The Republican form of government is the highest form of government: but because of this it requires the highest type of human nature—a type nowhere at present existing.

—Herbert Spencer, English Philosopher
Essays, 1891

Although many recognize Carl Sandburg for literature such as his biography of Abraham Lincoln or his children's stories, it is his works dealing with people and politics that seem to give some insight into Sandburg's soul. In his writings, above all, Sandburg was a champion of the people. Having grown up in rural poverty, he held strongly to the ideals of simplicity and hard work. In much of his poetry rings "the utmost scorn for the faction of America, which has tried to rise above the common people" (Yatron, 152).

Even though Sandburg wrote various types of literature, one can not deny the strong influence of his political beliefs. Common undertones of much of his works are the injustices of the government, the power of the people, and his mainly pacifist views. While writing about and for the common man he so loved, Sandburg rejected the style of conventional poetry with what has been described as an almost "anti-intellectual" sentiment (Yatron, 152).

Carl Sandburg was born to Swedish immigrants on January 6, 1878 in Galesburg, Illinois. His childhood was a modest one as his father served as a blacksmith's assistant. After completing the eighth grade, Sandburg quit school and proceeded to work a variety of odd jobs. During this period he went on to work in Denver, Kansas, and even traveled as a hobo for a time. In 1898, with the start of the Spanish American War, he enlisted for military service (sitenet). This continued to be a source of pride later in life despite his pacifist views. While in the Army he was sent to Puerto Rico for a year where he saw no combat. It was during this time that an Army buddy of Sandburg's helped him to develop a "taste for larnin" (Yatron,132). Upon his return, he enrolled at West Point but flunked out after two weeks. He then went on to attend and graduate from Lombard College in Galesburg.

Sandburg later went on to join the Socialist-Democratic Party of Chicago, whose views on labor were much in line with that of Sandburg. He even served as the secretary to the Socialist mayor of Milwaukee (Yatron,134). Throughout his life the author also held a great interest in communism (Yatron,150). During his literary career Sandburg wrote about and served as a champion of the common man. Much of his work stressed the plight of the American worker and the inequality between the ruling and working classes. After a brilliant literary career, Sandburg moved to Flatrock North Carolina where he died at his home on July 22, 1967.

Sandburg's literary career unofficially began when letters he wrote while in Puerto Rico and sent home were published in a local newspaper. After entering college, he began to write various pamphlets and short books. Later after joining the Socialist-Democratic party he moved to Milwaukee and wrote for various newspapers including The Day Book, which was perhaps America's first tabloid newspaper (Yatron,134).

It was not until 1914 at age 36 that Sandburg became know to the literary world at large when some of his poems were published in Poetry magazine. In 1916, with the release of a collection of poems called Chicago Poems Sandburg's career really began to take off. In 1926, he published Lincoln: The Prairie Years, a biography of the president, which was his first true financial success. Later Abraham Lincoln: The War Years was published and earned Sandburg his first Pulitzer Prize. Later in life, the Sandburg's Complete Poems was released earning yet another Pulitzer Prize. Other acclaimed works include Cornhuskers, Rootabaga Stories (a book of children's fairy tales), Always the Young Stranger (an autobiography), and Remembrance Rock (sitenet).

It seems largely that many of the qualities that Sandburg's audience held to his credit, many of the critics held against him. It has been stated that Sandburg was often too concerned up in the idea of the American pioneer or frontiersman. As a result he tended to neglect the influences of India, Greece and Europe in his writings. In reference to "the people" he wrote so fondly of, many thought that that Sandburg was irrational in feeling they were always wise, and would always triumph over oppression (Yatron,163). Furthermore, it seems Sandburg almost exclusively restricted the label "the people" for those who labored with their hands excluding all others. In general it was also felt that Sandburg was unable of isolating the individual from the group. As critic Stuart P. Sherman stated, "He seldom individualizes the working man" (Yatron,164).

The primary fault that much of the literary elite held against Sandburg was his simplicity. To this end, many though he went to extremes. Many felt that this could be seen in his Populistic vocabulary that seemed to lack in vocabulary and content. As one critic stated, "the poetry he wrote for the understanding of truck drivers is too often nothing more than "talk," talk too peculiar to one American economic group to have any universal significance or beauty." (Yatron,164).

After reading a number of Sandburg's poems, I came to find that it was some of his lesser-known works that I came to enjoy the most. In general, his straightforward style agreed with me greatly. In particular, the poem "Government", reprinted below, was very appealing to me. With the constantly publicized nature of the political realm today, and the daily onslaught of scandal, this poem seems just as relevant in our time as it was in his. Furthermore, the poem gives some insight into the political climate as Sandburg was writing. Perhaps it is strangely comforting to know that the scandals of today are not solely a result of our turbulent times, but common to politics and humanity universally.

The poem, "Government," was first printed in Sandburg's collection of poems titled Chicago Poems first published in 1916. Its style and theme are somewhat representative of Sandburg's work in general and it is written in a type of free verse. The meaning of the poem is not covered in figurative language, rather as with most of Sandburg's work, the themes are just as accessible to the factory worker as to the literary critic. It opens providing examples of the corruption and injustice he saw in the government. It goes on to characterize the government as a living thing. Since government is formed by men, it can be no better or worse than those men of whom it is comprised. This stated, the government is no less susceptible to the ills and flaws in character of those men.

This was the book that contained the original printing of "Government".

This book contained a pretty good biography, discussion, and criticism section on Sandburg along with other writers of his era.

This is the site where I originally found "Government" and it contains all of the poems from Chicago Poems.

http://educeth.ethz.ch/english/readinglist/sandburgc/bio.html

This site contained a concise but informative biography of Sandburg and contained some links.

http://aleixia.lis.uiuc.edu/~rmrober/sandburg/home.htm

I got Sandburg's picture from this site. (also has some Sandburg information)