The Progressives

The Progressives

• Understanding Progressivism

  • The Progressives aimed to address societal inefficiencies through various reforms.

• Key Problems Progressives Addressed:

  1. Political Reform
     • Aimed to eliminate corruption in government.
  2. Consumer Protection
     • Introduced government regulations to protect consumers.
  3. Women's Suffrage
     • Advocated for the right to vote for women.
  4. Labor Rights
     • Addressed harsh working and living conditions.
     • Advocated for solutions to harsh working environments (Triangle Shirtwaist Factory fire as a case study).
  5. Meat Packing Standards
     • Implementation of health standards in food production.
  6. Income Inequality
     • Sought to reduce the income gap between rich and poor, supporting progressive taxation measures.
  7. Trust Busting
     • Strived to break up monopolies to promote fair competition and prevent consumer exploitation.
  8. Social Welfare Laws
     • Initiatives to improve the welfare of children and the disadvantaged.

• Muckrakers:

  • Investigative journalists who exposed injustices. Notable muckrakers include:
    • Ida Tarbell, who tackled monopolies.
    • Upton Sinclair, whose book The Jungle highlighted unsanitary conditions in meatpacking.
    • Jacob Riis, who brought attention to conditions in tenements.
    • Ida B. Wells, who reported on lynching practices and pushed for civil rights.

• Local Reform Initiatives

  • Local reform often led the broader Progressive movement:
  • Wisconsin Governor Robert La Follette: Promoted regulations on utilities and worker compensation.
  • Initiated public education improvements, initiated graduated taxes, and empowered citizens through initiatives and referendums to bypass corrupt state legislatures.

• Federal Reforms under Progressive Presidents :

  1. Theodore Roosevelt

     • First Progressive President advocating for controlling corporations, consumer protections, and conservation.

     • Noted for trust-busting against monopolies while supporting moderate reforms.

     • The Square Deal: Emphasized fairness for all.

     • Key legislation:

       • Meat Inspection Act & Pure Food and Drug Act: Ensured food safety and accurate labeling.
       • Hepburn Act: Strengthened the authority of the Interstate Commerce Commission.

  2. William Howard Taft

     • Achieved more trust-busts than Roosevelt but alienated Progressives due to perceived inaction in some areas (e.g., Ballinger-Pinchot controversy).
     • Continued reforms but struggled to unite both factions within the Republican Party.

  3. Woodrow Wilson

     • Introduced New Freedom which focused on tariff reform, banking reform, and breaking up monopolies.
     • Enacted the Underwood Tariff Act and established the Federal Reserve System to stabilize the banking industry.
     • Faced criticism for not fully embracing civil rights for African Americans and women.

• Women's Rights Movements:

  • Emerged strongly in the late 19th and early 20th century.

  • Key organizations:

    • National American Woman Suffrage Association: Coalesced efforts for women’s voting rights.

  • Milestones:

    • Seneca Falls Convention (1848): First call for women’s suffrage.
    • 19th Amendment (1920): Legalized women’s right to vote.

• African American Advocacy:

  • Key figures included:
    • Booker T. Washington: Advocated for vocational training and economic advancement of blacks.
    • W.E.B. Du Bois: Argued for immediate civil rights and the establishment of the NAACP.

• Taft and Roosevelt's Split:

  • Taft’s presidency led to divisions in the Republican Party setting the stage for Roosevelt to form a third party (Bull Moose Party) in 1912

• Legacy:

  • The Progressive movement resulted in significant reforms across social, political, and economic realms, establishing a precedent for future reform efforts in American politics.