1. Steps Toward Gilded Age Reform
Groups
Unions
Naturalism
Social Gospel
Populists
Socialists
Efforts

2. Popular Government is Good Government...?
“Democracy is based on the assumption that a million men are wiser than one man. How's that again? I missed something. Autocracy is based on the assumption that one man is wiser than a million men. Let's play that over again too. Who decides?”
-Robert Heinlein ( )

3. Progressive Beliefs Problems can be solved! Progress
Science and Technology (A Scientific Method)
Impartial Experts
Government as an instrument of social change.
Problems can be solved!

4. The Birth of Political Science and Public Policy
Consult the Data
Define the Problem
Establish Criteria
Research, Research, Research!
Data collection
Expert Consultation
Propose and Select Solutions
Implementation
Repeat!

5. Harvard Public Schools Vision Statement
The Harvard Public Schools community, dedicated to educational excellence, guides all students to realize their highest potential by balancing academic achievement with personal well-being in the pursuit of individual dreams. The students engage in learning how to access and apply knowledge, think critically and creatively, and communicate effectively. They develop the confidence and ability to understand diverse perspectives, collaborate, and contribute to their local, national and global communities.

6. How it All Began… Muckrakers exposed government corruption
Highlighted big business practices
Exposure of corruption at all levels
Reform of Government
Scrutiny of Business
Child labor
Working Conditions
“Trust Busting”

7. Reforming the City Lincoln Steffens’ Shame of the City
“The spirit of graft and lawlessness is the American Spirit.”
Thomas Nast exposes Boss Tweed and Tammany Hall

9. Reforms Start Locally Problems of the Cities: Progressive Solutions
Bad politicians
Party machines
Graft
Reform Mayors
New systems to separate government from politics
Commission system
Five experts head city departments
“Like a ship with five captains.”
City-manager plan
Elected council appoints trained manager

10. Which system would be:
Most efficient?
Most effective?
Least corrupt?
Most democratic?

11. La Follette makes Wisconsin the “Laboratory of Democracy”
Problems
Solutions
Party Corruption
Laws: a Tool of Corruption
Direct Primary
Voters (not parties) choose candidates
Legislative reference bureau
Expert advise the governor
Initiative allows voters to make law
Voters initiate the law
Referendum lets voters approve or reject laws
Refers a law to the people to approve
Recall allows voters to “fire” politicians
Take back, like a broken toy

12. Introducing a Bill

13. MA Current Initiative Process
At least ten registered voters create and sign original petition and submit to Office of the Attorney General
Within 14 days, AG returns official summary of the law
Petitioners file summary with Secretary of the Commonwealth to have petitions printed.
Petitioners collect signatures (3% of votes cast in last governor’s election)
Goes before the legislature, if fails additional .5% signatures must be collected
Goes on ballot
Majority rules

14. Progressive Ideas Were In Conflict With Each Other
Expand Participation
Restrict Participation
Initiatives
Recall
Referendum
Direct primary
Government by experts
Commission System
Council-Manager System
Legislative Bureau
Regulatory Commissions
Failure to act on Segregation

15. The Muckrakers The Jungle Journalist Issue Ida B. Wells Lynching
Lincoln Steffens
Corruption in City Government
Upton Sinclair
Meatpacking Industry
Nellie Bly
Mental Health Care
Ida Tarbell
Standard Oil / Corrupt Business Practices

16. Ida Tarbell and Standard Oil

17. Do We Have Muckrakers Today?
More media, less depth
Muckrakers worked a story for years
Unfettered access
Public willing to wait for coverage