The Progressive Movement: A Help or Hinder?

According to America’s Heritage, "progressive was both the name of a party and the term used for reformers who believed that government should become stronger." (America’s Heritage, p. 415) The progressives, with such leaders as Theodore Roosevelt, Woodrow Wilson, and Robert La Follette, strove to restore the nation of the United States to the way it had existed before the emergence of trusts, large-scale industries, and city slums. Ultimately, progressives wanted all negative evidence of the industrial revolution erased, and during the opening years of the 1900s, assisted by the muckrakers, they succeeded with flying colors. Progressives looked down on the city political bosses, as well as business trusts which sought monopolies. They sought to help and look after the poor, needy, and homeless, as well as improve living conditions in the city slums. The reformists firmly believed in a strong government to step in, take charge, and invoke positive changes, including the areas of civil rights.

Muckrakers were instrumental in the success of the progressives during the early 20th century. Although many prominent progressives such as Roosevelt saw them as a mild annoyance, the muckrakers actually advanced the reformists’ cause a great deal. Muckrakers looked everywhere for crime and corruption; in the government, Wall Street, labor unions, and even common businesses and homes. When no crime could be found, one would be invented to rile the public. Much like the 60 Minutes and Primetime Live of today, muckrakers reveled in informing the public of aspects that businesses liked to remain contained. Lincoln Steffens was one such Muckraker journalist who brought big city political bosses into public criticism. His book, Shame of the Cities, is virtually a collection of his works. Ida Tarbell wrote harsh stories about Rockefeller’s Standard Oil Company, asserting that the company had ruined her father and driven him to suicide. Well armed with facts, Tarbell efficiently labeled the oil company as a large-scale public enemy. Upton Sinclair’s The Jungle revealed in-depth atrocities in slaughter-houses and meat-packing plants which eventually led to the Food and Drug Administration.

"Social Workers, sociologists, and historians also did their bit for reform. John Sparge described the horrors of child labor in The Bitter Cry of the Children (1906). Gustavus Myers made his History of the Great American Fortunes (1909) a rogues’ gallery of crooks. Ray Stannard Baker told the story of racial discrimination in Following the Color Line (1908). Burton J. Hendricks disclosures in Story of Life Insurance (1907) led to laws regulating New York’s large insurance companies.

(A History of the United States, p. 531)

One negative result of industrialization was the big city politicians, such as the infamous "Boss Tweed." These political figures used cliques to increase their popularity and power, which they then used to lie, cheat, and steal money. For example, they hired contractors to the city that would charge double the actual cost, and surplus funds would go to them. Millions of dollars were obtained in this illegal manner, and several mayors employed political cartoonists as one method to defeat and eliminate these menaces. Another method used to eliminate city political bosses was when reformists tried to place more mayors in town leadership positions, and change city governments. One government employed was based on a standard business: a non-political manager was hired to "run" the city, while a council set policies to be carried out.

The growth of monopolizing trusts were yet another negative aspect of industrialization. Trusts were gigantic unions of several large-scale corporations that used their size and power to monopolize, or have the only profitable endeavor in, certain trades. This discouraged the American spirit of opportunity as tiny companies were forced to close because of customers flocking to the trusts’ cheaper products. The "trust-busting" of the early 20th century was made famous by Theodore Roosevelt, a well-known antitrust politician. As United States President, Roosevelt divided all trusts into two categories: good and bad, before he proceeded. Good trusts were trusts that made little impact on the economy as a whole, while bad trusts attempted to monopolize areas of production. Theodore Roosevelt initiated some 40 lawsuits against various "bad" trusts over the course of his presidency, with full support from his progressive constituents. These lawsuits and others that followed began a tradition of trust-busting that continued until President Ronald Reagan eliminated most of them in the mid-eighties.

To improve the life of city workers, reformists employed tactics to end child labor and regulate work hours. By 1912, 75% of the states had forbidden child labor, and most states required companies to pay workers for injuries on the job. Minimum wage laws for women popped up, as well as laws regulating working women’s hours and working conditions. Many progressives took up the women suffrage cause, believing that women would be more inclined to support legislative reform. By 1914, eleven states had granted women full voting status.

The Progressive movement was a wave which swept the United States in the early twentieth century with wholesome intentions to make the nation better as a whole. Overall very successful, these reformists were fortunate to see many of their dreams become reality as laws were passed outlawing embarrassing elements of American life and legalizing other, better aspects.