American Progressivism: The Social Movement

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The progressive era in America (roughly late 19th century into the 1930s) was in response to government corruption, racism, child labor, terrible working conditions in factories, lack of human rights for women and minorities, and environmental degradation. Many positive changes were made thanks to leaders like President Theodore Roosevelt, who insisted on preserving America’s natural resources; he also busted monopolies and called for fairness for women. According to Eleanor Roosevelt project handout published on the George Washington University (GWU) website, progressivism began as a social movement and evolved into a political movement. Early in the social movement, reformists were concerned about the problems society faced (poverty, violence, …show more content…

According to the book American Progressivism: A Reader, Roosevelt advocated the following reforms: 1) to dissolve the unholy alliance between corrupt business and politics; 2) probation of child labor, an 8-hour workday, safety and health standards for workers, and minimum wages for women workers; 3) establishment of “social insurance” (forerunner of Social Security); and 4) protection/conservation of national forests (Roosevelt launched the National Park system) and agricultural lands. (Pestritto, Ronald J, and Atto, William, …show more content…

(McGerr, 2010, 79) Overall, the progressive moment drew some of its strength from a powerful current of environmentalist thought, which was flowing through turn-of-the-century America; and Wisconsin’s progressive U.S. Senator Robert La Follette believed that many crimes grow directly out of the sins and the injustices of society and he also believed in reform for those reasons. (McGerr,

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