answersLogoWhite

0


Best Answer

There were many social and economic questions that intellectuals had asked of the rapid changes from the Industrial Revolution and the growth of capitalism in America. Progressives believed that these changes brought a new order appropriate to the new industrial age.

User Avatar

Wiki User

13y ago
This answer is:
User Avatar
More answers
User Avatar

Wiki User

9y ago

The progressives had several beliefs. They blamed industrialization for many social problems, the free market couldn't solve the problems, and that government should be more active in the society's problem.

This answer is:
User Avatar

User Avatar

Wiki User

6y ago

Most notably, progressives believe in progressive taxation, or tax rates that increase as the amount taxed increases. Progressives are strong supporters of social programs, including public education, welfare, and single payer health care. Progressive have liberal social values: they support social equality for people of all races, genders, religions and sexual orientations. They also believe abortions should be safe and legal. Progressives are environmentalists: they generally believe in cap and trade and renewable energy. Some notable progressives are Russ Feingold, Al Franken, and Nancy Pelosi.

This answer is:
User Avatar

User Avatar

Wiki User

12y ago

Progressives were generally from the middle class and included journalists, educators, clergy, politicians, and social workers. They could belong to either the Democratic Party or the Republican Party, and they were generally Protestants.

Progressivism was somewhat a reaction against laissez-faire (to let the people do what they want) economics's. However, progressivism did not have a fixed set of reforms, but rather a series of responses to problems in American society.

Progressives generally believed that industrialization and urbanization created a lot of social problems. Progressives doubted the free market's ability to address the issues of poverty and crime in the working class. They wanted government to intervene on these issues. However, they also believed that the government needed to be fixed before intervening.

Many progressives wanted to end the corruption that they saw in city government. Many times the city council or mayor would give government jobs to supporters or friends who knew very little about the way the government needed to be run. Progressives supported two main ways to make government efficient.

  1. The first was the commission form. This plan divided the government into departments, each headed by a commissioner who was an expert. These departments included the Public Works Department, Finance Department, Parks Department, Fire Department, and the Police Department.
  2. The second was the council-manager form. In this form the city-council, whom voters elect would hire a city manager to run the city. He would be an expert in government and would appoint the Heads of the city department.

Progressives had a large role in the passage of the Seventeenth Amendment. The Seventeenth Amendment requires the direct election of senators by the state's voters. This was meant to end the corruption of political machines, but it also removed a state legislatures' check on federal power.

Many progressives joined the universal women's suffrage movement. The suffrage movement had a slow start at first, but it gained momentum by the early 1910's. This progressive movement led to the passing of the Nineteenth Amendment on August 20, 1920. This amendment gave voting rights to women.

Progressives also put their time into social welfare problems. They created charities for the poor and disadvantaged and vied for laws to help fix social problems.

  • Child Labor- Progressives used tragic stories of young children who were forced to work in dangerous conditions. John Spargo published a book called "The Bitter Cry of the Children." This book showed evidence of horrifying labor conditions that children were forced to endure. Theses stories convinced states to pass laws including a minimum age for working, and maximum hours children could work.
  • Health and Safety Codes- Union Leaders and Progressives joined forces to get states to pass worker compensation laws. These laws made insurance funds that the employers financed.
  • The Prohibition Movement- Progressives thought that alcohol caused many problems in society. They started the temperance movement and got the Eighteenth Amendment passed on January 16, 1919. However, this amendment was not popular and caused public outcry. It was repealed by the Twenty-First Amendment in 1933.
  • Regulation of Big Businesses- Some Progressives believed that the government needed to break up big businesses. This lead to the Sherman Antitrust Act in 1890. This act prohibited any "combination... or conspiracy, in restraint of trade or commerce among the several States." This act, being poorly worded and enforced, served more for establishing a precedent than for instant impact. Some Progressives even advocated socialism. Socialism is the idea that the government should own and operate industry. However, most Progressives believed in free enterprise.
This answer is:
User Avatar

User Avatar

Wiki User

9y ago

Theodore Roosevelt, Woodrow Wilson, and William Howard Taft were considered the progressive presidents. The worked hard for both political and social reform. They wanted to remove corruption from government, and were die-hard modernizers.

This answer is:
User Avatar

User Avatar

Wiki User

9y ago

The Progressives were members of Theodore Roosevelt's political party. He formed this party after a split with the Republican party.

This answer is:
User Avatar

User Avatar

Wiki User

9y ago

mmm,,m n m, jhhhjkn

This answer is:
User Avatar

Add your answer:

Earn +20 pts
Q: Who were progressives?
Write your answer...
Submit
Still have questions?
magnify glass
imp
Related questions

What did progressives focus on?

The Progressives focused on the Urban poor.


What did the progressives focus?

The Progressives focused on the Urban poor.


Who did the Progressives oppose and why?

progressives support.....wait forgot sorry


What is the name of the political movement that opposed machine politics?

The progressives! The progressives!


Where do Progressives place on the political spectrum?

Progressives were in the middle of the political spectrum


When was Alliance of Progressives created?

Alliance of Progressives was created in 1994-02.


When was Network of Spiritual Progressives created?

Network of Spiritual Progressives was created in 2005.


What established direct primaries?

Robert M. LaFollette(Progressives)


Democratic reforms introduced by the progressives?

All of these are reforms introduced by the Progressives. Plato<3


How did progressives and immigrants differ in their feelings about saloons?

The immigrants were in favor of saloon. The progressives did not like saloons


When was All Progressives Grand Alliance created?

All Progressives Grand Alliance was created in 2003.


What was the main goal of the progressives?

The MAIN goal of progressives is to help the lives of people to become better.