assets, thus bringing an imbalance in the distribution of resources in the economy.

How does the emergency of oligarchy manipulate religion in The Iron Heel by Jack London?

The church is currently controlled by the capitalists who make major decisions regarding church issues. The church leaders get support from the oligarchy system making them overlook their primary duty of fighting for equality and fair distribution of resources in the economy. It is evident from the novel that individuals such as Dr. Hammerfield and Ballingford are altering religion to serve the interest of the oligarchy system instead of serving the people of God in general. This simply explains why the socialists and other like-minded revolts are fighting this unfair regime in the entire novel.

Is the title of the novel The Iron Heel used as a literary device symbol by Jack London?

As the novel progresses, the reader notes that the title of the novel The Iron Heel is symbolically used to refer to oligarchy. The symbol comes out clear when Ernest Everhard refers to the monopolized trusts as iron heals whose primary goal is to control the economy for their selfish interests. The oligarchy comprises of few successful trusts, banking institutions, industrialists and powerful politicians who control most resources against the will of many middle-class and lower-class people. The Oligarchy does everything possible to destroy rebellions and socialists attempt to fight for equal distribution of resources in the economy.