The Origins of Progressivism

The Origins of ProgressivismAmerica chapter 18 section1The JunglePublished by Upton Sinclair in 1906Based on investigation of Chicago meatpacking industryNovel opened the nations eyes to 2 things:Accidents, violence, sickness, death, rapeHow the meat they ate for dinner was madeThe JungleThey use everything about the hog but the squeal.At the end of the week he will carry home $3 to his family, being his pay at the rate of $0.05 an hour.Quick Math: 60 hours!

The Roots of ReformReformers were reacting to the impact of Americas rapid growth:Slums & overpopulation in urban areasLow wages, horrible living conditions, etc.Govt expanded services, but corruption often kept them limitedThe public debate about what to do to help the urban poor sparked an era of reform from 1890-1920 The Progressive eraWho were the Progressives?NOT a single unified movementDid NOT all share the same viewsGoals fell into four categories:SocialMoralEconomicPoliticalGoals overlapped, sometimes conflictedWho were the Progressives?People of average wealth with 4 basic beliefs:Government should be more accountable to its citizensGovernment should curb the power and influence of wealthy interestsGovernment should be given expanded powers to become more active in improving citizens livesGovernment should be more efficient & less corruptReasons for Reform

Reasons for Reform

Reasons for Reform

Writers Spark Reform!Journalists & other writers had tremendous influence on public opinionRelied on scientific dataInvestigate an issueGet expert testimonyPublish the results of the investigation to get the public to pressure the govt to deal with the issueMuckrakersNickname given to journalists like Upton Sinclair who exposed wrongdoing and the ills of society through their work & writingsLincoln Steffens: exposed corruption in St. Louis & other citiesIda Tarbell: The History of Standard OilTheir works inspired Americans to join reform groupsUpton Sinclair & More Jungle Pics

Ida Tarbell & Lincoln Steffens

Slow progress for unions Employers discouraged unionization. Preferred to deal with employees one on oneOwners could often count on their buddies in the court to file an injunction against a unionCourt orders that prevent a certain activity, in the case of labor unions, going on strikeUnions continued to fight for their workers through collective bargainingSocialism vs. ProgressivismSocialism: econ. And pol. Philosophy favoring government control of property & incomeFavored an end to capitalism, equal dist. Of wealth, government ownership of industriesProgressives did NOT favor total political & economic changeThey wanted to end corruption and refocus the govt on helping the workers and poor

Florence KelleyInvestigated labor conditions in Chicago Her efforts led to reforms:No child labor Limited working hours for womenLed the National Consumers League (NCL). A womens group that investigated the conditions in which goods were made & soldCampaign to outlaw child labor, protect workersFlorence Kelley & the NCL

Mother JonesIrish immigrant who joined the reform movement after losing her family to yellow feverafter rebuilding her life she lost it all again in the Chicago fire of 1871Best known for organizing unions in the coal mines of West VirginiaNational speaker for unions & child labor lawsMother Jones

West Virginia Coal Mines

Resistance to ProgressivesProgressives wanted an increased role for government in peoples lives Often met resistance from the very people progressives were trying to help: the poor!Ex: progressives fought hard to eliminate child labor, but poor families needed the income from their working children to survive

Child Labor

Child Labor is school that bad?