Progressive Movement Essay

The point in time from 1890 to 1917 in the history of United States is known as innovative era. This percentage point is marked by an either-encompassing and intensive change in all spheres of Ameri bay window smell viz. political, economical and social. The progressive attractors with trustfulness in the traditional American ideals of republican g all overnment, individual liberty, rule of rectitude and protection of private rights and property, felt t chapeau Gilded Age was marked by decadence. They further felt that due to the policies and practices of the previous regimes, a privileged squiffy class has been attaind that had plundered the internal wealth and resources.Prof. Ekirch (1978) explored the profound intellectual factors fundament the Progressive movement. He illustrates trans-Atlantic roots of this phenomenon that starts with Darwinism. He says in this regard that it was the alteration of the Populist and Socialist ideas of the 1890s into an American ver sion of the demesne collectivism or social democracy (p.34). what is more he considers it a result to industrialization of America and Imperialism invasion the world over. Still there is other(a) viewpoint that postulates the theory that the progressive movement never existed (Filene, 1970. p.1)So these motives propelled them to create a new socio-political milieu to nurture the true American ideals. They wanted that majority of the people must be associated with the governing body and those ruling over the United States must be made answerable to the electorates. They also judge higher standard of professional morality and integrity from the officials. In the economic sphere they were alarmed by the reaping of increased monopoly of a hardly a(prenominal) entrepreneurs and exploitations of the farmers and working classes.These leaders from middle class pleaded for government regulation of puffy businesses to prevent exploitations pf the weaker sections. Stressing on the needs for enlightens, Theodore Roosevelt said, No hard-and-fast rule can be laid down as to the trend in which much(prenominal) work reform must be d mavin but most sure enough every man, whatever his position, should strive to do it in some way and to some degree. (Roosevelt) Most of the problems that Progressives wanted to tackle was an outcome of the industrial blowup and the political-industrial coalitions of the Gilded Age.During the Progressive almost every department of American life was overhauled and modernized. Thus Progressivism was a movement with predominantly middle class objectives and viewpoint, filiation much of its support from small businessmen, farmers and professional people. The typical progressive leader was some lawyer, journalist or businessmen who, aroused by overcastion or misgovernment in his own community, started a crusade to elect better men to office, and gradually came to the realization that what was needed was a reform of the system as well as a change of men. ( Parkes, p.544) loosely speaking the Progressive reformists fall in to categories. The first category consists of those who had its stem in the agrarian West and concerned themselves mainly with economic issues. The great among these Progressives were Henry George (author of Progress and Poverty), Edward Bellamy (author of looking Backward).the chief political spokesman of this category of Progressivism was Altgald and Donnelly, Brian and La Follette.The second category consists of those Eastern Progressives who addressed themselves to the problems like the tariff reform, be system and anti-Imperialism. The predominant spokesmen of this category were Godkin, George William Curtis and President Charles W. Eliot of Harvard University. Its political spokesmen were Carl Schurz, Abram S. Hewitt and Wood rowing Wilson.The Progressives also differed as to how the ground should interfere to protect the weaker sections of the society. There were some Progressives li ke Theodore Roosevelt who held that the growth of business corporations were inevitable economic trend and governments should not abolish them. The government should merely concern itself with the regulation of their affairs. In short, they stood for greater governmental take c are over large enterprises and industrial units.To undo justices to the weaker sections and labor, they stood for extension of great privileges and compensations to the working classes as well as the strengthening of trade unions, which they believe would correct the powers of big corporations and their corrupt practices. There was still another group of Progressive, support by Woodrow Wilson, who emphasized the need of prohibiting monopoly, protecting small business and enforcing effecting competition. In other orders they were more in line with liberalism.The first battle of reforms were fought by the Progressives at the Municipal and state level. This was so because the states under American thoroughgoi ng system had jurisdiction over almost all matters of social slip i.e. working hours, wages of labor, conditions of workplace, welfare of women and children, education, health, suffrage etc. So it was in the states that most national reforms were initially tested at the rudimentary stages. Furthermore these states also served as the testing grounds for reformers who later undertook the reforms at the national level. Thus Roosevelt got his training at bare-ass York city and Albany. La Follett knowing the economies of railway and trust regulation in Wisconsin and Woodrow Wilson earned the reputation of a great reformer as a liberal Governor of rising Jersey.However, the most spectacular reforms in this period were realized at state Level by Robert Marion La Follette of Wisconsin (although the spade work for reforms at the state level was done John P. Altgald of Illinois and Hazen S. Pingree in Michigan). He consistently fought for the democratic ideals and was opposed to dominati on of Government by the business interests. During his Governorship, he gave cover shape to his Wisconsin Idea. He enlarged democracy through the organize primary initiative and referendum.He accomplished potation on campaigns expenditures, municipal home rule, civil service reforms and creation of bureau of experts to advise the administration. With a view to protect the people against exploitations by large business corporations, La Follette set up commissions to regulate Railway and other public benefit services. He further enforced the law that compelled the rail companies and timber corporations to requital their share of taxes. Additionally, he introduced several reforms that changed the socio-economic set-up of the whole state.At the federal level, the Progressive movement set in with the inauguration of the President Roosevelt, who was the first of the threesome Progressive Presidents i.e. Taft and Woodrow Wilson. His first act to curtail the powers of the large organiz ations was epitomized through the cortege against The Northern Securities Company in 1903. He introduced other legislative totals to dislocation the monopoly of the large corporations. Elkins work on of 1903, Hepburn Act of 1906 are only some examples.  bite major proponent of Progressivism at the Federal level was President William Howard Taft (1909-1913) who accomplished more progressive legislation than the Roosevelt. He introduced and enacted law to check corrupt practices during the elections. He dissolved ninety trusts under the Sherman Anti-Trust Act (these trusts were saving large taxes in the name of charity and were involved in certain sinful activities).He strengthened the cause of democracy when he propagated the idea of charter elections for the senators and introduced 17th amendments in the U.S. constitutions that provided for direct elections of the members of the Senate instead being elected by the State legislatures. Furthermore, he wanted to reduce tarif fs because he felt hat the Dingley Act of 1897 was much too high and enabled the entrepreneurs to charge exorbitant prices. It is often alleged that Taft was not a true Progressive but it mud the fact that more progressive legislation was enacted during his presidency.Woodrow is the next in the row for progressive presidents. He introduced far-reaching economic reforms and adopted a number other progressive measure to capacitate the entire American spirit with purpose. Hs for the first time priority was the revision of tariff and introduction of viable reforms. He was successful to get The Underwood Tariff Act (1913) passed. Secondly, he introduced another Act to reconstruct the monetary and banking sector. He introduced certain other legislative measure to minimize the effect of Gilded Age1. Although his program of more progressive reforms were hump short but the outbreak or WW II but deuce more constitutional amendment (18th and nineteenth) became effective in his presidency. 2Though Progressives could not confer about the revolutionary trans physical composition of the political and economic system, yet it cannot be denied that through their reforms they tried to revitalize democracy and made the rulers responsible and responsible to the public. Perhaps the best known results of this era are the 18th and 19th Amendments, bar and woman suffrage respectively. But this legislation really came at the tail end of the period which has come to be known as the Age of Reform.The amendments were actually the byproducts of an immense social and political upheaval which changed forever and a day the expectations of the role government would play in American society. (PBS) The most measurable contribution of the progressive era was the change that they incorporated in the attitudes of the political and business leaders. In the subsequent years, the big business corporations could not all ignore the public and their interests.  Although the Progressive era was a short one but it pioneered a new role for government.  ReferencesEkirch, Arthur A. Progressivism in America. A select of the Era from TheodoreRoosevelt to Woodrow Wilson. New York New Viewpoints. 1974.Filene, Peter G. An Obituary for The Progressive private road. American Quarterly. Vol.22, No. 1(Spring, 1970). pp. 20-34Parkes, Henry B. The United States of AmericaA History. New York, Knopf, 1959PBS. The Progressive Era 1900-1918.Retrieved on March 07, 2007 fromhttp//www.pbs.org/wgbh/amex/eleanor/peopleevents/pande08.html1 Clayton Anti-Trust Act (1914) and the formation of Federal trade commission to reduce the unfair methods of trade are some other measures.2 18th Amendment of U.S. Constitution the process of introduction of Prohibition was completed whereas 19th Amendments granted the right of vote to the women on equalize terms with men.