Transcript Progressivism: Redefining the role between Government and The People Origins of the Progressive Movement • Progressivism began in the late 1800’s and early 1900’s. •

Progressivism:
Redefining the role between
Government and The People
Origins of the Progressive Movement
• Progressivism began in the late 1800’s
and early 1900’s.
• It can be described as a “response” to
what some individuals and groups felt
were great injustices created by
INDUSTRIALIZATION
• It was not a SINGLE movement.
• The Progressive Movement was as
varied as the people and groups who
were seeking CHANGE in American
society.
• The movement starts out in the hands
of PRIVATE groups and individuals
and eventually will transfer itself to the
work of local, state, and the national
government
Who’s involved?
• PRIVATE groups and individuals who saw a need for
change in American society in the late 1800’s.
They include:
• Middle class reform movements (YMCA, Salvation
Army)—trying to alleviate the horrible living conditions
many working poor faced
• Journalists and writers (Muckrakers) who were
exposing the unsafe and exploitive working conditions
throughout the nation
• “Intellectuals”—writers and college professors who
questioned the power of large corporations in our
society and government
• Political Reformers who aimed to make local, state, and
national government more RESPONSIVE to the needs
of citizens—not corporations.
Their “GOALS”
• Taken together, historians refer
to them and this period as the
PROGRESSIVE MOVEMENT.
• Despite being such an eclectic
group, each of their efforts
shared similar GOALS:
1.Eliminate social injustices
2. Return power of government into
the hands of the citizens
3.Guarantee economic opportunity
to citizens by GOVERNMENT
regulation of business and
industry.
Accomplishing these GOALS
• In an attempt to eliminate SOCIAL INJUSTICES, many
Progressive groups took to the streets of our major cities.
• Groups like the YMCA and the Salvation Army worked
relentlessly in our major urban areas to bring immediate relief to
the often suffering working class poor and immigrants groups.
• These groups set up libraries, recreation centers, and soup
kitchens.
• They also held classes to instruct the poor in middle class
values of hard work and temperance.
• They also worked politically to end unfair labor practice and end
child labor.
• Specifically due the efforts of groups such as this, Illinois
passed the Illinois Factory Act of 1893 which banned child labor
and limited women’s working hours. (Florence Kelley)
• It would soon become a model law for other states
A Government BY THE PEOPLE
• In an effort to make all levels of
government more responsive to the needs
of citizens, you see progressive groups
push for and win several important
democratic “tools”:
-The REFERENDUM: A procedure that
allows citizens to vote directly on laws
proposed by local or state governments
-The INITIATIVE: A process that allows
citizens to both propose and vote of laws
on local or state levels
-The RECALL VOTE: A process that allowed
citizens to remove an elected official
before their term of office is over.
• NOT every state allows for all three
“tools”—but some states do!
The 17th Amendment
• Nationally, the Progressives made the largest political
reform by lobbying for the passage of the 17th
Amendment.
• This Amendment, which now allowed for the DIRECT
election of US Senators was ratified in 1913.
• Progressives argued that the whole concept of non-direct
election was undemocratic and had lead to deep
corruption in our national government’s upper chamber
Other Political Reforms
• Progressives also focused on making the ELECTION process
more democratic and less corruptive.
• Since STATES are constitutionally empowered to run elections,
the Progressives worked state by state to introduce two
important reforms that we still see today:
1. Secret Ballots: Before this reform, voters were often intimidated
and controlled by the parties to vote the way the “party” wanted.
Jobs, housing, or even violence at the polls was at stake!
Other Political Reforms
2. Primary Elections: voters in each political party would be
allowed to VOTE to decide who their candidate would be in the
general election.
• This brought the power of the party leaders to choose who the
candidates would be election after election.
• The last goal that
Progressives sought to
achieve concerned
reforming our economy.
• In the minds of many
Progressives,
unrestricted lassie faire
capitalism had created
an unjust and exploitive
economic system in the
U.S.
• For Progressives, a
handful of ultrapowerful, ultra wealthy
controlled the majority
of wealth and property
in the US, while millions
suffered!
• Newly elected Progressive Congressmen
were able to pass legislation that would
change the nature of business in the US.
• It would usher in a new era of government
regulation and oversight that would extend
into many areas of business and industry
that used to be protected from government
“interference”:
--The SHERMAN ANTI-TRUST ACT was
passed by Congress in 1890.
• It tried to prevent the creation of any
business structure that would “restrain
trade”
• Because of some vague wording, it was
not very effective—BUT—it was an
important start.
• Decades later, Congress would pass the Clayton
Anti-Trust Act.
• This law outlawed “price-fixing” and wrote in more
specific language on the nature of trusts and
monopolies.
• It also protected the rights of workers to form labor
unions.
• It is still the foundation of the anti-monopoly and
anti-trust legislation we use today.
Progressive Presidents????
The Progressive Movement had gained so much political influence
during the early 20th century that it had a direct impact on
presidential politics as well.
Two presidents will go down in history as promoting Progressive
domestic agendas:
Theodore Roosevelt (1901-1909)-Roosevelt’s domestic agenda
is referred to as the SQUARE DEAL. The “deal” was a series of
progressive reforms aimed to modernize the US. They included:
• Using the Sherman and Clayton Anti-Trust Act to “dissolve”
various “trusts” he felt harmful to the “public trust”—done thru
the federal court system.
• Passing of the INTERSTATE COMMERCE ACT, to regulate the
nation’s railroad systems—ending that monopoly.
• Pushing for and enforcing the MEAT INSPECTION ACT and
PURE FOOD AND DRUG ACT—both used to clean up and
regulate our nation’s food and drug supply—protecting the
consumers.
• Establishing the US FOREST BUREAU—using federal funds to
set aside millions of acres of lands for public use—NATIONAL
PARKS
Progressive Presidents????
Woodrow Wilson (1913-1921)- Wilson’s progressive program
was known as the NEW FREEDOM program.
• The plan was to attack what he called the “triple wall of
privilege” in the US: Trusts, Tariffs, and High Finance.
• To accomplish this, Wilson first fought for and won the passage
of the CLAYTON ANTI-TRUST ACT (1914).
• Also in 1914, he helped create the FEDERAL TRADE
COMMISSION.
• This “watch dog” agency was given to power to monitor big
business and industry and prevent unfair trade practices.
Progressive Presidents????
• One of Wilson’s most lasting
“legacies” can be seen with the
ratification of the 16th Amendment.
• This amendment, ratified in 1913,
legalized the federal government’s
power to established an INCOME
TAX on individuals.
• It has lead, of course, to our current
GRADUATED income tax system
and the establishment of the IRS.!
• Wilson’s also pushed for a reform of
our nation’s financial sector.
• In 1913, Congress passed the
FEDERAL RESERVE ACT, which
was established to regulate the
nation’s banking system to make it
more equitable and fair.
• The FEDERAL RESERVE also was
given the power to control our
nation’s money supply.
• The end of Wilson’s presidency was
also marked by the passage of the
18th and 19th Amendments.
• The 18th Amendment, which
prohibited the manufacturing, sale,
and consumption of alcoholic
beverages in the US was seen as a
Progressive attempt to end the
scourge of alcoholism that gripped
the US.
• The 19th amendment, which we
already know, guaranteed the right
all of the nation’s citizens to vote
regardless of gender.
• These two amendments were a
fitting finale to Wilson’s final year as
one of the most Progressive
presidents of all.
• They would also mark the END of
the Progressive Era..the “Roaring
20’s” would soon eclipse the need
for reform