REASONSFORPROGRESSIVE
REFORMS
In the late 1800s,the UnitedStatesbecamea rich andoowerful
nation. t#ith industrializationand urbanizationcameproblems.Ttre
ProgressiveMovementwasa reactionto suchproblemsas:
. Powerfulmonopoliesresnictingcompetition
. An economicdepression
in the 1890s
. Labor unrestandviolence
. Unhealthyandunsafeliving andworking
conditions
r An increasedgapbetweenliving standards
of the rich andthepoor
Largenumbersof "new immigrants,'crowdedinto cities
Urbanpoverty,crime,congestion,
andpoorsanitation
Political comrptionat all levelsof govemment
Abuseof the nation'snaturalresources
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a
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Who Werethe Progressives?
TheProgressiyeswereAmericanswhosetout to tackletheproblemsof theirera.Theydid notform onesinglegroup.Theprogreisive
Movement was made up of many different movements,and the
Progressives
werernanydifferentkindsof Americans.Their commitmentandtheir successvariedfrom personto personandfrom causeto
cause.They did havesomethingsin common,however.
CHARACTERISTICS
The hogressiveswere influencedby the
Populists,but differed from them. While the populistslived in the
countryor in smalltownsttheProgressives
werelargelycity dwellcrs.
Most of the Populistswerefarmers,who focusedon farm problems.
The Progressives
tendedto be educatedprofessionals-doctors,lawyers, socialworkers,clergy, andteachers-with a wide rangeof concerns.
EELIEFS AND GOALS Like all reformers,the progressives
wereoptimists.Theybelievedthatabusesof powerby goyernment
and
businesscould be ended.They believedthat new developments
in
technologyandsciencecouldbe usedto improvethebasicinstitutions
of Americansociety-business,government,education,and family
life. Progressives
believedin capitalism,andwereconcemedaboutthe
growthof socialismasa morcradicalreactionto theeffectsof industri.
wantedto bypasspartypolitics, whichtheysaw
alization.Progressives
as comrpt, but had faith that a sfong govemmentcould and should
coffect abusesandprotectrights.
Not all Americanswerehogressivesor agreedwith hogressive
goals.Manybusinessandpoliticalleadersopposedbusiness
regulation
and acceptedthe SocialDarwinists'view that the vastdifferencesin
wealth and power in Ameriqn societywere the result of scientific
forcesthat could not be changed.Many workersandfarmersdid not
benefitfrom Progressive
reform,nor did mostblack Americans,
FACTORS AIDING THE MOVEMENT
Many Progressives
actedthroughnationalvoluntaryorganizations,which grew rapidly
beginningin the 1890s.The fact Sratthe mov€mentwascenteredin
citiesat a time whenmoreof thepopulationwasliving in citieshelped
communicationamonghogressives.So did the expandrngtelephone
and telegraphsyslems.The availability of inexpensivemass-circulation magazinesandnewspapers
alsohelpedspreadProgressive
ideas.