As they became to be known as muckrakers these reporters, authors, and critics sought to expose the evils and injustices of Gilded Age society, hoping to expose such social ills before they strangled democracy. ... Most of these problems that muckrakers exposed were formed during the gilded age. ...
Prior to this particular time period was the Gilded Age when presidents such as Grant, Hayes, and Tilden not only failed to take appropriate political action but also proved to be somewhat detrimental figures for their country. ... Although one would expect the amount of votes to grow, there was an decrease in percentage of people voting in presidential elections from 1900-1920, sharply contrasting with the extremely high amount of voter participation that occurred in the Gilded Ages. ... The economy recovered from the corruption of the Gilded Age with strong trust acts and changing women'...