a) Mark Twain

The term “Gilded Age” was popularized by the famous American author and humorist Mark Twain. He used it as the title of his 1873 novel, co-written with Charles Dudley Warner, “The Gilded Age: A Tale of Today.” The term ‘Gilded Age’ refers to the late 19th-century era in American history characterized by rapid economic growth, technological innovation, and ostentatious wealth, alongside serious social problems like political corruption and income inequality. Twain’s use of the term critically highlighted the era’s superficial glitter of wealth and progress masking deep social issues.