Intro to Progressive Era

Progressivism?

• What does ‘Progressive’ mean?• Progress and improvement through change• Change intentional and rational• Represented many different issues

Common Beliefs

• Idea of progress• “Natural laws” not enough to create order &

stability• Gov’t should play a role in intervention• Limit & disperse power• Social cohesion: the idea that any one

person’s welfare depends on the welfare of society as a whole

Common Beliefs, cont.

• Social order: a result of intelligent social organization and rational procedures for guiding social/economic life (Society needs a smart manager.)

• Environment shapes individual development--Poverty, ignorance & criminality not results of genetic or moral weakness

Muckrakers

• Progressive journalists exposing corruption, waste and inefficiency

• Targeted trusts, railroads, corrupt city gov’t• Ida Tarbell: Standard Oil• Upton Sinclair: Meat-packing industry (The

Jungle)

Social Gospel Movement

• Idea of “social justice”• Protestant• Faith as tool for social reform• E.g. Salvation Army: material and spiritual

care to urban poor• Many clergy left parishes to work with

troubled cities

Settlement Houses• Tenements root of social

dysfunction• Helped immigrant families

adapt• Staffed by educated middle-

class• Educated women played

major role• Began profession of Social

Work• Hull House started by Jane

Addams in Chicago (1889)

Jane Addams

•

The New Woman

• Educated• Active in community groups• Social opportunities outside the home• Suffrage movement• Women’s contribution to Progressive

movement: “housekeeping” of society• Argued for voting rights based on the unique

contributions women could offer to politics

Rise of Expertise

• “Taylorism”• Frederick Jackson Turner• Scientific efficiency• Mass production, assembly line• New economy needed new skills: accountants,

engineers, managers, administrators• Newly large cities needed medical, legal &

educational services

Rise of the Middle Class

• New Middle Class of educated professionals• Essential to any modern industrial economy• Fueled Progressive movement

Emergence of Professionalism

• Idea of professionalism rather new• 1901: American Medical Association• Bar Associations (lawyers)• Chambers of Commerce• Standards for admission and licensing• Limited entry into professions