Chapter15:TheRootsofProgressivism

Section1:TheRiseofProgressivism
ProgressivismAcollectionofdifferentactivitiesandideas
ProgressiveshadideasonhowtofixprobleminAmericansociety

WhoWeretheProgressives?
Progressivismwaspartlyareactiontolaissezfaireandtheemphasisithadonan
unregulatedmarket
Industrializationandurbanizationwasbelievedtocreatemanysocialproblems.
Reformersdoubtedthefreemarketsabilitytoaddressproblemsafterseeingthe
povertyoftheworkingclass.
MostProgressivesthoughtthatthegovernmentshouldbemoreinvolvedin
fixingsocietysproblems.
Progressivesdoubtedthatthegovernmentcouldfixsocietysproblems,until
theythemselvesbefixedinordertofixotherproblems.
Progressiveshadastrongfaithintechnologyandscienceandthoughttheycould
improvesociety.
Scienceandtechnologybenefitedthepeople,whichmadeprogressivesbelieve
thatitwouldalsobuildsolutionsforsociety.

TheMuckrakers
Muckrakerswasacrusadinggroupofpeople(journalists)whoinvestigatedsocial
conditionspoliticalcorruption.
Thesejournalistswereobsessedwithscandalandcorruption,accordingto
Roosevelt.
Muckrakersexposedunfairpracticesoflargecorporations.Inmagazines,and
reportstheyattackedthebeefindustryandreportedonvotestealingother
corruptpracticesinurbanpoliticalmachines.
OtherMuckrakersfocusedonsocialproblems.
JacobRiisraisedawarenessaboutpoverty,disease,andcrimethatafflictedmany
immigrantneighborhoodsinNewYorkCitythroughpublishedphotographsand
descriptions.Thiscalledforreform.

ReformingGovernment
Progressivismincludedawiderangeofreformactivities.
Progressivesdidntalwaysagreeonthebestwaytofixaproblem,butthey
condemnedcorruptioninthegovernment.

MakingGovernmentEfficient
Onegroupofprogressivesfocusedonmakingthegovernmentmoreefficientby
usingideasfrombusiness.
Inthe1890siswhentheoriesofbusinessefficiencyfirstbecamepopular.

ThePrinciplesofScientificManagementdescribedhowacompanycould
becomemoreefficientbymanagingtime,breakingtasksdownintosmallerparts,
andusingstandardizedtools.
Itwasarguedthatthisscientificmethodofmanagingbusinessesprovidedmore
jobopportunitiesandoptimizedproductivity.
Progressivesthoughtbusinessmanagementtechniquesarerequiredtomanage
amoderncity.
Jobsweregiventothosewhoknewlittleaboutmanagingcityservices.
Progressivessupportedacommissionplanandacouncilmanagersystem.The
citymanagerwouldrunthecity,notthemayor.
Expertsplayamajorroleinmanagingthecity,inbothsystems.
DemocraticReforms
Agroupofprogressivesfocusedonmakingthepoliticalsystemmoredemocratic
andmoreresponsivetocitizens.
LaFolletesLaboratoryofDeomcracy
LaFoyelleteattackedthewaypoliticalpartiesrantheirconventions.
Folletepressuredthestatelegislaturetopassalawtoholdadirectprimary.
Progressivesalsopushedforthreeadditionalreforms:theinitiative,referendum
andrecall

DirectElectionofSenators
ProgressivesalsotargetedtheSenate.SomeSenators,onceelected,repaid
theirsupporterswithfederalcontractsandjobs.
Congresspassedadirectelectionamendmentin1912.
Thedirectelectionwassupposedtoendcorruption,butitalsoremovedoneof
thestatelegislaturescheckonfederalpower.
In1913,theamendmentwasratifiedandbecamethe17thamendmenttothe
Constitution.