9.1 Origins and Goals of the
Progressives
Goals of Progressivism
• The Progressives picked up where the
Populists left off
• Four Goals:
• 1. Protecting Social Welfare: improving the
lives of the less fortunate
– Groups like the YMCA and Salvation Army tried
to meet people’s basic needs (food, shelter, etc.)
Goals of Progressivism
• 2. Promoting moral development: the big
push was against alcohol
– Groups like the Woman’s Christian Temperance
Union highlighted “Christian” reasons for
avoiding drinking.
Goals of Progressivism
• 3. Economic Reform: a strong push to limit one’s
ability to become mega-rich.
– Ida Tarbell helped turn popular opinion against major
companies like Rockefeller’s Standard Oil
– People blamed big businesses for economic problems
Goals of Progressivism
• 4. Fostering Efficiency: make the most amount
of stuff with the least amount of time/resources
– “Taylorism:” timing every little process in a factory
to make small improvements.
– Makes prices of goods cheaper, which means we can
own more things
Local and State Govt.
• In cities, they were takin’ down the “Bosses!”
– Progressives wanted cities run by experts, not
just anybody
• “Fighting Bob” La Follette was a Progressive
governor, attacking the railroads
• Child-labor laws were passed at the state
level
Local and State Govt.
• Lawyer Louis Brandeis argued that people
needed rest, employers should shorten work
shifts
– In Muller v. Oregon, Supreme Court agreed that
workers needed the govt.’s protection from harsh
working conditions