The Progressive Movement

From the Bottom Up!

Big City and State Political Machines

• Local and State levels were very corrupt

• Progressive thinkers targeted this level of government

• The corrupt system was not really salvageable

• Time for CHANGEBOSS TWEED

If the system is broke…

• When progressives begin to win local offices they realized it needed an overhaul.– The Commission System

• Decentralized local power

– The City manager Plan• Direct responsibility to the people

• The corruption was so ingrained that the old systems were ruined.

Progressives Seek State Level Changes

• Wisconsin Leads the way under Governor Robert LaFollette– Creation of the

Direct Primary

• Reformers win in other states– Initiatives– Referendums

Fightin’ Bob LaFollette

Scratching at the Federal Government’s Door

• Muckrakers: And Action– The Jungle helps pave the way for Pure Food

and Drug Act and the meat inspection Act.• Government Involvement (Interference)

• The Election of 1900– TR the Governor of New York is a problem for

the Republican old guard• What to do?

The Republicans Hold the Line

• Democrats/Populists went with Bryan again.

• McKinley and the Republicans had the Spanish American war record but not much else– TR Gov. of New York

was making waves in the Republican Party

Hide ‘em

• Republican Party bosses wanted to accomplish a couple of things– Compete against growing reform movements– Keep TR ism from infesting Republican Party

• There was a VERY SIMPLE solution for the Republican bosses.– What office could they put TR in and have him

remain politically satisfied while at the same time stifling his Progressive voice?

TR’s Progressivism

• McKinley’s Assassination

• TR in the White House– Trust busting

– Square Deal

– 1904 Campaign Promises

– Conservation vs. Preservation

William Howard Taft Takes Republican Lead

• A Departure from TR’s Progressivism– The Tariff

• Does not challenge Old Guard as TR would have

• The Pinchot-Ballinger Dispute.

– TR’s Guy

• He was ruining it!

The Election of 1912: The Republican Convention

• TR Challenged Taft for the nomination– The Republican Party

would have to redefine itself.

– Old Guard Conservatives supported Taft

– Progressives supported TR

The Election of 1912: The Republican Convention

• A large number of delegates were contested.

• Old Guard leaders awarded them to Taft

• TR and his supporters bolted the convention.

• TR would continue his bid as a 3rd party candidate.

• Was the door open for the Democrats?

A Golden Opportunity!

• The Democratic Party Could benefit from this schism.– NO BRYAN!– Middle of the road

progressive.– Please the South– Washington Outsider

• WOODROW WILSON

New Nationalism vs. New Freedom

• TR’s New Nationalism– Conservation

– Economic fairness

• Square deal

• Good and Bad trusts

• Impartial

• Wilson’s New Freedom– Federal Regulation of

economic policy

– There are no good trusts

– Federal regulation

• Compassionate Liberalism

Wilson’s Program

• On December 23, 1913, the Federal Reserve System, which serves as the nation's central bank, was created by an act of Congress. The System consists of a seven member Board of Governors with headquarters in Washington, D.C., and twelve Reserve Banks located in major cities throughout the United States.