Lecture

2 :Progressive Era
(1996-1916)

The Progressive Era was one of the most, if not the most, significant periods in U.S. history. The country was
transformed from a relatively laissez-faire economy with a minimal government into a heavily regulated economy
governed by an interventionist state. Correspondingly, the ideology of public intellectuals, business, the citizenry,
and political parties drastically changed and became more interventionist. It was the period when the country was
growing up, when it realized that minimal government was not suited for a modern industrial economy. It was also
the turning point, the time when America abandoned its laissez-faire strengths for the warfare state, and thereby
plunged headfirst into all of its destructive consequences in the 20th century
Lecture 2:
Progressive Era (1996- 1916)
The major goals of the progressives were to promote the ideas of morality, economic
reform, efficiency and social welfare. During this time National progressive political leaders
included Theodore Roosevelt, Robert M. La Follette Sr., and Charles Evans Hughes on
the republican side, and William Jennings Bryan, Woodrow Wilson, and Al Smith on the
democratic side. Many others, from politician to social activists, business owners to
philosophers, and preachers to reporters, contributed to the progressive movement.
The Progressive Era saw many far-reaching reform movements whose goals included
eliminating government corruption, granting suffrage for women, and passing antitrust
legislation.
1- Progressive Era Characteristics:

It was evident that by the turn of the century, the rich were getting richer and the poor
were getting poorer with no end in sight. America had catapulted to the world’s stage and
seemed to be a land of endless opportunity. On the surface, American society seemed to
have a romanticized facade. But, the realities could not be ignored. More and more people
began to question the evils of poverty that existed in the urban slums of the most
industrialized nation in the world. Then their concerns extended to issues ranging from
child labor to conserving the nation’s natural resources. They fought for a more responsive
government, protection against industrial giants, a woman’s right to vote, anti-lynching
laws, racial/ethnic equality, safer foods and drugs, plus many other reforms that made life
more bearable.

Although they never formed a collective union, these individuals were soon called
Progressives. Many of their beliefs were rooted in religious principles of the time. They
sought to achieve the social aims of the Christian religion by tending to the “weaker”
elements of society – women, children, the poor, etc.

2-Third Party Movements:

The most organized challenge progressives posed, politically speaking, came from the
t
Third Party Movement of the early 20 century. There were conservative as well as radical
elements to this challenge. One example was the Progressive Party, popularly known as
the “Bull Moose Party,” came to the forefront in the election of 1912 under the leadership
of Theodore Roosevelt. The party developed when his Republican Party accused him of
being anti-business and refused to nominate him for another run at the White House.
Theodore Roosevelt practiced facets of progressivism by frequently using the Sherman
Anti-Trust Act to help fight against the evils of irresponsible business and corporate
corruption. He believed that the concentration of America’s wealth in the hands of a few
Wall Street giants had the potential to threaten the welfare of the entire nation. So then, it
was in the best interest of the people to regulate business at any cost.

An additional challenge to America’s two-party system came from the Socialist Party.
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Along with its leader, Eugene Debs, (five-time Presidential candidate for the American
Socialist Party) the socialists believed in the public ownership of property and that the
state (government) should own all means of production. They believed that economic
competition was inherently evil and that it was the root of most, it not all, of the country’s
social ills. But even with America’s discontent with the status quo(*)1, the Socialist Party
never gained much political clout. Its philosophy was contrary to the economic traditions of
the United States and contrary to the aims of big business.

The Industrial Workers of the World (IWW) or Wobblies were by far the most
radical group to challenge the status quo. They were openly anti-capitalist and fervently
supported Marxism or the idea that all citizens share equally. Along with their leaders Ed
Boyce and “Big Bill” Haywood, the Wobblies aimed at creating change through unions in
the workplace that would cause a new society to emerge led by the workers themselves.

3-Back to the Basics of Democracy.

With leaders like Robert LaFollette, the Wisconsin Congressman, at the forefront,
Progressives sought to institute direct democracy at the local, state, and federal levels of
government. Between the late 19th and early 20th century, Progressives saw the passage
of some of the most democratizing reforms in history. One of their greatest achievements
was the direct primary that took power away from the organized political machines by
allowing political candidates to be chosen through popular elections. Another of their
significant reforms was the recall which gave the people the power to remove office-
holders when the public had lost confidence in their ability to fulfill their duty as political
agents of our government. With the power of the initiative/referendum, citizens were
allowed to submit a proposed public measure or actual statue on the ballot for popular
vote. This gave Progressives the venue to seek further reforms, such as the 17th
amendment, which further enhanced their grip on popular politics by allowing for the direct
election of senators who were elected by the state legislatures and who would increase
the chances for ratifying the Constitution, also expected that those senators elected by
state legislatures would be able to concentrate on the business at hand without pressure
from the populace. Hence, intimidation and bribery marked some of the states' selection of
senators. Many deadlocks occurred, resulting in delays in seating senators. Frustration
with the corruption grew, and spurred momentum for reform. In 1911, a resolution
proposing a constitutional amendment was introduced; it was passed in 1912 and sent to
the states for ratification. The required three-fourths majority was achieved, and the 17th
Amendment was added to the Constitution in 1913.

4: Female Reform Leaders :

Progressives aimed at restoring America by making the government more responsive to

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(*)The status quo: the existing state of affairs, esp. regarding social or political issues: they have a vested interest in
maintaining the status quo.

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the needs of its people. It is important to note that even though most of the Progressives
never shared a political platform or never developed into an organized body politic, or
political entity, they did share one common characteristic. Most all of the Progressive
ideals were rooted in religion. Ideas of the Social Gospel were reflected in the works of
many Progressives.

Jane Addams – and many settlement house workers like her, believed that they had a
civic responsibility to their community. The priority reform of Leading suffragists like Susan
B. Anthony and Elizabeth Cady Stanton was a suffrage amendment for women in the
United States Constitution. After being shunned out of the privileges of the recently ratified
th
14 amendment which left out critical words in the phrase “...race, color, or previous
condition of servitude,” they decided to go full force in their demand for equal rights. They
organized into the National Women Suffrage Association and sought to attract a wider
constituency in order to gain the right to vote. Some of their tactics were divisive, however.
Susan B. Anthony, Elizabeth Cady Stanton, and other suffragists attempted to improve the
lives of women in American society regardless of their rationale.

5: Male Reform Leaders:

Some of the most notable intellectuals of the time were figures like Booker T.
Washington (founder of the Tuskegee Normal and Industrial Institute) and W.E. B. Du
Bois. Booker T. Washington, a former slave, was a leading figure of civil rights for African
Americans. He advised blacks in America to “stop fighting segregation and second-class
citizenship and concentrate on learning useful skills, and that the agitation of questions on
racial equality is the extremist folly.” In other words, blacks should learn to live with white
prejudices and learn to move on by becoming productive citizens in their community by
embarking on manual vocations of value to their country.

W. E. B. Du Bois was one of Washington’s harshest critics. He too advocated for black
civil rights but could not imagine having to accept the evils of white prejudice. Du Bois
understood the need to instill cultural pride in an oppressed community. He also became
increasingly impatient with the segregated South and with the nonchalant tolerance of
black lynching s in America. He continued to challenge the plight of black Americans by
joining the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People or the NAACP.
Progressive sympathizers, like Mary White Ovington (creator of the NAACP) and W.E.B.
Du Bois used The Crisis, the NAACP official publication, as a platform to promote issues
affecting the black community. He also led other activists in what came to be known as the
Niagara Movement - the political rally that defined the demands for full political and civil
equality for blacks.

6: Reform through the Power of the Pen:

The journalists who became known as “Muckrakers” called the people to arms against
the political and economic “gangsterism” that was taking hold of America. Their primary
objective was to expose major issues in American life. Ida Tarbell wrote articles for

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McClure's, on John D. Rockefeller and his oil interests: The History of the Standard Oil
Company, published in 1904. The exposé resulted in federal action and eventually in the
breakup of the Standard Oil Company of New Jersey under the 1911 Sherman Anti-Trust
Act.

By 1902, a battalion of writers joined the ranks of journalists like Ida B. Wells, who
dedicated her life to a crusade(*)2 for social justice. She quickly realized the power of the
pen and used it to expose lynchings in the South. Similarly, in the fall of that same year,
McClure Magazine helped expose the “boss-rule” political machines taking root in cities
across America. It was not long before other writers flooded the presses with
denunciations of corporate corruption, unsafe foods and drugs, shady college sports, child
sweatshops, and many other social evils. Novelists like Upton Sinclair soon joined them by
using their art as an impetus for social change as well. Sinclair’s novel The Jungle was by
far one of the more popular writings on the exploitation of workers.

Progressive Era Success and Failure:

• Passage of the 16th amendment, Income tax increases the money the government
takes in and allow the government to do more
• Passage of the 17th Amendment. People get to select their senators. The senators
will do more to help the common people.
• Passage of the 19th Amendment; Women get the right to vote, Helps the poor;
Jacob Riis and Ida Tarbell Goes after John Rockefeller/gets his company broken up.
• Upton Sinclair The Jungle, Leads to the passage of the Pure food and drug act and
the meat inspection act.
• Some monopolies are busted, settlement houses help poor immigrant women,
Square deal, and National Parks
• No improvements in Civil Rights. Middle class Not strong, most people are still
working long hours for little pay.
• Monopolies/trusts not illegal only discouraged.
• No minimal wage. Women are paid less than men/ do not have equal opportunity in
fields like medicine or law.
References:
Bryn O’Callaghan, An illustrated History of The USA, (London: Longman, 1990).

An outline of US History, Bereau of international

information programs. US Department of state. 2011.

Murray N Rothbard, the progressive era,

Websites:
https:// www. Khanacademy.org
https://Encyclopedia britanica. Com
@2020 encyclopediabritannica,INC.

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(*)an organized campaign concerning a political, social, or religious issue, typically motivated by a fervent desire for
change: a crusade against crime.

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