“What was the Progressive Movement?”[1] Historian Peter G. Filene presents this question in his article, “An Obituary for ‘The Progressive Movement’”, in order to introduce the reality that for decades scholars struggled to propose an answer to this question. They have and still do struggle because there are many ways to consider this question and qualify the Progressive Era: such as its definition, time frame, significant turning points and important people, goals, successes, and failures. Given these ways of explaining the Progressive Era expressing its ideas appears to be a daunting task.
However, the first historian to successfully define and explain the Progressive Movement was historian Richard Hofstadter. With his 1954 book Pulitzer Prize winning book, The Age of Reform, Hofstadter links the major reform movements before and after the turn of the twentieth century. Instead of citing specific reforms or leaders, Hofstadter deals with the ideas connecting Populism, Progressivism and the New Deal, while examining the differences and similarities between them. Other historians subsequently conduct their own research and formulate their own opinions in response to Hofstadter’s book. Peter G. Filene writes in 1970, “An Obituary for ‘The Progressive Movement’”, which proposes the Progressive Movement cannot be considered a movement at all because of its disunity and lack of identity. Richard L. McCormick writes “The Discovery that Business Corrupts Politics: A Reappraisal of the Origins of Progressivism” in 1980 to offer the corruption of business was the driving force behind Progressivism. Finally, Paula Baker argues in the Progressive era government adopted the domestication role and social policies previously hel...
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[26] Paula Baker, 640.
[27] Ibid.
[28] Paula Baker, 641-642.
Works Cited
Peter G. Filene, “An Obituary for the Progressive Movement,” American Quarterly 22 Spring 1970. Web. 2 June 2015.
http://bhsecprogressivism2.omeka.net/items/show/267
Richard Hofstadter, The Age of Reform (New York: Vintage Books, A Division of Random House, 1955. Web. 1 June 2015.
http://www2.fiu.edu/~lichtens/syllabi/brinkley.pdf
Richard L. McCormick. “The Discovery that Business Corrupts Politics: A Reappraisal of the Origins of Progressivism,” American Historical Review, 86. April 1981. Web. 4 June 2015.
http://www.nyu.edu/classes/gmoran/MCCORMICK.pdf
Paula Baker, “The Domestication of Politics: Women and American Political Society, 1780-1920,” American Historical Review, 89 (June 1984). Web. 26 May 2015.
https://bhsecamericas2.omeka.net/items/show/15
The Progressive Movement that occurred during the early 20th century was a time of major reform in the United States of America. During this time, there was a group of activists that referred to themselves as the Progressives, and they sought to change society for the people. The way that they intended to do this was change through their ideals of democracy, efficiency, regulation, and social justice. With this movement came the election that changed the course of America’s history “…demonstrating a victory for progressive reforms as both Progressive candidates accounted for 75 percent of all the votes” (Bowles). The candidates in this election were Theodore Roosevelt and Woodrow Wilson. While both of these men considered themselves to be part of the progressives and shared some similar opinions, they also differed from each other greatly and were apparent in their views during this time.
In the late 1800’s a group of Americans decided that something needed to be done about the decline of moral and ethical values in most Americans. These people called themselves the progressives and started one of the most comprehensive reform movements in the United States to this day. Progressivism became so widespread that by the end of World War I, anyone who didn’t agree with Progressive ideals was labeled a communist. The Progressives had four major goals that they wished to accomplish. These four goals were to democratize America, to Americanize America, the humanization of capitalism and rationalization of the economy. Each goal dealt with a different aspect of America’s society that the Progressives thought needed help. The way these goals were accomplished was to get laws passed that would reform the practices of many Americans. Progressives held that in order to bring American back to its old time, rural values people would need to attend church more.
Within the period of 1900-1920, many national reforms were rising to the top as Progressive Era reformers and the federal government heard the voices of the people. The effectiveness of Progressivism is a controversial subject for some, but the future was changed through the events of any actions a president made, the rights of people, and unfair treatment and conditions. This era brings changes to our society that also changes the future of it. These two decades brought forth successful times in bettering America.
This article speaks to the long term impacts of the Progressive Movement and what it has become to today’s society. Roosevelt was a symbol for the Progressive Movement and although Howell does not specifically list Roosevelt’s successes, he does detail some of the major breakthroughs of the Progressive Movement.
The Progressive Era ( 1890’s- 1920’s) was a period of political reforms and social activism within politicians, and radical groups. Some politicians were also known as “Political Progressives”, this group made great changes in the effort to sooth the anger of many industrial workers, and to make their jobs a little less rigorous, however the changes put into effort by political progressives would do little to aid the concerns such as those of the radicals groups (women, blacks, Mexican-Americans).
...ough Maman’s funeral and the impact of Maman’s death on Meursault. In the first chapter, Meursault is disconnected from the world around him; only responding to the social customs set in place and showing awareness in why they should be followed, but he does not understand why that is the case. In the last chapter, the inevitable arrival of Meursault’s own death makes him aware that the life he lived meant nothing because things would be the same at the end despite what choies he made. This acceptance is reached because Meursault was guided through death. Thus, Maman’s funeral links Meursault and Maman together as two individuals who accept their despair-filled truth but demonstrate the willingness to live again because they carry that acceptance with them.
After looking closely at all four documents, the Progressive Era ended child labor, improved working conditions, and brought victory to women suffrage. Goals of the movement and people who took part in it have also been highlighted. It is concluded that Progressivism movement was effective and changing American values and lifestyles.
Foner, Eric. "The Progressive Era." In Give me liberty!: an American history. Seagull Fourth ed. New York: W.W. Norton & Company, 2014. 709-710; 715.
The Progressive era was a time where change was needed in order to eliminate social Darwinism and highlight the significance of social unity and camaraderie. Progressive movements became the response to the rising problems left by the 19th century: the evident unequal distribution of wealth and the expanding power of massive businesses. In the book Triangle: The Fire that changed America, David Von Drehle unveiled the greedy nature of corporate owners which repressed the democratic principles of the United States and its relation to the rise of social movements which shed light to many changes that occurred socially starting with the improved working conditions and in the beginning of the twentieth century.
West, Thomas G. "The Progressive Movement and the Transformation of American Politics." The Heritage Foundation. N.p., 18 July 2007. Web. 11 Mar. 2014
Muller, Damon A. "Criminal Profiling ." Homicide Studies 4.3 (2000): 234-364. Web. 9 Apr 2011.
The most commonly known, and consequently most watered down, version of the progressive movement argues that this era was simply an effort by the middle class to cure many of the social and political ills of American society that had developed during the rapid industrial growth in the last quarter of the 19th century. This explanation has proven to be a woefully inadequate in the face of the complexities that characterize these times. In Richard Hofstadter’s The Age of Reform, Peter Filene’s “An Obituary for the Progressive Movement,” Richard McCormick’s “The Discovery that Business Corrupts Politics,” and Paula Baker’s “The Domestication of Politics” each author asserts their own unique interpretations of the progressive movement. These distinct examinations each chart and thus manifest the fluidity of knowledge about this particular time period and how it has been shaped reshaped by new analysis.
The Progressive Era, dated from about 1900 to 1920, is known for the reformers who brought about change at a national level. For the middle class, reformers were extremely efficient and effective in making progress. For other demographics, like women and African Americans, change did not come so easily. Although the Progressive Era was successful in reforming certain parts of the federal government and American society, like big business and workers’ conditions, there was still a lot of progress to be made with women and other minorities by the time the era came to a close. To a lesser extent, the economy was transformed due to an unprecedented amount of government intervention in the proceedings of large corporations. The Progressive Era was
The novel opens with Meursault having just learned that his mother has died. His reaction to her death is far from typical, and he simply says, “Maman died today, or yesterday maybe, I don’t know.” As he prepares to leave town to attend the funeral, he expresses a sort of general discomfort. This discomfort can be seen in his extremely uncomfortable conversation with his boss, in which Meursault simply tells his boss, “it’s not my fault.” Meursault also wishes that the funeral were already over so that, “the case would be closed, and everything will have a more official feel to it.”
Meursault is distant from set plans, ambitions, desires, love, and emotions in general. He has a difficult time with emotions such as regret and compassion. The reader sees the nature of his personality in the first few lines of the novel: "Maman died today. Or yesterday maybe, I don't know." When he hears of the death of his mother through a telegram, he is unattached, and can be considered uncaring.