Origins of Progressivism Unit 7 1 Origins Quite

Origins of Progressivism Unit 7. 1

Origins � Quite a few problems arose with the growth of urbanization and industrialization � Progressives problems: provided the answers to these ◦ Common desire to improve life in the Industrial Age ◦ Shared goals of limiting big business, improving democracy for the people, and strengthening social justice

What is Progressivism? � Part of a reform tradition that dated back many decades ◦ Jeffersonians in the early 1800 s ◦ Jacksonians in the 1830 s ◦ Populists in the 1890 s � Prevailing philosophy of romantic transcendentalism gave way to balanced pragmatism ◦ What’s “good” and “true” could not be known in the abstract but instead, people should take a pragmatic (practical) approach to morals, ideals, and knowledge � Allows Progressives to challenge fixed, traditional notions standing in the way of reform

Who were the Progressives? � Mostly middle-class residents, unlike the rural citizens who led the Populist movement �A business and professional class that took their civic responsibilities seriously ◦ Disturbed about what might happen to American democracy �Unrest among the poor �Excesses of the rich �Government corruption �Overall decline in morality

The Muckrakers � What is a Muckraker? ◦ A writer specializing in a newspaper or magazine story that describes underhanded politics or a sneaky/sketchy person or event in society � First referred to as muckrakers by President Roosevelt � Middle-class stories loved to read about these

The Muckrakers � Magazines: ◦ Mc. Clure’s, Collier’s, and Cosmopolitan were three biggest muckraker magazines from 18851910 �Lincoln Steffens- Tweed Days in St. Louis, 1902 �Ida Tarbell- The History of the Standard Oil Company, 1902

The Muckrakers � Books: ◦ The most popular series of muckraker articles were usually collected and published as books �Exposed the corruptness of local governments/big city politics �Demonstrated the inefficient national government of the Gilded Age �Pointed out downfalls in society � “The law is in everything!”

Decline of Muckraking � Popularity of muckraking journalism began declining after 1910 for several reasons: ◦ Writers found it more and more difficult to top the last sensationalist story ◦ Publishers faced pressure from banks and advertisers to tone down their treatment/perspectives of businesses ◦ Corporations became more aware of their public image Public Relations

Political Reform in Cities � Voter Participation: ◦ On voting day, political parties used to be able to manipulate/intimidate voters ◦ In order to increase public participation in voting, Massachusetts became the first state to adopt a system first tried successfully in Australia �Issued state-printed ballots and had the voter cast their vote in the privacy of a curtained booth ◦ By 1910, all states were doing this

Political Reform in Cities � Direct Primaries: ◦ Before direct primaries, political bosses got to determine who would be nominated as a party candidate �Today, primary elections are just as significant as the senate/presidential elections that proceed them � Direct Election of U. S. Senators: ◦ Before the Progressive Era, senators were chosen by a legislative majority, not voted in by the people �Nevada (1899) ◦ 17 th Amendment (1913) gave people that responsibility �Required all U. S. senators be elected by popular vote

Political Reform in Cities � Initiative, Referendum, & Recall: ◦ Progressives proposed two methods for getting politicians to obey the “will of the people”: �Initiative: voters compel the legislature to consider a bill �Referendum: allow citizens to vote on a proposed law printed on a ballot ◦ A third method, the recall, enabled voters to remove a corrupt politician from office before their term had expired

Political Reform in Cities � Social Welfare: ◦ Jane Addams and the settlement houses were aiding the fight for the poor ◦ Other reformers lobbied vigorously for the needs of immigrants and the urban poor �Better juvenile courts �Liberalized divorce laws �Safety regulations for tenements and factories �Advocated for a parole system and a reformed prison system

Political Reform in States � Temperance & Prohibition: ◦ Whether or not to shut down saloons and not allow drinking was one major issue state governments had to deal with ◦ Even though saloons were often the neighborhood headquarters of political machines, there wasn’t much Progressive support for prohibition ◦ Rural reformers very much supported prohibition, and by 1915 had persuaded the legislatures of twothirds of the states to prohibit the sale of alcohol