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Progressivism was based on the idea that government could be used to better society. They wanted government control/regulation of the economy. They wanted to reform the wealthy and very poor. They wanted to educate immigrants, and fair work for the wealthy. They were trying to find middle ground. There are four main themes of progressivism. The first was democracy. They wanted people to have more say in the government and wanted more majority rule, direct primaries for presidential candidates, initiatives (progressive attempts to force legislatures to deal with controversial issues), referendums (the initiatives that get enough signatures to get on the ballot), direct election of senators and the 17th amendment said that they should be responsible for the people that elect them), and recall (the right to recall politicians that are not doing their job). Efficiency was another theme of progressivism. They wanted educated technocrats to run business because it would take emotion and politics out of big business and the most qualified people would be the ones in control. They also wanted a city management plan (a movement that wanted the city manager to be well educated. They wanted these positions to be appointed based on education, experience and ability to do the job. It was also to prevent corruption. Regulations and social justice are the last themes of progressivism. They wanted better hours and conditions, state child labor laws, wanted on average 10 hour work days and safe conditions. They wanted workmens comp. There were 3 ways that corporations got out of paying workmens comp. They said that if a worker was injured due to a fellow servant that he was responsible for what others do wrong so. There was also the assumption of risk and refused to pay because they worker was aware of the job they are doing and possible risks/injures. Contributory negligence was another reasons corporations refused to pay workmens comp. In many places women started the progressive movement. The lives of middle class women were changing (college and more time on their hands having fewer children). Maternalism was also popular during this period. Women were the nurturers and caretakers. They were getting out in the community to lobby against alcohol, etc. Some issues they focused on were helping the poor (i.e settlement houses), prohibition (i.e Women's Christian Temperance Movement), voting rights (by 1910 4 western states allowed women to vote because they are pure and won't bring corruption to the system. Birth Control was another focus of the women's issues as well as labor laws (i.e Mueller V Oregon). Under Theodore Roosevelt, the power of presidency grew. Under health regulations he created the Pure Food and Drug act (government had the ability to inspect prescriptions and contents in medications) and the Meat Inspection Act ( gave the government the right to make sure the meat was safe). Roosevelt also created the department of commerce and labor and was known as a trust buster. The Elkins Act of 1903 regulated big business and it was the first time the fed government can impose fines on the Railroad companies. The Hepburn Act gave the ICC the power to set maximum rates the Railroad companies could charge. He also expanded the navy and created the Great White Fleet. Wilson contributed to progressivism by creating the Federal Child labor law which prohibited interstate shipments of goods produced by children under 16. He created the Farm Loans Rural Credit Act which can proved low interest loans from government based on amount of crop they produced. The Adamson Act created an 8 hour workday for all railroad employees and he also created workmen's comp for all federal employees. The power of the federal government expanded dramatically. The Railroad was nationalized and Industry and Agriculture became regulated by the federal government. The government set quotas on production and the government controlled the wages. This was a progressive idea because the government regulation of the good of the population.

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Related Questions

Progressivism was stopped by?

WW2


What presidents' progressivism faded after World War 1?

Woodrow Wilson


Which President supported the policy of progressivism through World War 1?

Willson


Did US wanted a change from Wilson's progressivism after World War 1?

true


Why did progressivism decline?

Our involvement in World War 1 put too much stress on the country. We entered in 1917 and the Progressive era was pretty much completely over by 1918.


What are controversial events in us history between 1865 and 1945?

The 14th Amendment Western Expansion Railroads Wilson's Fourteen Points Peal Harbor World War I and World War II Progressivism


How did the war further the goals of progressivism and yet also undermine its best side?

Maybe wright which war your reffering to and then people will be able to help you. Your probably referring to World War 1, i'm GUESSING.


Did World War 1 kill progressivism?

Yes, once World War I began, the progressive era came to a grinding halt. President Wilson's words stating the war would make the world safer for democracy didn't ring true when the horrors of the war itself seemed so out of hand.


How did America's entry into world war 1 affect the reform movement?

The outbreak of WW1 turned the attention the American people and resources of the federal government to emergency wartime measures and Progressivism essentially ended.


What are the three ideologies that were prominent in the US after World War 1?

After World War I, three prominent ideologies in the United States were isolationism, progressivism, and nativism. Isolationism emphasized the need to avoid entanglement in foreign conflicts and focused on domestic issues. Progressivism continued the push for social reforms, advocating for government intervention to address economic and social inequalities. Nativism surged as a reaction against immigration, promoting the idea that American culture and jobs should be preserved for native-born citizens.


What has the author Erika A Kuhlman written?

Erika A. Kuhlman has written: 'Petticoats and white feathers' -- subject(s): Politics and government, World War, 1914-1918, Protest movements, Peace movements, World War, 1939-1945, Progressivism (United States politics), Feminists, Women, Political activity, History


What was the major reason progressivism lost power?

Progressivism lost power primarily due to the onset of World War I, which shifted national priorities and diminished the focus on domestic reform efforts. Additionally, internal divisions within the movement and the rise of more conservative political forces contributed to its decline. The economic upheaval following the war and the Red Scare also shifted public sentiment away from progressive ideals, leading to a conservative backlash in the 1920s.