Progressivism in The United States

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Justin Thompson

November 24, 2011

HIST102 – Prof. Waters

The Progressive Era

During the Progressive Era the United States government became increasingly active in both domestic and foreign policy. Progressive, that is, reform-minded, political leaders sought to extend their vision of a just and rational order to all areas of society and to all reaches of the world.   During this era, and its prelude, American people saw the beginnings of federal regulation of business through the regulatory commissions and antitrust laws, the income tax system, federal food and drug regulation, the Federal Reserve Board, and government conservation.  Progressivism was a reform movement so varied and comprehensive that it almost defies definition.   The movement had many causes, most notably the Depression of the 1890s and the Populist movement.   In fact, William Adam White, a Kansas editor, referred to Progressivism as "populism that had shaved its whiskers, washed its shirt, put on a derby, and moved up into the middle class."   The Progressive Era, the years 1895-1920, was an idealistic period, one that focused on constructive social, economic, and political change.   Progressives believed that the complex social ills and tensions generated by the urban-industrial revolution required expanding the scope of local, state, and federal government authority.   This, they believed, would ensure the progress of American society.   The progressive movement refers to the common spirit of an age rather than to an organized group or party and it was so diverse in its origins and intentions that few people adhered to all of its principles.   Nevertheless, Progressivism became one of the central elements of American liberalism, and the legislation and initiatives of the period lay the first steps for what would become in the 1930s the Welfare state.

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        During the time of the progressive era, Americans found themselves amidst an upsurge in the lower class and upper class, leaving middle class lifestyle dwindling.  In the years of progressivism, Americans turned to correct the problems brought about by industrialization and urbanization.  As said earlier, the progressive movement was a collaboration of many different types of reformers from urban liberalism to feminism.  All of the progressive reformers sought for a fairly uniform goal of balance of power and equality with women seeking suffrage, African-Americans seeking equality, and workers seeking basic labor rights.  Mass-circulation magazines were very important in spreading the ...

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