history IRP

11 11 Progressive Movement Your Name

Course

Date

Progressive Movement

What is Progressivism

The period from 1890 to 1917 in the history of United States is known as Progressive era . This period is marked by an all-encompassing and intensive change in all spheres of American life viz . political economic and social . According to Nevin and Commager , this period was marked by revolt and reform in almost every department of American life . Old political leaders were ousted and new one enlisted political machinery was overhauled and modernized

political practices were subject to critical scrutiny and those which failed to square with the ideals of democracy were rejected (p . 382

Origin of Progressivism

Various theories have been forwarded about the origins of the Progressivism as a movement and socio-political reformation . Thelen (1969 ) sums up the theoretical assumptions about the factors that set an impetus for progressivism . He says in this regard

Recent historians have explained the origins of the progressive moments in several ways . They have represented Progressivism , in turn , as a continuation of the western and southern farmers ' revolt , as a desperate attempt by the urban gentry to regain status from the new robber barons as a thrust from the depths of slum life and as a campaign by businessmen to prevent workers from securing political power (p .323

He concludes that the only assumption that can attributed as the cause of progressivism is class and status conflict of the late nineteenth century (323 ) and it remains the major driving force for the progressive throughout the movement . However , apparently progressivism can be identified as a response to the gilded age and its exploitation and a manifestation of mature American ideology

A : A Reaction to Gilded Age

The progressive leaders with faith in the traditional American ideals of democratic government , individual liberty , rule of law and protection of private rights and property , felt that Gilded Age was marked by corruption . They further felt that due to the policies and practices of the previous regimes , a privileged wealthy class has been created that had plundered the national wealth and resources

B : Manifestation of Mature American Ideology

Prof . Ekirch (1978 ) explored the profound intellectual factors behind the Progressive movement . He illustrates trans-Atlantic roots of this phenomenon that starts with Darwinism . He says in this regard that it was the transformation of the Populist and Socialist ideas of the 1890s into an American version of the state socialism or social democracy (p .34 . Furthermore he considers it a response to industrialization of America and Imperialism invasion the world over Still there is another viewpoint that postulates the theory that the progressive movement never existed (ne , 1970 .

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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 government and those ruling over the United States must be made answerable to the electorates . They also expected higher standard of professional morality and integrity from the officials...