L16: Progressivism: Reaction to the Gilded Age1890 - 1920

AgendaObjective:1. To understand what

Progressivism was and how it was response to the problems of the Gilded Age

2. To explore why Progressivism was a successful reform effort.

Schedule: 1. Lecture

HomeworkNone!

Entities in American Society Post-Gilded Age

Question Activists Are Asking:Is Corporate Industrialization Here to

Stay?

Progressivism

WHO? “Progressives”– urban middle-class: managers & professionals;

women

WHY? Address a range of interconnected problems they see originating from how capitalism is playing out:– industrialization (big business, labor strife)– urbanization (slums, political machines, corruption)– immigration (ethnic diversity)– inequality & social injustice (women & racism)

Emphasis is on REFORM! Make industrial capitalism more accountable to the people

1920s

1890s

1901

1917

WHEN? “Progressive Reform Era”

ProgressivismWHAT are their goals?

– Democracy – government accountable to the people

– Promote Social Welfare– workers, poor, minorities– Regulation of corporations & monopolies– Promote efficiency in government and

management

HOW?– Work within the system

• Government (laws, regulations, programs)– Reform the system to promote efficient solutions

oriented to improving the work life and private life of the working class• value experts, use of scientific study to determine the

best solution • Pragmatism – William James, John Dewey• Scientific Management/Taylorism - Frederick Taylor

???

Promote Democracy

Promote Democracy

• What are some things we already know the Progressives did to promote democracy?

Promote Democracy

• Primary System• Direct election of senators (17th

Amendment 1913)• Referendum• Recall• Initiative

Promote Social Welfare

Promote Social Welfare• Settlement House

Movement• Temperance Movement• Women’s Suffrage• Eugenics• Use Efficiency to

promote the better functioning of business and gov’t

– Taylorism– Introduction of

bureaucracy into business

Salvation Army Shelter

Regulation of Corporations and Monopolies

Ending Child Labor

• As the number of child workers rose, reformers worked to end child labor.

• Children were more prone to accidents caused by fatigue.

• Nearly every state limited or banned child labor by 1918

Efforts To Improve Working Conditions

• The Supreme Court and the states enacted or strengthened laws reducing women’s hours of work.– Workers rights

legislation but also reinforced gender discrimination

– Muller v. Oregon (1908)

• Progressives also succeeded in winning worker’s compensation to aid families of injured workers.

Teddy Roosevelt’s Square Deal

• President from 1901-1909 (Republican)– Will later leave the

Republicans and form the Bull Moose Party

• The Square Deal was his domestic program formed upon three basic ideas:– Conservation of

natural resources– Control of

Corporations– Consumer Protection

• Informed by his notion of the golden mean

Trust-Busting

• By 1900, trusts – legal bodies created to hold stock in many companies – controlled 80% of U.S. industries.

• Roosevelt filed 44 antitrust suits under the Sherman Anti-Trust Act of 1890

1902 Coal Strike • In 1902, 140,000 coal

miners in Pennsylvania went on strike for increased wages, a 9-hour work day, and the right to unionize. Mine owners refused to bargain.

• Roosevelt called in both sides and settled the dispute. Thereafter, when a strike threatened public welfare, the federal government was expected to step in and help.

“The Jungle” Leads to Food Regulation

• After reading The Jungle by Upton Sinclair, Roosevelt pushed for passage of the Meat Inspection Act of 1906.

• The act mandated cleaner conditions

for meatpacking plants.

Pure Food and Drug Act

• In response to unsubstantiated claims and unwholesome products, Congress passed the Pure Food and Drug Act in 1906.

• The Act halted the sale of contaminated foods and medicines and called for truth in labeling.

Roosevelt’s Environmental Accomplishments

• Roosevelt set aside 148 million acres of forest reserves, 1.5 million acres of water-power sites, 50 wildlife sanctuaries, and several national parks.

Progressivism under President Taft• Republican William

Howard Taft easily defeated Democrat William Jennings Bryan in the 1908 presidential election.

• Among his accomplishments, Taft “busted” 90 trusts during his four years in office – more than Theodore Roosevelt during his eight years in office.

Wilson’s New Freedom

• Serves as President from 1913-1921 (Democrat)

• With a strong mandate from the American people, Wilson moved to enact his program, the “New Freedom.”

• He planned his attack on what he called the triple wall of privilege: – Trusts,– Tariffs– High finance

Clayton Anti-Trust Act• In 1914 Congress enacted

the Clayton Anti-Trust Act that strengthened the Sherman Act.

• It had an anti-trust provision that prevented companies from:– Price discrimination

between different purchasers to create an effective monopoly

– Sales on the condition that the buyer not contract with competitors

– Mergers and acquisitions which may limit competition

– Having any person be a director of two or more competing corporations

• Contained important provisions to protect labor:– Boycotts, peaceful strikes,

peaceful picketing, and collective bargaining could not be regulated by the statute

Federal Trade Commission Formed

• Formed in 1914• Promotes

consumer protection and the elimination and prevention of anticompetitive business practices.

Federal Income Tax

• 1913• 16th Amendment• “The Congress

shall have power to lay and collect taxes on incomes, from whatever source derived, without apportionment among the several States, and without regard to any census or enumeration.”

Federal Reserve System

• 1913• Goal is to use a central institution of

to promote monetary policy which:–Maximizes employment– Stabilizes prices–Moderates long-term interest rates

Why Were the Progressives Successful?