At first, an optimistic vision At first, an optimistic vision

The natural laws of the marketplace The natural laws of the marketplace (and(and laissez faire and Social Darwinism)laissez faire and Social Darwinism) were were insufficient to create the order, stability,insufficient to create the order, stability, and justice their growing society required and justice their growing society required

Variety of reform impulses:Variety of reform impulses:AntimonopolyAntimonopolyImportance of social cohesion Importance of social cohesion Deep faith in knowledge Deep faith in knowledge

Muckrakers (term coined by Muckrakers (term coined by Theodore Roosevelt) Theodore Roosevelt)

Crusading journalists who Crusading journalists who directed public attention directed public attention toward social, corruption toward social, corruption and injustice to public viewand injustice to public view

Major targets: trusts, particularly railroads Major targets: trusts, particularly railroads

Lincoln Steffens Lincoln Steffens (McClure’s)(McClure’s)Most influentialMost influentialPortraits of machine Portraits of machine govern-govern- ment and boss rulement and boss ruleTone: studied moral Tone: studied moral outrageoutrage

Ida TarbellIda TarbellMost influential study of Most influential study of Standard Oil trust Standard Oil trust Later: urban political machinesLater: urban political machines

Social Gospel: a clear expression of a Social Gospel: a clear expression of a a commitment to the pursuit of social a commitment to the pursuit of social justicejustice•Brought about by a sense of outrage at Brought about by a sense of outrage at social and economic injusticesocial and economic injustice•Powerful movement within American Powerful movement within American ProtestantismProtestantism•Never dominant, howeverNever dominant, however

Walter Rauschenbusch Walter Rauschenbusch

Hell’s Kitchen: “One Hell’s Kitchen: “One could hear human could hear human virtue cracking andvirtue cracking andcrashing all around.”crashing all around.”

Jane Addams and Hull House Jane Addams and Hull House Middle class Americans hadMiddle class Americans hada responsibility to impart a responsibility to impart their own values to their own values to immigrants and to teach immigrants and to teach them how to create middlethem how to create middleclass life stylesclass life styles

Efforts of college women Efforts of college women

Hull House: a model for more than 400Hull House: a model for more than 400similar institutions throughout the nation similar institutions throughout the nation

Social work as a profession: combined a Social work as a profession: combined a compassion for the poor with a compassion for the poor with a commitment to the values of bureaucraticcommitment to the values of bureaucraticprogressivism: scientific study, efficientprogressivism: scientific study, efficientorganization, reliance on experts organization, reliance on experts

ProfessionsProfessionsNew middle class: high value on educationNew middle class: high value on educationMedical profession took the leadMedical profession took the lead1901: American Medical Association—1901: American Medical Association—called for strict, scientific standards for called for strict, scientific standards for admission to the practice of medicine admission to the practice of medicine State and local governments: laws requiringState and local governments: laws requiring licensing of all physicianslicensing of all physiciansJohns Hopkins University in Baltimore Johns Hopkins University in Baltimore

Most people, male and female, in the Most people, male and female, in the American culture believed that women American culture believed that women were not suited for the male-dominated were not suited for the male-dominated public world—rather they should (and public world—rather they should (and did) inhabit their own spheredid) inhabit their own sphere

Women who lived outside traditional Women who lived outside traditional families families

Addams Wald Willard Addams Wald Willard

Boston marriages Boston marriages

1880s-90s—women’s associations1880s-90s—women’s associations Vanguard of many important reforms Vanguard of many important reforms General Federation of Women’s ClubsGeneral Federation of Women’s Clubs 100,000 members/500 clubs100,000 members/500 clubs 1 million women by 1917 1 million women by 1917 Tended to be from wealthy familiesTended to be from wealthy families Non-partisan image—women could not Non-partisan image—women could not votevote Allowed women to define a space for Allowed women to define a space for themselves in public world without themselves in public world without openly challenging male-dominated openly challenging male-dominated orderorder

Elizabeth Cady Stanton Elizabeth Cady Stanton ““The woman of 1892 is the The woman of 1892 is the arbiter of her own destiny.arbiter of her own destiny. If we are to consider her If we are to consider her a citizen, as a member of a citizen, as a member of a great nation, she must a great nation, she must have the same rights as have the same rights as all other members.”all other members.”

Jane Addams, et al: Jane Addams, et al: Justified suffrage in safer, less Justified suffrage in safer, less threatening waysthreatening waysSuffrage would not challenge the Suffrage would not challenge the separate sphere in which womenseparate sphere in which women livedlived

Women could bring their special and Women could bring their special and distinct virtues more widely to bear on distinct virtues more widely to bear on society’s problems society’s problems Enfranchising women would help the Enfranchising women would help the temperance movement—largest voting temperance movement—largest voting blocblocSome: war a thing of the past Some: war a thing of the past

1919thth Amendment—1920 Amendment—1920

Australian Ballot Australian Ballot

Galveston, TX Galveston, TX Mayor and city Mayor and city council replaced withcouncil replaced with an elected, non-an elected, non- partisan commissionpartisan commission

Des Moines, IA Des Moines, IA

Nonpartisan Nonpartisan

Tom Johnson, Cleveland, OH Tom Johnson, Cleveland, OH Long and difficult war against Long and difficult war against streetcar interestsstreetcar interests Lowered fares to 3 centsLowered fares to 3 cents Municipal ownership on basic Municipal ownership on basic public utilities public utilities

Initiative Initiative Referendum Referendum Direct Primary Direct Primary RecalRecall l Lobbying Lobbying

Robert LaFollette of WI Robert LaFollette of WI

Under his leadership, Under his leadership, Wisconsin:Wisconsin: Direct primaries, initiative, Direct primaries, initiative, referendum referendum Regulated railroads & utilitiesRegulated railroads & utilities

Laws to Laws to Regulate workplaceRegulate workplace Workman’s compensationWorkman’s compensation Graduated taxes on inheritancesGraduated taxes on inheritances Doubled state levies on RR & corporationsDoubled state levies on RR & corporations Personal magnetism—more awareness Personal magnetism—more awareness

Decline in party influence Decline in party influence

Decline in voter turnoutDecline in voter turnout Late 19Late 19thth century: 81% of electorate century: 81% of electorate for national electionsfor national elections 1900: 73%; 1912: 59% 1900: 73%; 1912: 59%

Other power centers: interest groupsOther power centers: interest groups Professional organizationsProfessional organizations Trade associationsTrade associations Labor organizations Labor organizations Farm lobbiesFarm lobbiesNew pattern of politicsNew pattern of politics

Labor reform—early 20Labor reform—early 20thth Century Century

Samuel Gompers—workers Samuel Gompers—workers should not rely on government should not rely on government to improve their positionsto improve their positions

Union Labor Party—committed Union Labor Party—committed to a program of reform almost to a program of reform almost indistinguishable from that indistinguishable from that of the middle-class and elite of the middle-class and elite city progressivescity progressives

1911-1913—CA—child labor law, 1911-1913—CA—child labor law, workman’s compensation law and limited workman’s compensation law and limited women’s working hours women’s working hours

Charles Francis Murphy Charles Francis Murphy Leader of Tammany Hall—Leader of Tammany Hall—fused techniques of boss fused techniques of boss rule with some concerns of rule with some concerns of social reformerssocial reformers

Tammany: increased interest in state and Tammany: increased interest in state and national politics national politics (traditionally scorned)(traditionally scorned)

Used political power on behalf of legislationUsed political power on behalf of legislation to improve working conditions, protect to improve working conditions, protect child laborers and eliminate the worst child laborers and eliminate the worst abuses of industryabuses of industry

Triangle Shirtwaist Company fire, 1911Triangle Shirtwaist Company fire, 1911

Led to a series of Led to a series of pioneering labor laws—pioneering labor laws—strict regulations on strict regulations on factory ownersfactory owners

Booker T. WashingtonBooker T. Washington

Work for immediate self-Work for immediate self-improvement, not long-improvement, not long-range social changerange social change

African Americans faced greater obstaclesAfrican Americans faced greater obstaclesthan any other group in challenging their than any other group in challenging their oppressed status and seeking reformoppressed status and seeking reform

W. E. B. Du Bois W. E. B. Du Bois

Accused Washington of Accused Washington of encouraging white efforts encouraging white efforts to impose segregation andto impose segregation andof unnecessarily limiting theof unnecessarily limiting theaspirations of his raceaspirations of his race

Advocated that talented blacks should Advocated that talented blacks should accept nothing less than a full university accept nothing less than a full university education and aspire to the professions.education and aspire to the professions.They should, above all, fight for the They should, above all, fight for the immediate restoration of their civil rights,immediate restoration of their civil rights,not wait for them to be granted as a rewardnot wait for them to be granted as a rewardfor patient striving for patient striving (Washington)(Washington)

The Niagara Movement—DuBois-led The Niagara Movement—DuBois-led meeting at Niagara Falls, Canadameeting at Niagara Falls, Canada

Anti-alcohol constituencies Anti-alcohol constituencies

Settlement House Workers and Social Settlement House Workers and Social Agencies—abhorred the effects of Agencies—abhorred the effects of drinking on working class familiesdrinking on working class familiesWomen—alcohol was a source of great Women—alcohol was a source of great social problems; reform male behaviorsocial problems; reform male behaviorEmployers—alcohol an impediment toEmployers—alcohol an impediment to industrial efficiencyindustrial efficiencyCritics of economic privilegeCritics of economic privilegePolitical reformersPolitical reformers

Frances Willard Frances Willard

Leader of Women’s Leader of Women’s Christian Temperance UnionChristian Temperance Unionafter 1879after 1879

Against prohibition:Against prohibition:immigrant and immigrant and working class working class voters voters

By 1916—19 statesBy 1916—19 statesConsumption of alcohol increasing in Consumption of alcohol increasing in unregulated areas; WW I final push unregulated areas; WW I final push

Eugenics: the science of altering the Eugenics: the science of altering the reproductive processes of plants and reproductive processes of plants and animals to produce new hybrids or animals to produce new hybrids or breeds breeds

Dillingham Report Dillingham Report Senator William P. DillinghamSenator William P. DillinghamSouthern and Eastern Southern and Eastern European immigrants had European immigrants had proven themselves less proven themselves less able to assimilate than earlier able to assimilate than earlier immigrants;immigrants;therefore immigration should therefore immigration should be restricted by nationality be restricted by nationality

Agreement: T. Roosevelt and Lodge Agreement: T. Roosevelt and Lodge Opposition: employers (immigrants = cheapOpposition: employers (immigrants = cheaplabor; immigrants themselves & political labor; immigrants themselves & political representatives representatives

1,000 state & local offices 1,000 state & local offices Over 1 million total votes for President Over 1 million total votes for President

Socialist Party of America SupportersSocialist Party of America Supporters

L. Steffens Lippmann F. Kelley F. Willard L. Steffens Lippmann F. Kelley F. Willard

All socialists agreed on the need for basic All socialists agreed on the need for basic structural changes in the economystructural changes in the economy

Industrial Workers of the Industrial Workers of the World (IWW or Wobblies)World (IWW or Wobblies)

Big Bill HaywoodBig Bill Haywood

Single union for all workersSingle union for all workersAbolish wage slave systemAbolish wage slave systemFavored general strikes Favored general strikes Dynamited railroad lines Dynamited railroad lines and power stations plus and power stations plus other acts of terrorother acts of terrorChampioned causes of Championed causes of unskilled workersunskilled workersParticular strength in WestParticular strength in WestFar-flung social network—Far-flung social network— home to workers who home to workers who were otherwise rootlesswere otherwise rootless

Louis Brandeis Louis Brandeis Other People’s MoneyOther People’s Money (1913)(1913)Federal government should Federal government should work to break up the largestwork to break up the largestcombinations and enforce combinations and enforce a balance between the needa balance between the needfor big business and the for big business and the need for competitionneed for competition

Big business: inefficient and morally a Big business: inefficient and morally a threat to freedom; “bigness” limited the threat to freedom; “bigness” limited the ability of individuals to control their own ability of individuals to control their own destinies; also “bigness” encouraged destinies; also “bigness” encouraged abuses of powerabuses of power

Herbert Croly Herbert Croly The Promise of American LifeThe Promise of American Life Government must maintain a Government must maintain a continuing oversight of continuing oversight of economic consolidation ineconomic consolidation inAmerican business. The American business. The government must be strong and government must be strong and modernmodern

Walter Lippmann Walter Lippmann Drift and MasteryDrift and Mastery (1914)(1914)““Society must act to introduce a Society must act to introduce a plan where there has been plan where there has been clash, and purpose into the clash, and purpose into the jungles of disordered growth.”jungles of disordered growth.”

Theodore Roosevelt Theodore Roosevelt

““We should enter upon a We should enter upon a course of supervision, course of supervision, control, and regulation of control, and regulation of those great corporations—those great corporations— a regulation which we a regulation which we should not fear, if necessary,should not fear, if necessary, to bring to the point of to bring to the point of control of monopoly prices.”control of monopoly prices.”