History 1302 U.S. From 1877 Chapter 21 ~ Progressivism
Progressive movement: Late 19 th Century America disorder Attempt to bring order to the chaos Progressives addressing social issues through human thought, study and engineered solutions With the right effort, life would continue to get better In the light of reason and public opinion American Progressives: Optimistic in view the US can be better Group action and cooperation more productive Communal purpose & action - guided by expert engineering (created the great urban marvels water and sewage systems, electrical systems, etc.) Positive environment yields positive citizens Activists / rationalists / well-to-do Help the victims of Capitalism Workman s Compensation & workplace regulation Not Party oriented, but Interest oriented Chapter 21 Hollinger 1302 2
American Progressive Movements: Society are subject to Natural Laws but these can be affected by purposeful human action Marketplace / Social Darwinism - both can be guided Mutual relationships & responsibilities are the basic building blocks for a sustainable society & cohesion Intervention should be on the level that would be needed to fix the problem States came first Courts become activist and agents of change law to meet society's needs Louis Brandeis - Social facts speak louder than legal precedents Knowledge and Expertise is power Expertise and Bureaucrats bringing order Fundamentally different than Populism scientific, urban and change oriented Chapter 21 Hollinger 1302 3
Progressive social agenda: Anti-Monopoly Concentration of power is negative: Concentrated power & wealth brews problems national rich lost touch with local reality Power of public opinion Power of the Magazine graphic public media McClures, Cosmopolitan, Everybody s & Arena hardhitting and graphic expose of urban reality Explored reality s problems Muckrakers / Important Novels Stephen Crane Maggie a Girl in the Streets 1893 urban doom, crime and pessimism Edward Ross Sin and Society 1907 new definition of wrong-doing social crimes Upton Sinclair The Jungle 1906 unregulated meat industrfy Inspiration to action not enough to think about it a middle class obligation to do something about it. Chapter 21 Hollinger 1302 4
Progressive social agenda (cont) Social Gospel Address the structural roots of injustice & distress Social justice as objectives for Christian action Secular agenda for Liberal, urban Churches - National Council of Churches 1908 Walter Raucschenbusch Darwin not about the ruthless but to motivate us to work together for mutual benefit Settlement house movement: 1889-1917 Poverty / Criminality is result of individual & society s failure Middle class, educated & trained women meaningfully active - Movement across the Northeast & Midwest Search for the authentic experience Can Whites address other culture s problems? 400 by 1911 Nationally organized Data and experience for governmental legislation Administration of gov t programs Environment shapes lives - actions on addressable issues Chapter 21 Hollinger 1302 5
Progressive social agenda (cont 2) : Topical Associations to facilitate group action: Professions Embodiment of middle-class expertise, education and application of experience and skill Self-governing / self-defining / social power / status Taylor-ism and scientific management Nat Assoc of Manufacturers - 1895 Women ~ the helping professions and beyond Social work / Nursing / Teaching New Women Emma Goldman (1869 1940) Mother Earth 1906 Some work in public and private sectors Margaret Sanger (1879 1966) - Birth Control and Planned Parenthood Women s Club movement Women s and Public Improvement Issue Oriented Class & Race oriented Chapter 21 Hollinger 1302 6
Woman Suffrage: Drew on extensive reform tradition: Women s Rights Movement Seneca Falls 1848 Post Civil- War Split Supreme Court setbacks Bardwell v Illinois 1873 Restrictions on Women upheld Minor v Happersdett 1875 Women as citizens had civil rights not necessarily political rights Nat.l American Woman s Suffrage Assoc. 1893 Washington 1910, 5 other western states 1914 Wartime morality & 2 Million members Chapter 21 Hollinger 1302 7
Progressive political moves Early efforts Greenbacks & Mugwumps Municipal reform Clean up sinful urban life State level Initiative, Referendum and Recall by 1918 20 states had these popular tools Direct primaries 1915 all states Robert LaFollette Wisconsin progressive 1900 Defeated by Supreme Court Interest Groups From weakening parties Clustered around expertise on an issue Mobilized action Chapter 21 Hollinger 1302 8
Progressive Political Power: Party & Machines 1914 Richard Wagner & Alfred E Smith for NY labor after 191 Triangle Shirtwaist Fire Smaller communities / more Federal impact Disputes were Federal in scope Water Public Land Professions and Power in their own right 1905 Niagara Declarations immediate work toward Civil Rights 1909 With Whites formed NAACP modern organization, strategy and court action Temperance 1893 Anti-Saloon League 1916 19 States were dry 1919 18 th Amendment Chapter 21 Hollinger 1302 9
New problems, new fights Immigration Split Progressives Social Observation v Justice concept Fewer problems / Raise standard of living Restricted hope Nationality and Ethnic Characteristics Nativist sentiment rising by WWI Race Jim Crow as legalistic segregation Memphis, etc. had black suffrage because white machines needed votes Socialism Cooperation versus competition Those who work not those who are successful Bill Haywood Industrial Workers of the World Single Union Violence / Social crimes Decentralization and Regulation Louis Brandeis Other People s Money 1913 Government oversight can balance both Chapter 21 Hollinger 1302 10