I’ve been around too long to discuss American politics in the middle of a course, so I’ll try to subdue myself and stick to the facts of this remarkable man and his remarkable book.
The book had a remarkable influence on American policy in the first half of the 20th Century. Both Roosevelts created Federal programs that responded to the conditions that Sinclair so vividly described in the book.
Sinclair’s political campaign and his EPIC program may have had substantial influence on Franklin Roosevelt programs, but I don’t have knowledge of the degree.
Sinclair’s influence on the American Humanities is clearer. The Jungle influenced a generation of American artists, writers, and film makers - Steinbeck, Sandburg, Don Passos, Capra - who provided the moral background for three generations of progress and social change that ended with the tragic and destructive election of Ronald Reagan.
The ancient Greeks taught us that a civilization depends on the quality, courage, and the range of influence of its artists and thinkers. Sinclair’s writings had both moral truth and a vast range of influence. Simple truths, simply presented have great power. Other writers explored Sinclair’s ideas with greater depth and skill but his voice still echoes in the conversation.
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