Progressivism and its Effects

What was Progressivism?

Massive reform movement in early 1900s

Waged war on monopolies, corruption, inefficiency, and social injustice

Goal: To strengthen role of government in ensuring human welfare. No more “laissez-faire”

Where did Progressivism Come From? Anger at trusts Anger at division of

wealth Thorstein Veblen’s

Theory of the Leisure Class

Jacob Riis’ How the Other Half Lives

Socialism—desire for government to take over private industry and make more equal

Social gospel movement Feminism

The Muckrakers

Term coined by Roosevelt Writers who unearthed filth

and corruption in society Lincoln Steffen’s The

Shame of the Cities—corrupt alliance between big business and city government

Ida Tarbell expose of Standard Oil

Wrote about other social ills: slums, child labor, industrial accidents, lack of regulations concerning medicine

Progressive Political Goals

Most progressives were white, middle class Felt pressure from above—giant

corporations Pressure from below—immigrants and

labor unions Wanted to deal with both

Progressive Political Goals ctnd. Wanted political power given back to people

Initiative—people propose legislation Referendum—people vote on legislation Recall—people can remove elected officials

Desire to decrease corruption Campaign finance reform Direct election of senators—17th Amendment in

1913 Women’s suffrage in some states, 19th

Amendment in 1920.

Reform in Cities and States

Changes to city government Commission system,

city-manager system—city to be run by experts

Wisconsin—lead by Robert LaFollette—took much power from corporations and gave it to people Other states follow—

Ex. Hiram W. Johnson in California—broke railroad trust

Progressive Women

Didn’t challenge notion of “separate spheres” just wanted more rights for women in those spheres

Women drawn to moral issues like ending child labor or drinking

Special laws to protect women in workforce confirmed in Muller v. Oregon Actually kept women out of certain “male”

jobs

Women’s Reforms

1911 Triangle Shirtwaist Factory Women locked in 146 killed Women fought for laws

regulating conditions and hours in factories

Temperance Women’s Christian

Temperance Union largest organization of women in the world

Teddy Roosevelt’s Square Deal Roosevelt was a

“progressive” at home

Wanted a square (fair) deal for all groups: business, labor and public Control of

corporations Consumer protection Conservation of

natural resources

Roosevelt Curbs Big Business

Intervened in coal strike on behalf of workers Threatened to seize mines and operate

with federal troops if owners didn’t negotiate

FIRST TO DO THIS Established Department of Commerce

and Labor

Roosevelt Curbs Big Business ctnd. 1903 Elkins Act —forbids

railroad rebates 1906 Hepburn Act—

expanded Interstate Commerce Commission’s powers to regulate railroad

1902-1904: Ordered break-up of Northern Securities Trust

Still Roosevelt was not against all trusts—just wanted regulation

Roosevelt Helps the Consumer 1906: Upton

Sinclair’s The Jungle People want change

in meat-packing industry

1906 Meat Inspection Act

1906 Pure Food and Drug Act

Roosevelt and Conservation

One of first presidents to protect environment

Laws to irrigate deserts, reserve forest land

Part of concern for conservation in America

Roosevelt wanted to use nature “rationally,” not wastefully

Built a dam in Yosemite at Hetch-Hetchy because necessary

Angered preservationists who wanted to preserve nature from all human use

Roosevelt’s Legacy

Re-elected in 1904 Hurt by “Roosevelt Panic” of 1907—speculation

on Wall Street In 1908, Roosevelt hand-picked Taft as his

successor Legacies of Roosevelt:

Increased power and prestige of presidency Helped shape the progressive movement, and his

Square Deal was a precedent to New Deal Showed America they were a new world power

Taft: A Progressive President?

Lack of personality compared to Roosevelt

Really wanted to keep the “status quo”

Did bust more trusts than Roosevelt Standard Oil in 1911

Roosevelt became angry with Taft when he increased the tariff (Payne-Aldrich Bill) and dismissed lead conservationist Pinchot after selling public land to private development

The Splitting of the Republican Party In Election of 1912,

Republicans ran Taft again

Roosevelt decided to run again, this time on Progressive (bull moose) ticket

With Republican party divided, Woodrow Wilson was elected in 1912

Wilson the Progressive

Did want to regulate trusts so small business could thrive

Wanted more competition in economy—New Freedom Program

Wilson elected as minority president—called for assault on tariff, banks and trusts

Wilson Tackles the Tariff

Passed Underwood Tariff Bill—dramatic reduction in rates

Also began collecting income tax because of Sixteenth Amendment Designed to equalize wealth, make rich

fund social programs Tax money now larger source of income

than tariff

Wilson Battles Banks

Wanted bank to end its monopoly and to be able to put more currency in market when necessary

Wanted decentralized bank in government hands

1913 Federal Reserve Act Created Federal Reserve

Board—oversees regional reserve districts and banks

Each bank empowered to issue paper money if necessary

Most important piece of economic legislation between Civil War and New Deal

Wilson Tames the Trusts

1914 Federal Trade Commission Act—outlawed unfair trade practices

1914 Clayton Anti-Trust Act strengthened Sherman Anti-Trust Act, made sure labor unions weren’t being prosecuted under it

Other Progressive Reforms Under Wilson Credits and loans to farmers to deal with

overproduction Workingmen’s Compensation Act Acts restricting child labor Adamson Act of 1916—8 hour day for all

employees on trains in interstate commerce Appointed first Jew, Louis Brandeis, to

Supreme Court Still, accelerated segregation in federal

government!

Election of 1916 and End of Progressive Party

Roosevelt refused to run on Progressive ticket because he didn’t want to split Republican Party

Wilson still won re-election Progressivism gets overshadowed with

start of WWI in 1914