Analyze The Role Of Democracy In The Early 20th Century

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In the early 20th century there were numerous successful and unsuccessful progressive reforms at the national level. One of the most prominent reforms sought to regulate the monopolistic trust corporations through antitrust laws, thus promoting fair competition. The U.S. would also further shape its ways of democracy. To add to antitrust laws and the build onto democracy., these reforms and movements; women’s suffrage, at home war time heroes and the exposing of corrupt government will all come together to eventually lead to a period known for social activism and political reform in the United States. Though our government believed in a laissez faire approach to business congress pushed to pass antitrust laws/acts. This would make the competition fair and…show more content…
Theodore Roosevelt would bring the definition to its full power by suggesting in his speech (Doc. D) that the election of senators is by direct vote. He felt as if the people didn’t truly run the government if senators were being elected through electoral colleges in which the people have no say in. Another problem contradicting the meaning of democracy was the ineligibility of women to vote. As shown in document H Wilson was being pressured into ending the long fight of women’s suffrage. After all if they aren’t self governed that makes them like the Kaiser something the nation was totally opposed to putting even more pressure on the Wilson administration. After giving women the right to vote in 1920 the percent of eligible voters who cast ballots in presidential elections decreased dramatically from prior years (Doc. J). The election was dominated by the aftermath of World War I and the response to certain policies of Woodrow Wilson, as well as the massive reaction against the reformist of the Progressive
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