Throughout the 19th century, America managed to achieve swift economic growth. However, technical and economic advancements often went ahead of social development, which created severe tensions in American society. Those tensions — inequality, massive immigration, racial segregation, gender prejudices, and poor labor conditions, led to the emergence of the Progressive Movement. As an umbrella term, “Progressive Movement” encompassed various groups, which offered their solutions to the social problems of their time. The field of their activities was quite broad: from investigative journalism (Muckrackers) and women’s suffrage (National American Women Suffrage Association) to efficient resource management (Conservationists) (Goldfield et al. ch.21.1). In that regard, the groups within Progressive Movement acted like trailblazers since they were the first to address problems, many of which are still relevant today. Therefore, the positive impact of the Progressives cannot be denied.
However, progressive ideas had one particularly interesting aspect: they found firm supporters on the top level of U.S. politics. Suffice to say that Theodore Roosevelt and Woodrow Wilson — two consecutive U.S. Presidents at the beginning of the 20th century, widely used Progressivism in their agenda. Wilson’s case presents more interest for the discussion because his use of Progressivism led to its culmination and subsequent collapse (Goldfield et al. ch.21.5). Wilson created the cornerstones of the current U.S. economic system, such as the Federal Reserve System and the Federal Trade Commission, to bring in limited government control (Goldfield et al. ch.21.5.2). However, his approach to Progressivism was relatively narrow, as he neglected the other aspects of the Progressive Movement: woman suffrage, abolition of child labor, and racial equality (Goldfield et al. ch.21.5.2). Only the impending perspective of possible defeat in the 1916 presidential elections forced Wilson to expand progressive reforms out of strictly economic scope.
For instance, Wilson reached out to farmers, workers, and, to some degree, to minorities. He helped the farmers by implementing the Federal Act Loan Farm — the law, which provided them with long-term federally financed credits (Goldfield et al. ch.21.5.3). He also convinced Congress to pass several laws favorable for American workers, thus creating an important advance for government regulation of the labor market (Goldfield et al. ch.21.5.3). Finally, Wilson overcame an aggressive conservative campaign against the Jewish-origin lawyer Louis Brandeis and appointed him to the Supreme Court. (Goldfield et al. ch.21.5.3).
One can say that Woodrow Wilson found the courage to change his mind, fix his mistakes, and expand his agenda to a truly “progressive” condition. However, he did not bother with Progressivism outside of broadening the government’s influence over the laissez-faire economy until the Republicans threatened his office. Therefore, his attitude cannot be considered genuinely progressive since he returned to Progressivism only for personal political gain.
Despite Wilson’s completely practical, if not cynical, stance on Progressivism, I agree with the ideas of the Progressive Movement. Social justice, equality, freedom of political beliefs, and ethical labor conditions are vital for a democratic society. However, I feel disdain when “reasonable” and “just” ideas are getting used by activists and politicians only for personal gain. Unfortunately, that is still the case in the culture of modern America, both for the right and the left sides of the political specter. I would like it if people in our country started to apply more critical thinking. Voting for populist right-wing candidates or supporting the social justice movements because of fear of getting ostracized are equally harmful to the nation’s future. After all, Progressivism strived to achieve national unity by closing the gaps instead of creating them, and we should remember that.
Work Cited
Goldfield, David, et al. The American Journey: A History of the United States, Volume 2 (Since 1865). 8th ed., Pearson, 2017.