As per statement of Theodore Roosevelt during his speech in April 1912 entitled “Who is a Progressive?” that, Progressives are those who had a forward-thinking vision of the future and intense convictions. However, his or her convictions should include sympathy for everyone, its imagination for self-improvement. Conversely, Roosevelt said that if a person has mildly good intentions equate to being useless completely. For Upton Sinclair, a novelist has mentioned in his book that the important issues on health found in the meat packing industry . The unsanitary conditions inspired people to seek reform in the entire industry.
What, in your opinion, were the key principles of the Progressive Movement?
During the Progressive Movement, many surprising things happened; the expansion of the rights of people in terms of freedom of suffrage or freedom to vote and the right to control the government such as recalls or allows women to vote especially African Americans, assembly lines, workplace efficiencies, wireless radio, and federal government and regulations. Another expansion of rights is the social justice for the society in the form of charity and types of welfare for people with disabilities, injuries, or sickness. People demanded and supported the reform in both business and government.
A major reform Governor Robert M. Lafollette of Wisconsin led the people and once said that, “My goal is not to smash corporation but to drive them out of politics”. Among the examples of reforms is that, the State Government reforms moved forward and adopted election reforms: (a) the secret ballot (voters individually get an official ballot and vote in a private booth; (b) the initiative (giving the voters the right to put issues on a ballot for a vote. Another election reforms, (c) the recall (granted voters the right to remove an elected officials); and (d) the direct primary (voters choose candidates for office rather than political party leaders). Locally, after the tidal wave devastation in Galveston, Texas, new reforms of the City government emerged and followed by many cities in different places. In addition, the movement also includes Prohibition particularly in the United States that ushered and the completely new type of criminal activities.
In your opinion, what were Progressivism’s most significant successes and failings?
Many significant successes happened in the Progressivism are the freedom of suffrage or election reforms local and other states, democracy, roles and regulations, social justices, efficiency, and expansions of rights of the people. Another success or one of the best successes is the passing of the 16th and 17th Amendments. The 16th Amendment has allowed the government the implementation of income taxes; however, some of the citizens at present hate this form of income tax. While the 17th Amendments has allowed the United States citizens to elect US Senators; Senators, elected through the state of legislature . The biggest success of all in Progressivism is that, passing the Pure Food, Drug, and Meat Inspection of 1906. Sinclair’s book has outlined the horrifying working and living conditions of the immigrants that dealt with the processing the meat and foods. According to Sinclair, “I aimed at the heart of the public and hit its stomach by accident” .
Progressivism has a strong impact on American government, as a tool, that Americans achieve changes positively and solve some problems . It is responsible to those who are in need; the constitutional amendments have represented the longest reforms implemented in the institutions of democracy on initiative, referendum, and recall. However, not all Progressives were successful; ideals fell short in the realm of racial equality in particular. in general, in the other goals of the creation of society, it has ended the poverty, controlled large business, cleansed corruption, and improved gender relations.
Can the First World War be regarded as a particularly Progressive conflict, or did it derail the Progressive Movement—or are both of these statements true?
During the First World War, for example, some factories were short of labor force or workers as they had all gone to war. Women were employed as replacement for men assigned in factories. When the war ended, most men were expecting when they came home that things were the same. Women were good in their job and unwilling to leave the workplace. Women obtained the rights of equality. Therefore, the Progressive Movement has both positive and negative impacts in the society.
Reference
Bowles, M. (2011). American history 1865–present: End of isolation. San Diego, CA:
Bridgepoint Education, Inc.
Sinclair, U. (1905). Chapter nine. The Jungle. Retrieved from
http://classroom.ashford.edu/re/DotNextLaunch.asp?courseid=9850158&userid=15632736&sessionid=73b835334f&tabid=IUgmHiIFX37YJNDPe7N4AWNBqckXfd72v9qMiMS9eCs=&sessionFirstAuthStore=true&macid=KneHMxqa16hHiPv11LFeHzS6Rokyxz/g966UQDhpZD8Q+B45K+Lu.
The Progressive Era. (2002). In America in the 20th Century. New York, NY. Retrieved from
http://digital.films.com/OnDemandEmbed.aspx?Token=36215&aid=18596&Plt=FOD&loid=0&w=640&h=480&ref=: Films for the Humanities & Sciences.
