Image: A political cartoon aimed at wealth businessman Cyrus Field (1819 - 1892), Jay Gould (1836 - 1892), Cornelius Vanderbilt (1794 - 1877) and Russell Sage (1816 - 1906), 1883. Laborers awash in a sea of hard times struggle to hold up the lumber, paper, and linen industries with low wage jobs on their backs as the industrialists and their millions weigh them down. (Photo by Stock Montage/Getty Images) ((Photo by Stock Montage/Getty Images))

The election of Donald Trump as the 45th President of the United States is making political shock waves across the globe.

His success, as many analysist now argue, is the result of changes like globalisation and the communications revolution, which have been evolving for decades.

Periods of rapid technological and social change are not unique. Over 100 years ago, following the American Civil War, many of the same conditions existed – rapid technological change, the growth of mega corporations, income inequality and social unrest.

What, if anything, can we learn from this early period – known as the Gilded Age -  and what might it tell us about where American is heading?