In American history, the Progressive Movement refers to a broadly based reform movement that flourished during the period between the depression of 1893 and the entry of United States into World War I in the 20th century (CE, 2007). This was the time when Americans were trying to cope with problems associated with massive industrialization, rise of the corporation and rapid urban growth (Frankel and Dye, 1994). Benjamin De Witt in 1915 defined progressivism as “the exclusion of privileged interests from political and economic control, the expansion of democracy and the use of government to benefit the weak and oppressed members of American society” (Buenker et al, 1986, p. v). Due to rapid industrialization and urbanization in the beginning of the twentieth century, there were problems such as overcrowding of the cities, lack of sanitation, lack of clean water, need for sewer systems, paved roads and public transportation. Moreover, factories and mines and lumber camps were unsafe places to work in and there was widespread political corruption (Green et al, 2002). Desiring to reform the government and restore some sanity, the Progressive Movement was launched in the form of measures such as: introduction of the secret ballot, direct primaries, the initiative, the referendum, and direct election of senators; curbing the excessive power of corporate wealth by regulating railroads and utilities, restricting lobbying, limiting monopoly, and raising corporate taxes; providing worker’s compensation, child labor laws, minimum wage and maximum hours legislation especially for women workers, and providing widows’ pensions (CE, 2007). The progressive movement worked towards creating positive change and included people from the business and professional worlds.
During the progressive movement, the US Constitution was amended to give women the right to vote, to establish a federal income tax and to provide for the direct election of U.S. senators by voters (Green et al, 2002). The movement also included prohibition and women tried to illegalize the production and selling of alcoholic drinks. The Eighteenth Amendment to the constitution made alcohol illegal in America. But prohibition was not successful as liquor from British Columbia was smuggled into the state by rumrunners. Moreover, the public desired alcohol leading to violations everywhere. The local police stopped enforcing prohibition in many cities (Green et al, 2002) and there was bribery among the police in some other places.
Women such as Jane Addams in Chicago and Lillian Wald in New York City tried to improve slum life through social reforms. Some others tried to curb corruption in municipalities by forming nonpartisan leagues to defeat the corrupt officers. Though many urban reformers worked towards achieving greater independence of municipalities, they could not achieve much success because state legislatures which were under the control of large companies thwarted the struggle for greater powers at the municipal level. Progressivism succeeded in reforming State Politics. Robert La Follette’s term as governor of Wisconsin (1901–6) was a model of progressive reform as he successful in getting the anti-lobbying law directed at large corporations passed in the legislature along with a state banking control measure, and a direct primary law.
On the national level, the progressives could not make much progress as conservatives controlled the Senate. However, regulations were made against the trusts during Theodore Roosevelt’s administration, and two railroad regulating bills were passed by the Congress, namely, the Elkins Act (1903) and the Hepburn Act (1906) (CE, 2007). The Pure Food and Drug Act and the Meat Inspection Act were passed (1906) to enumerate best practices of the food industry (CE, 2007). Regulation of corporations and for social-welfare legislation could not be achieved on the national level as the Congress resisted it. Under President Woodrow Wilson, the Federal Reserve Act of 1913 was passed to reform the currency system; the Clayton Antitrust Act and the Federal Trade Commission Act (1914) extended government regulation of big business; and the Keating-Owen Act (1916) restricted child labor (CE, 2007).
The progressive movement is behind the rise of America as the super power of the world. The political and social reforms, including the regulation of corporations by the government which were achieved during the days of the progressive movement stand as a testimony of the success of the movement. However, the progressive movement failed to establish certain social-welfare measures which were later achieved during the New Deal Years.
Bibliography
Frankel, Noralee and Dye, Schrom Nancy (1994). Gender, Class, Race, and Reform in the Progressive Era. University Press of Kentucky.
Green, K. Michael; Carlson, M. Laurie; Myers, Allen Susan (2002). Washington in the Pacific Northwest. Gibbs Smith.
Buenker, D. John; Burnham, C. John and Crunden, M. Robert. Progressivism. Schenkman Publication Company, Cambridge, MA, 1986.
CE (Columbia University) ( 2007). Progressivism. he Columbia Encyclopedia, Sixth Edition, Columbia University Press, New York.