Why and How the Progressive Movement Emerged The Progressive movement was one which called for the greater regulation of businesses and the safeguarding of safety and rights for workers. Much of the reform called for was a direct response to the conditions and injustices created by the rapid, unregulated growth of the Gilded Age. Early progressives rejected the Social Darwinism philosophy. In other words, they were people who believed that the problems society faced could best be addressed by providing good education, a safe environment, and an efficient workplace. Much of the Progressive movement occurred coincidentally due to Immigration, Industrialization, and Urbanization.
Woodrow Wilson’s Development in American Business Interest Woodrow Wilson described him self as a conservative, yet did not believe that “government must keep its hands off the workings of the economy” instead he felt government should “legislate to protect workers welfare and to regulate corporations”(9). While at Princeton University, Wilson studied history and political science and envisioned detailed solutions to national problems. While president, he now had the power to solve the issues, which he felt needed reform. During this time the United States was changing into an economic super power, monopolies and trusts were controlling the economy and exploiting workers; there was an obvious need for reform. One of Wilson’s first concerns was to reduce tariffs.
Progressiveness and Populism * 2. Progressives Those individuals and groups who tried to address and solve the problems of the Gilded Age * 3. Socialism is an economic and political philosophy favoring public or gov. control of property and income Believed in the economic theories shared by Marx and Engels in the Communist Manifesto Many socialist in this era sought to turn America socialist through the ballot box * 4. Muckrakers Journalist who alerted the public to wrongdoings in politics and business Teddy Roosevelt makes up the term Included writers who sensationalized the situations and others who were respected authors Upton Sinclair and The Jungle Jacob Riis: photographer who exposes the horrors of tenement life in How the Other Half Lives Ida Tarbell fights against Standard Oil * 5.
Progressive DBQ In the history of the United States the progressives attempted to change the lives of United States citizens for the better. Progressives are reformers who worked to improve social and political problems, beginning in the late 1800’s. During the industrialization era many reformers came together to solve the difficulties of society. There were several reform groups such as, the Populist Party and Muckrakers. Their goals were to help make life better for immigrants.
Most Americans feared socialism; they linked it to trade unions, mass immigration and anarchy. Socialists believed in equality Big business leaders were afraid of organised labour; the growth of for ‘social justice’ including causes such as women’s suffrage, direct election to the senate and conservation. Some Progressives were pacifists and anti-imperialists but most were strong nationalists. The Progressive wing of the Republican party reunited with the mainstream party in 1916. Progressivism achieved very little as a separate party but at one time, it seemed that it could achieve national support.
Roosevelt’s Square Deal aimed at helping middle class citizens and involved attacking the upper class and bad trusts while at the same time protecting business from the most extreme demands of organized labor and included regulation of railroad rates and pure foods and drugs. He saw it as a fair deal for both the average citizen and the businessmen.
Roosevelt’s republican party split, Taft’s separation from the ideas of Roosevelt, and Wilson’s democratic perspective bring light to the idea that although these men shared the progressive opinion, their ideas differed in many ways. Theodore Roosevelt was the brain behind the progressive party that would eventually lead to the split of the Republican party. Roosevelt called for the “Square Deal” between business, consumers, and labor and supported the “Strenuous Life”. Unlike the others, Roosevelt wished to destroy bad trusts and regulate the good ones rather than break them all up. Roosevelt was the first president to introduce progressive ways of thinking and although each president’s ideas were similar in ways such as trust busting and conservation measures, his ideas were the framework for the U.S. William Howard Taft was the presidential candidate hand picked by Roosevelt.
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.
In august of 1914, he addressed congress, declared neutrality and urged the American people to stand by him. There were several political and community leaders that supported Wilson initial position on the war. Senator Robert M. La Follette, Jane Adams and Secretary of State, William Jennings Bryan numbered among neutralities' most ardent supporters. These progressives were strongly opposed to the idea of war because, in more there was a notion that war was only fought to protect the interests of business (Zinn). Progressives, like Wilson, sought to protect the interests of the people and they feared that war would destroy everything that they had accomplished over the years to improve the American quality of life.
Great Britain, although officially neutral, had an elite opinion favouring the Confederacy and a public opinion favouring the United States. Concerned largely with Free Trade, diplomacy and the evasion of all-out war against America, Great Britain influenced and contributed to the outcome of the Civil War by utilising its powerful position to cleverly invest themselves in industrial aspects of the war, which proved beneficial to its relations with America as a whole. The reasons for the Civil War were copious and complex, but the motivation and direct cause of the secession revolved around the election of President Abraham Lincoln. With his inauguration came his policy to abolish slavery, which he