Discussion Topic
The Progressive reformers of the early 20th century
Summary:
The Progressive reformers of the early 20th century aimed to address social, political, and economic injustices. They sought to eliminate corruption in government, reduce the power of large corporations, improve working conditions, and promote social welfare. Their efforts led to significant reforms, including antitrust laws, labor protections, and the establishment of regulatory agencies to oversee fair practices.
Who were the Progressive reformers?
In a historical sense, Progressive reformers were people who attempted, through a variety of means, to correct many of the social ills that accompanied industrial development and economic expansion around the beginning of the twentieth century. Progressives were a very diverse lot. They included national politicians such as Presidents Theodore Roosevelt and Woodrow Wilson, state governors like John Peter Altgeld of Illinois and C.B. Aycock of North Carolina, educated social workers like Jane Addams, journalists like Ida Tarbell and Ida B. Wells-Barnett, and intellectuals like W.E.B. DuBois and John Dewey. These people embraced a number of causes, from the settlement house movement to labeling on food and drugs to the establishment of public education. Workplace safety measures were of particular interest to many progressives. Other progressives pushed for an end to corruption in local government and increased democracy in the form of voting rights for women and direct election of...
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senators. On the other hand, some progressives, like Aycock and other southern politicians, also vigorously supported segregation laws, which they viewed as progressive reforms. Some others advocated for literacy tests as a means of disfranchising immigrants. So progressives believed in a wide variety of reform measures.
References
Who were the reformers of the Progressive Movement in the early 20th century?
The reformers of the Progressive Movement were educated, urban, middle-class Americans. They included writers, teachers, and politicians. They hoped to expose the problems that existed in our society.
Upton Sinclair wrote a book called The Jungle. This book exposed the dirty conditions in the meat industry. It helped lead to the passage of the Meat Inspection Act in 1907.
John Spargo wrote The Bitter Cry of the Children. This book dealt with the exploitation of children who worked in factories. It led to the passage of child labor laws.
Lincoln Steffens wrote The Shame of the Cities. It was about the political corruption that existed in our cities. It helped bring about various political reforms including the referendum, initiative, and recall.
These reformers worked to correct the abuses that they believed existed in our country. Through their efforts, many changes were made in our country between 1900-1920.