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Progress in America |
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There was a great need for the progressives during the early 1900s. In 1900
America’s population was around 76 million, and one out of every seven of those
76 million was foreign. By 1915 there were 13 million more immigrants. If that
wasn’t enough of a drastic change in America’s culture, there was another huge
change taking place. America was switching from small personal businesses, to
the big business type of economy. Newer and bigger businesses meant different
working conditions, different working classes as well as economic classes, and
completely new jobs that hadn’t even existed before.
Often my parents and I disagree on current events, movies, music, etc.
Sometimes I feel like they are both against change. If they see that things
aren’t just as they were before, like during the time when they were my age,
they see things as bad or wrong. On the other hand, I feel like change is
necessary sometimes, and the times of the late 1800s and early 1900s were no
exception. In defense of my parents, I don’t always see the need for total
changes. After all, as the old saying goes, if it isn’t broke don’t fix it.
The progressive movement refused to stick with the status quo and instead
welcomed change. However progressives also recognized that some things worked
fairly well, like the general form of American government. So they felt a
complete change was not necessary, but that some things could use a little
work, and that is how progressives formed their basic goals.
The progressive movement worked towards a more honest and active government at
all levels so that the public interests might be better protected. During the
late 19th century and early 1900s political machines held most of the political
power at the state and local levels. These political machines were often
corrupt and gained their power not by running good campaigns about relevant
issues, but instead through providing favors for, and appealing to, those in
need like immigrants. Most involved in the machines were more interested in
making money than relevant political issues. The Federal government was itself
fairly inactive, passing little or no important legislation and having usually
passive election campaigns that addressed few issues. When the entire country
is experiencing the effects of the dramatic changes I mentioned earlier, I feel
disturbed that the government acted so passively. Progressives did Americans
good by working for a stronger governments.
Working conditions was also a point of focus for the progressive movement. With
all the new jobs created by industrialization, new working conditions were also
created. I suppose that some Americans worked in nicer places, got paid well,
and also worked decent hours. However, it was too common that workers were
overworked and underpaid. So progressives worked for better wages and more
tolerable work conditions.
Progressives also believed in sociological jurisprudence, or dealing with
issues by viewing them from a sociological standpoint. When trying to decide
what needed to be changed and fixed, the progressive movement was concerned
with effects the changes would have on the entire society. Often when new
standards or legislature was being set up, the composers were only concerned
with how it would affect one specific group such as the wealthy upper class,
the poor lower class, or immigrants. That system could hardly be effective
during the late 1800s and early 1900s. Progressives realized that
industrialization, immigration, and even expansion towards the West were
changes that affected everyone, not just one particular group of people.
The theory Social Darwinism was rejected by the progressive movement, and it is
something I personally reject too. Social Darwinism was the belief that if a
person failed, it was of some fault of their own and not of their conditions or
surrounding environment. I just don’t feel that way about personal failures.
Reasonably, I feel that if a person fails because they don’t or won’t try then
their failure is a fault of themselves. However I also realize that if a person
is laid off because a company wants to make cutbacks, or if there is an
explosion at work and it injures workers so badly they can no longer work, I
cannot see these as failures caused by their own personal faults. Apparently,
neither could the progressives.
Finally, the last reason I would have chosen to become a part of the
progressive movement is because I feel I would have more closely identified
with their lifestyle and status. The majority of those involved with the
progressive movement, even though they were typically men, were white,
protestant, and members of the middle class. Often they were self-employed,
like much of my family, or had some college education, like myself. I have
never been very wealthy, and I have never been overly poor. Therefore, I feel I
would most easily relate to those taking part in the progressive movement.