Define Progressive Movement
Begun as a way to create fairness in the workplace after the Industrial Revolution, the Progressive Movement in the United States evolved over the decades, and endures to this day. The movement spawned political parties and was responsible for a great deal of the social reform that has occurred in the United States over the past 100-plus years.
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Societal Imbalance
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The Progressive Movement began as a reaction to the imbalance of power between the average person and the very rich, especially corrupt politicians and wealthy heads of corporations.
Industrial Ills
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By the end of the 19th century, the United States had evolved from a country of farmers to a bustling industrial nation. Laborers often suffered under the new economy, in which employers had control over profits and working conditions. Many educated, relatively affluent citizens were distressed by the injustices suffered by the poor, and began working for social change.
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Political Corruption
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One problem with the new American system was the influence business wielded over politics. Titans of industry, and even local businessmen, traded votes and cash for political favors. The inevitable result in the workplace was that corporate heads held all the power, and workers had no recourse.
Turning the Tide
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Progressives began using politics for their own benefit as well, but with a different effect. Their fight for legal change of oppressive policies resulted in the 17th and 19th constitutional amendments. These amendments allowed citizens to elect their senators, and gave women the right to vote, respectively. The Progressives' influence extended to state and municipal government as well, where they worked to keep city "bosses" from having too much power, and helped enact state laws such as Oregon's minimum wage.
The Writers' Role
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"Muckrakers" were writers who worked to expose social ills to average Americans. Some muckrakers were journalists, but novelists did their part, too. One iconic literary figure of the movement is Upton Sinclair, whose 1905 novel "The Jungle" exposed the underbelly of the meatpacking industry.
Controversial Moments
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The Progressives, under the like-minded President Theodore Roosevelt, helped usher in a great deal of positive change. However, the 18th Amendment, which made illegal the production, sale and consumption of alcohol, seemed invasive to many. The Progressive Movement was a reaction against injustice, but also an attempt to keep the average citizen's behavior in check. And the same movement that spawned women's suffrage also produced members of the Ku Klux Klan.
The Movement Today
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Although formerly composed of members of both the Democratic and Republican parties, today's Progressives are most often Democrats. Hillary Clinton is an example of a self-proclaimed Progressive, and evidence of her claim can be found in her plan for health care reform while first lady. Progressives still work for social change, and criticism of the movement is still aimed at the perception that the movement erodes individual choice in the favor of the greater good.
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