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• Wanted to correct the problems brought by industrialization and urbanization
• Believed that government should take a more active role in solving society’s problems
Muckrakers
• Journalists who uncover scandal and corruption in society
• Expose unfair practices of large corporations
• Wanted to reform the government
• Wanted to fix social problems– Ida Tarbell = critical of
Standard Oil Company– Upton Sinclair =
uncovered abuses in meat-packing industry
– Jacob Riis = reported on poverty, disease, and crime in NYC
Reforming Government
• Saw corruption and inefficiency at local government level– Gave jobs to political
supporters and friends
• 2 Proposals to reform city government:– 1) Commission plan –
divide city gov’t into several departments each one under expert commissioner’s control
– 2) Council-manager – city council would hire city manager to run city instead of mayor
Election Reforms
• Wanted to make political system more democratic and responsive to citizens
• 1) direct primary – party members vote for candidate to run in general election
• 2) initiative – group of citizens introduce legislation and legislator must vote on
Election Reforms continued
• 3) Referendum – citizens vote on proposed law directly
• 4) Recall – option to demand a special election to remove an elected official
• 5) 17th Amendment – direct election of Senators
Social Reforms
• Created charities to help poor and disadvantage
• Pushed for new laws to fix social problems
• Jane Addams – Settlement House
Health and Safety Codes• Muller vs. Oregon – upheld
states’ rights to limit hours of women working in laundries
• Created zoning laws to regulate how land and buildings could be used
• Building codes set minimum standards for light, air, room size, sanitation and fire escapes– Triangle Shirtwaist Factory Fire
• Health codes required restaurants and other facilities to maintain clean environments