Progressivism 1890 – 1920 pp

American Reform o Progressivism was a reform movement in the early 1900’s that sought to fundamentally change America. 1. Change the ills of society (morality) 2. Reform big business (Efficiency) 3. Aid labor (Economic Reform) 4. Make political reforms (Soc. Welfare) o The government was the vehicle to that change. It is the govt’s responsibility.

Who and Where? o Progressives were from both major political parties. o They were middle class (if there was such a thing) and usually well-educated. o Less radical than the Populists, but their roots were with Populism. o Located early on the cities or municipalities

Goals of Progressives o Protect social welfare o YMCA, Social Gospel, Salvation Army o Promoting moral improvement o WCTU o Creating economic reform o Socialism, muckrakers o Fostering efficiency o Scientific analysis of production

Socialism o Some of the early Progressives were also socialist. o What is socialism? 1. Government (the people) control of big business. 2. All share in the profits. 3. Has rarely succeeded as economic system

Municipal Reform o Progressivism got early reform at local level o They sought to rid cities of pol. machines, establish home rule, & clean up the cities. o Socialists often won local elections. o City managers sometimes replaced locally elected mayors. o Initiatives, referendums, and recalls were used at state levels. Power to people.

Women o In the 19 th C, women were still seen as “domestic” spouses whose jobs were… o By the early 1900’s, many poorer women had to seek employment. o Wages were lower and worked mainly in unskilled jobs – textiles. o Education was the key to a better chance in life in the U.S.

Women Reformers o Women really wanted to have suffrage. Black women wanted the same rights. o Early reformers were angered by the 14 th and 15 amendments. o People like Susan B. Anthony and Elizabeth Cady Stanton led the movement. o Try to reform locally; sue the government; try to get an amendment.

Progressive Presidents o There were three Progressive Presidents in the early 1900’s. o Teddy Roosevelt became Pres (youngest) when McKinley was shot and killed. o Taft was handpicked by TR to be the next Progressive President. o Finally, Wilson was the last of the Progressives to hold the office.

Teddy Roosevelt Wm. H. Taft W. Wilson

Roosevelt o War hero from Sp-Am. War. o As President, he “spoke softly and carried a big stick”. o Sought major reforms like the Three C’s 1. Control of corporations 2. Consumer protection 3. Conservation of natural resources

Roosevelt o TR walked the tightrope between helping the common man and hurting business. o TR thought that big business was not necessarily bad. o He did fight to break up monopolies in the RR industry and set restrictions on price. o He wanted the industrialists to know that gov’t was run by him, not them.

Muckrakers o Defined: Journalists who sought to find the worst of society and in it. o TR coined the term in defiance of many of the articles and book being written. o Upton Sinclair’s, “The Jungle” was one such book. o This book detailed the atrocities of the meat-packing industry.

Square Deal and Consumerism Upton Sinclair’s book, The Jungle, inspired gov’t control of food stuffs – Meat Inspection Act – meat shipped over state lines subject to feds. Pure Food and Drug Act (1906) – labels had to be correct. It had better be what it said it was. Florence Kelley led a crusade to end child labor and also championed consumers.

Pure Food and Drug Act

Political Machines Boss Tweed was the notorious head of Tammany Hall. Political machines twisted arms and were the real gov’t. Stole as much as $200 million from New York City. Finally brought down by Thomas Nast – political cartoonist – for the illiterate!

William Howard Taft

o Followed in TR’s footsteps. o Wanted to be known as a trust-buster o Didn’t make distinction between good trusts and bad trusts. o In all, he busted up around 90 trusts – double the number of TR.

Taft’s Problems 1. He wasn’t TR 2. He didn’t lower tariffs enough 3. He opened up land that TR had set aside for conservation. 4. He angered TR

Election of 1912

Split Ticket o Taft got the Rep. nomination o TR ran as the Progressive candidate or the Bull Moose o Woodrow Wilson got the Dem. nomination o Conservatives split between Taft and TR. o Wilson won as a result.

Dr. Thomas Woodrow Wilson o An educator and the son of a Presbyterian Minister o “Schoolmaster in Politics” o President of Princeton University, o Governor of New Jersey, o Elected president in 1912

New Freedom o Wilson was an intellectual. o Had trouble communicating with the common man. o Sought to attack the “Triple Wall of Privilege 1. Trusts 2. Banks 3. Tariffs

Tariffs o The Underwood Tariff was passed to lower tariffs in America for 1 st time since CW o This helped lower prices for the common man.

Banks o Oversaw creation of the Federal Reserve. o 12 district banks that loan to local banks. o They could control the amount of money in circulation o They also control interest rates. o Also got the 16 th amendment passed – a graduated income tax. The first national income tax.

Schedule Y-1 — Married Filing Jointly or Qualifying Widow(er) If taxable income is overBut not overThe tax is $0$18,15010% (minus “earned income tax credit”) will get around $5000 $18,151$73,800$1,815 plus 15% of amount over $18,150 $73,801$148,850$10, plus 25% of amount over $73,800 $148,851$226,850$28,925 plus 28% of the amount over $148,500 $226,851$405,100$50,765 plus 33% of the amount over $226,850 $405,101457,600$109, plus 35% of the amount over $405,100 $457,600No Limit$122, plus 39.6% of the amount over $457,600

Who Pays Income Taxes Today? For Tax Year 2007 Percentiles Ranked by AGI AGI Threshold on Percentiles Percentage of Federal Personal Income Tax Paid Top 1%$343, Top 5%$154, Top 10%$112, Top 25%$66, Top 50%$32, Bottom 50%<$32,

Trusts o Asked for and got Congress to pass the Clayton Antitrust Act. o It helped create the Federal Trade Commission – fed agency to go after trusts o Labor was excluded from the rules.