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Creating a Culture of Reform during the Progressive Era [1870-1920]
America’s transformation into a diverse, urban, affluent was accompanied by extraordinary public-spiritedness as reformers--frightened by class conflict and the breakdown of gender relations embarked on a crusade to remake other Americans in their own image.
Progressives were journalists, intellectuals, and political reformers whose reform efforts were aimed at returning control of the people, restoring economic opportunities, and correcting injustices in American life. The progressives simultaneously sought two goals: to use state power to curb the trusts and to stem the socialist threat by generally improving the common person’s conditions of life and labor
Both groups have similar belief that the only reforms that work are structural reforms
Why did the Progressive movement happen in the 1890’s?
Early reform attempts had failed…Populists were dominated by a single monetary issue bimetalism. State government railroad reforms were shot down by Supreme Court (remember Munn and Wabash cases?)
#1 Wave of corporate mergers between 1897 and 1901 refocuses the US on the problem of consolidated power (Horizontal and Vertical Immigration) Over 4,2000 companies are consolidated into 250 corporations Example- US STEEL –1901 Standard Oil Monopoly
#2 More and more Americans were going to college. This leads to an expanded middle class and professions in social work, psychology, and individual participation – avenues?. The national literacy rates had been steadily increasing and was at 92% for both men and women by 1910
#3 Print Media - accelerated development of technology that accompanied America's industrialization made newspapers and literature mass-producible items, and the consumer culture that accompanied such industrialization created a demanding market for published works.so the number of people that were reachable through writing was very high.
#4 Power of the Muckrakers – Keeping the evils of industrialization in the forefront of the American conscience. Editors and publishers were eager to provide support for muckrakers' efforts as a way to boost circulation numbers and profits.
Thus, the genre that emerged was a combination of investigation, advocacy, sensationalism, and yellow journalism. Journalists, muckrakers, social scientists: Upton Sinclair, Jacob Riis, Ida Tarbell , Ida Wells-Barnett, David Phillips; Lincoln Steffens
#5 Religious Dimensions – “Social Gospel” Religious communities were encouraging people of faith to intervene without chastising the downtrodden.
The Power of Ideas - The progressive movement is compatible with the emergence of the social sciences. Sociology, psychology and political science are coming on the scene. These social scientist gather data and are patient and reflective about changing the world in a rationale way. Have we seen this before? Social Thought Review
“Let the watchwords of all our people be the old familiar watchwords of honesty, decency, fairness, and commonsense… we must treat each man on his worth and merits as a man. We must see that each is given a square deal, because he is entitled to no more and should receive no less.” The welfare of each of us is dependent fundamentally upon the welfare of all of us.”
Theodore Roosevelt
Theodore Roosevelt New York State Fair, Syracuse
City Reforms Progressive reform began at the local or city level because it was easier to implement than at the vast state or national level. Urban corruption from political machines was a major focus, resulting in the reorganization of local government using the commissioner-and city-manager-styles of management.
City Commisioner Plan
Cities hired experts in different fields to run a single aspect of city government. For example, the sanitation commissioner would be in charge of garbage and sewage removal. Connection - City Commisioner Plan Galveston Texas
City Manager Plan
A professional city manager is hired to run each department of the city and report directly to the city council. Connection Troy - Michigan
State Reforms Reform governors such as Theodore Roosevelt of New York, Robert LaFolleteof Wisconsin, and Woodrow Wilson of New Jersey, all helped get reforms passed in their respective states. In addition, reforms first proposed by the Populist Party were enacted in order to make state governments more responsive to the needs of the people.
Allows voters to petition to have an elected representative removed from office. Connections - California Recall 2003
Direct Primary
Ensures that voters select candidates to run for office, rather than party bosses.
Federal Reforms During the Progressive Era, the Federal Government passed an enormous amount of legislation designed to conserve the environment, tighten past economic regulations, preserve the health and safety of American citizens, and generally provide needed capitalist reforms.
Newlands Reclamation Act (1902)
Encouraged conservation by allowing the building of dams and irrigations systems using money from the sale of public lands.
Elkins Act (1903)
Outlawed the use of rebates by railroad officials or shippers.
Pure Food and Drug Act (1906/1911)
Required that companies accurately label the ingredients contained in processed food items.
Meat Inspection Act (1906
In direct response to Upton Sinclair's The Jungle, this law required that meat processing plants be inspected to ensure the use of good meat and health-minded procedures.
Hepburn Act (1906)
Strengthened the Interstate Commerce Commission, allowing it to set maximum railroad rates.
Federal Reserve Act (1913)
Created 12 district Federal Reserve Banks, each able to issue new currency and loan member banks funds at the prime interest rate, as established by the Federal Reserve Board.
Clayton Antitrust Act (1914)
Strengthened the Sherman Antitrust Act by outlawing the creation of a monopoly through any means, and stated that unions were not subject to antitrust legislation.
Federal Trade Act (1914)
Established the Federal Trade Commission, charged with investigating unfair business practices including monopolistic activity and inaccurate product labeling.
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