The Progressive Movement, which lasted from the 1890s to the 1920s, was a movement that took place during a major era in the history of the United States of America. The Progressive Movement, which is well known for political reforms it brought about, was put forward by Republicans Charles Evans Hughes, Herbert Hoover, Theodore Roosevelt, and Woodrow Wilson, who was a Democrat. The Progressive Movement focused on efficiency and to eliminate political corruption, and the middle class well-educated Americans were targeted audience as well as the proponents of this movement.
The Progressive Movement, its leaders and proponents were strongly in favor of education, medication, and believed that ignorance was the main problem that needed to be overcome. The purpose of the movement was to purify society; as a result the movement supported prohibition of the manufacture, sale and transport of alcohol, and the right of women to vote in political elections. Outside of the government, peace advocate and social worker Jane Addams was the most distinguished leader of the Progressive Movement who came to the forth among other female social workers to fight for woman suffrage.
American business was also influenced by the ideas of the Progressive Movement, especially entrepreneurs such as Andrew Carnegie, Henry Ford, John D. Rockefeller, J. P. Morgan, who started to actively encourage efficiency. They also played their role in philanthropy and strongly supported religion, particularly Christian missions all over the world. In the African American community, educational and political leader Booker T. Washington was the foremost voice of the Progressive Movement who also dedicated his efforts to efficiency.
In 1912, a new political party, the “Progressive Party,” was created by Roosevelt who was running for president at that time. However, he lost and the party diminished. However, Roosevelt’s party was only a small part of the whole Progressive Movement. After lasting for almost 40 years, almost every sector of the American society was influenced by the Progressive Movement. In the 21st century, many conservatives widely approve of many aspects of the Progressive Movements, especially its focus on efficiency and to eliminate corruption. On the other hand, Liberals are not united in their evaluation of the Progressive Movement, some approve of its role in initiating the growth of federal power, while others oppose the middle class moralism of the Progressive Movement.
Regardless of 21st century opinions, the fact remains that problems that the American society was plagued with at the time were addressed by the Progressive Movement. The Progressive Movement gave American women economic and political equality, such as the right to control their earnings, own property and for divorced women to take custody of their children. As a result of the Progressive Movement, the 18th Amendment to the Constitution was passed in 1918 to enforce prohibition, but the amendment was repealed in 1933. The Progressive Movement also succeeded, to some extent, in preventing big businesses and factory owners from exploiting children. Moreover, the Progressive Movement contributed toward the passage of the 16th Amendment to declare an unjust income tax law unconstitutional, and the 17th Amendment, which allowed people to directly elect U.S. senators.
Even though the Progress Movement inhabited a brief window of time, but it was quite significant. The American government gained a new role as a result of the movement’s reforms. Ultimately, the Progressive Movement served as the foundation for the New Deal and during the Great Depression, it influenced the reforming spirit of the country’s leaders.
Works Cited
Croly, Herbert David. The Promise of American Life. New York: Macmillan, 1909. Print.
De Witt, Benjamin Parke. The Progressive Movement: A Non-partisan, Comprehensive Discussion of Current Tendencies in American Politics. New York: Macmillan, 1915. Print.
Stradling, David, and William Cronon. Conservation in the Progressive Era: Classic Texts (Weyerhaeuser Environmental Classics). Washington, D.C.: University of Washington Press, 2004. Print.
