Why did the title The Gilded Age become associated with an era in American history?

The term Gilded Age originated from the 1873 novel of the same name, co-authored by Mark Twain and Charles Dudley Warner.12

The title served as a sharp social critique rather than a compliment. By definition, something that is "gilded" is covered in a thin layer of gold, appearing shiny and prosperous on the surface while masking a cheap or rotten interior. Twain and Warner used this metaphor to characterize the United States following the Civil War, a period marked by rapid industrialization and the accumulation of massive fortunes by figures like John D. Rockefeller and Andrew Carnegie.2

The name endured because it perfectly captured the era's contradictions: a time of spectacular economic growth that simultaneously concealed deep societal fractures, political corruption, and the exploitation of workers by those often labeled as robber barons. Ultimately, the label highlights the ethical failure of prioritizing superficial wealth over the well-being of the broader population.2