Results and Politics of the Progressive Movement

Review Lead up and causes: Poor conditions for many and desire for change Poor Working Conditions Problems of Urbanization Big Business dominate Political Corruption All this brings on the demand for reform

Review Progressive Movement: Reform movement aimed to return control of government to people, restore economic opportunity, and correct injustices of American life. Goals Protect Social Welfare Promote Moral Reform Create Economic Reform Foster Efficiency

Results Protecting Social Welfare YMCA: Provided educational and extracurricular activities for young men. Salvation Army: Fed and clothed the poor Many reformers fought for limited working hours and an end to child labor. (Florence Kelly)

Results Promoting Moral Reform Prohibition WCTU: Women’s Christian Temperance Union Save society from alcohol Anti-Saloon League: goal to shut down saloons and end the sale of alcohol Set up grounds for single issue groups Many of these reforms angered immigrants because drinking alcohol was part of their culture. (Irish and German)

Results Free market controls economy. Less regulated Capitalism vs. Socialism Free market controls economy. Less regulated Supported by businessmen and bankers Government controls economy More regulated Supported by laborers While capitalism continued to be the economic system of America, the rise of socialist ideals led to reforms of business including an end to monopolies and limiting trusts

Results Fostering Efficiency Scientific Management Using scientific principles to make production faster and easier therefore increasing productivity Ford Motor company assembly line

The first Assembly lines

Assembly line today

Results Government Clean up Local government-cities- Reform Mayors Goal: make local government more efficient and responsive to citizens= end corruption and political machines. Also fought to make things economically better for the common man. (unemployment benefits, lower taxes) “Gas and Water Socialism”-focus on eliminating corruption and private ownership of utilities and turning them to government control.

Results Government Clean up Reform State Government Reform Governors Goal: Regulate big business Reform Governors Robert M. LeFollette: Progressive Republican from Wisconsin and leader in regulating business. Railroads: taxed RR property, regulated rates, and made RR treat all customers equally (not give special treatment to government officials)

Results Government Clean up Reforming Elections: make government more responsive to citizens Initiative- a bill originated by the people, not lawmakers Referendum- a vote on an initiative, statement of the people on a bill Recall- Enables voters to remove officials from office by vote prior to the end of their term. 17th Amendment- Allowed voters to directly elect their Senators instead of the state legislature. Made Senators more responsive to the people.

MI Initiatives Today Proposal 1: Expands powers of Emergency Managers Proposal 2: Makes Collective Bargaining a Right for public and private workers Proposal 3: 25 by 25 law. 25% of energy must be renewable by 2025 Proposal 4: Gives collective bargaining rights to home health care providers Proposal 5: Requires 2/3 majority in state legislature or state wide vote to raise taxes Proposal 6: Require voter approval to build an international bridge.

Theodore Roosevelt 2 terms: 1901-1909 VP:Charles Fairbanks From New York Republican: Progressive VP:Charles Fairbanks Prior to President: Rough Rider and VP

T. Roosevelt Pro-Tariff, Gold Bug, Pro-trade, Strong Navy, and Progressive (Square Deal) Domestic: Square Deal- anti trust, pro labor, business regulation, conservation Foreign: “Big Stick Diplomacy”- Speak softly and carry a big stick. Peace through military strength. Rough riders, Nobel Peace Prize, Trust buster

William Howard Taft 1 term: 1909-1913 Republican VP: James Sherman From Ohio Republican VP: James Sherman Prior to President: Governor of Philippians and Secretary of War

Taft Roosevelt hand picked but not so much like him. “Cautious Progressivism” Lowered Tariffs, regulated RR prices, Anti-trust (broke up more trusts than Roosevelt), Dollar Diplomacy Upsetting Roosevelt and becoming Chief Justice of Supreme Court after presidency.