The Origins of the Progressive Movement

APUSH Spring 2012

Origins of the Progressive Movement

1893-1897 Depression• Motivated a national self-

examination• 20% unemployment rate• Coxey’s Army• 1,394 labor strikes (1894)• Growing unrest, suffering,

dissatisfaction among working class made many fear for democracy.

• Backlash against big business.

Origins of the Progressive Movement

Growing concerns about thefuture of Democracy• Political influence of big

business• Excessive partisanship• Impact on

entrepreneurship• Dangers of an unrestricted

business sector

Origins of the Progressive Movement

Growing demands for govtto address:• Poor public facilities &

services• Gridlock created by

political machines• Widespread corruption• Privileges for the elite

*Many reform mvts begin at thegrassroots level (municipal/local)

Origins of the Progressive Movement

Common demands ofpolitical reformers• More services• More efficiency• More accountability• More transparency• More expertise• Less partisanship• Less patronage

Origins of the Progressive Movement

• Proliferation of national magazines & investigative journalists (Muckrakers)

• Consumer awareness & demands for quality

• Growing demand for social justice– 1/3 of Americans in poverty– 1.5 million children working– Social Darwinist thought

prevelent

Obstacles to Progressive Change

Challenge the dogma that • Growing gap between rich & poor was natural

selection (Social Darwinism).• Progressives wanted to reexamine the belief that

granting special privileges to business by the govt was good for the country, but help for the working man was un-American.

• How can there be growing wealth AND growing poverty?

Foundation of Progressive Change

Henry George• Justice & harmony can be

achieved w/o revolution or abandoning capitalism.

• Author of Progress & Poverty• Remove privileges – esp.

those created/protected by the govt.

• Activism for poor was Christian

Foundation of Progressive ChangeHenry George & Religion• Many working-class Protestant

men drifted away from religion

• Many Americans shocked by labor violence, charged that churches had lost workers’ allegiance – failed to understand their needs

• To help prevent a descent into revolution, the church would have to step up.

Foundation of Progressive ChangeJosiah Strong• Church to take up

burdens of less privileged to avoid revolution.

• Our Country, Its Possible Future and its Present Crisis

• Called for a Christian commitment to reform.

Foundation of Progressive Change

Social Gospel• Social Justice = Christian• Humanity of Christ –

esp. for the poor• Individual salvation

required the creation of a Christian society

• Churches began to spearhead charities & missions in slums

Foundation of Progressive ChangeSettlement Houses:• Generally secular, staffed by

religious folks• Hull House (1888) in Chicago –

Jane Addams• Goals of Settlement Houses:– Improve living conditions– Neighborhood relations– Teach English– Cultural events/arts– Child care – Early education

Foundation of Progressive Change• Experience with the poor

led activists to demand greater change.

• The Social Gospel will influence influential leaders. (T. Roosevelt, Bryan, Wilson)

*The Social Gospel made theProgressive Movement amoral movement.

Foundation of Progressive ChangeChanges in Academic Thought• New alliance between socially

minded clergy & reform-minded academics = committed to progress.

• Move from competition > to cooperation.

• Growing number of college courses focusing on progressive ideas & principles.

• In time, grads begin to go into government.

Foundation of Progressive Change

Roles for Progressive Professors• Advisors/counsel to govt• Helped to write progressive laws• Served on new regulatory

commissions• Led regulatory agencies• Govt officials (Wilson)• Influenced by Europe*Progressives will put considerable faith in experts.

Post Civil-War Politics

Common Themes• Sectionalism• Religion• Race & Ethnicity• Social/Economic Self-

Interest*Not the issue oriented politics of a new tomorrow for everyone.

The Influence of European Progressivism

Progressive ideasimported from Europe:• Govt seen as an instrument of

constructive change• Public ownership of utilities• Settlement House• Public housing• 8-hour work day• Unemployment insurance• Old-age pensions

Political Challenges to Progressivism

• Nation wide, business & commercial interest largely controlled politics.

• Sectional prejudices were an enormous barrier to a multi-sectional party of reform.

Post Civil War Monetary Policy• $450 million in Greenbacks still in

circulation. (Fiat money is not based on gold)

• Creditors - redemption in goldWhy? Deflation, high interest rates, keep value high

• Debtors – keep fiat moneyWhy? Inflation, easier credit

*System will protect the interests of the wealthy. This will force many to become more radical.

Gold vs. SilverSupporters of Gold:• Holders of debt• Elite, established wealth• Restrict the amount of money

in circulation to keep value highSupporters of Silver:• Those in debt• Working class, poor• Those favoring inflation like

farmers• Increases the supply of money

decreasing the value

Farmers Organize

Farmer’s Concerns• Perpetually declining

farm incomes• Government connection

to big business• Erosion of their self-

sufficiency & independence (Many dependent on RRs)

Farmers Organize

Farmers Organize

• Claimed to represent theFounding Fathers’ visionfor democracy.

• Farm mechanization + millions of new acres =soaring production & declining prices

• Loss of coveted independence, growing tenancy, migration to cities

Farmers Organize• Farmers believed that

history was a struggle between power and libertyPower – oppression, dependenceLiberty – social advance, equality

*More than anything, farmers wanted economic justice.

Farmers Organize

Farmer’s Complaints• Growing animosity

toward the middle-men who profited w/o labor.

• RR rates that were increasingly monopolistic

• Land speculation• The lack of credit

Farmers OrganizeThe Grange• Organization that encouraged

farmers to band together for economic & political well being.

• Granger Laws were passed to regulate rates for grain elevators and railroad rates.

• Munn v. Illinois declared that business interests (private property) used for public good could be regulated by government and the laws governing their rates were constitutional as well.

Farmers Organize

Early efforts at organizingNational Farmers Alliances(1877-1892)• Economic self-help• Creation of cooperatives• Education campaign about the

economic “realities” in the US• Political organization

Farmers Organize

Populist Party Platform (1892)• Greater democracy in the form of

– Secret ballot– Initiative– Reform– Direct election of senators

• Partial redistribution of wealth– Graduated income tax– Govt ownership of RRs, telegraph, and

telephone• Establishment of Postal Savings Banks

responsible to the Federal Govt

An Economic Paradigm Shift

The Fall of Populism• Massive gold strikes in the 1890s

increases the supply of money.• Southern Populists were split over

race.• Economic recovery in the late 1890s.• Failure to form a lasting alliance with

labor.• The established parties absorbed

various planks from the Populist platform.

• Nationalism surrounding the Spanish-American War.

Republican ReformersMugwumps• Reform minded Republicans• Concerned about growing

corruption in politics• Champions of civil-service

reform *Pendelton Civil Service Act• Focusing on reform, many

became Progressives.• Some supported Cleveland

because of Blaine’s tainted record

The Influence of the Muckrakers• Wealth Against Commonwealth by Henry Demarest Lloyd was

a critical examination of corporate giants who were responsible to no one and were able to corrupt/control govts.

• How the Other Half Lives by Jacob Riis, which exposed the deplorable living conditions in urban slums.

• The Shame of the Cities by Lincoln Steffens targeted municipal corruption.

• History of Standard Oil by Ida Tarbell provided a detailed and damaging assessment of Standard Oil’s rise to power.

• The Jungle by Upton Sinclair exposed the filthy, unhealthy conditions in Chicago’s meat packing industry.

Demand for Greater Democracy

Government Reform• Direct Primary• Initiative (Initiate Legislation)• Referendum (popular vote on

legislation)• Recall (remove elected officials)• Direct election of Senators*Most governmental reforms

occur at the local & state level.

Progressives & Efficiency