Progressivism During The Progressive Movement

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Progressivism came about during the new century where there was a need for reform. A huge part of the call for reform came as a result of the governmental corporate abuses during the twentieth century. Progressivism is the belief that individuality, progress, and change are fundamental for one’s education. Modernity was also a key idea for the movement of progress promoted by progressivists, who called for rapid change both socially and economically. Progressivists were urban, educated, middle class, northeast men and women. While it was a major political movement it was much more than that. Progressives promoted government intervention, calling for change while not drastically shifting from capitalism and the democratic political system.…show more content…
In some ways the progressives need for efficiency negatively effected their quest for democracy. They would sometimes take the power of officials and putting it into the wrong hands. They would impose their moral values, which in turn ignored the wishes and reduced the voices of the people. Their ideals sometimes targeted the behavior of immigrants, the working class and women and nonwhites. One of the most ominous movements during the progressive era was the eugenics movement, which called for white racial purity through selective breeding (Hewitt and Lawson 614). Other long term negative effects of progressivism was labor concerns, most of the focus of progressivism was focused on breaking up of monopolies and fixing the state reforms that there was little focus on working conditions and wages, but they did create child labor laws. It wouldn’t be till years later that they would be…show more content…
They also drew ideas from the Populist movement of the 1890’s. They challenged laissez-faire, a policy or attitude of lettings things take there own course without interfering, and rejected the idea of “survival of the fittest.” Their idea was that “truth” didn't come from one supreme principle, but came from experiences. Progressives also pulled inspiration from religious ideals (Hewitt and Lawson 592). Progressivists, like Theodore Roosevelt, combined moral enthusiasm for social gospel with the rationalism of scientific efficiency. He also supported environmental conservation and wanted to bust any monopolies that were contributing harm to the public. The ideals of Progressivism appealed to many members of the middle class; members consisted of ministers, lawyers, physicians and other important professions (Hewitt and Lawson 593). Progressivists wanted to take the power away from high political figures and give it to the

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