Progressive Movement Essay

The tip from 1890 to 1917 in the history of United States is cognize as forward-moving era. This period is marked by an all-encompassing and intensive change in all spheres of Ameri female genitals emotional state viz. governmental, economical and social. According to Nevin and Commager, this period was marked by revolt and reform in almost every department of American life. Old political leaders were ousted and new adept enlisted political machinery was overhauled and modernized political practices were subject to critical scrutiny and those which failed to substantial with the i broods of democracy were rejected. (p. 382)These leaders from middle class pleaded for government regulation of queen-sized businesses to prevent exploitations pf the weaker sections. Stressing on the needs for reforms, Theodore Roosevelt said, No hard-and-fast rule can be laid down as to the elbow room in which such(prenominal) work reform must be done but most surely every man, whatever his pos ition, should strive to do it in some way and to some degree. (Roosevelt) Most of the problems that continuous tenses wanted to tackle was an outcome of the industrial expansion and the political-industrial coalitions of the Gilded Age. During the Progressive almost every department of American life was overhauled and modernized. Thus Progressivism was a movement with predominantly middle class objectives and viewpoint, derivation much of its support from small businessmen, farmers and professional people. ( Parkes, p.544)At the federal level, the Progressive movement set in with the inauguration of the President Roosevelt curtailed the powers of the large organizations was epitomized through and through the suite against The Northern Securities Company in 1903. He introduced other legislative measures to breakdown the monopoly of the large corporations. Trust-Busting was the first radical step taken by Roosevelt that was aimed at the breaking of monopolies in any form and its ab uses. Second major proponent of Progressivism at the Federal level was President William Howard Taft (1909-1913) who accomplished more progressive legislation than the Roosevelt. He introduced and enacted law to check corrupt practices during the elections.He dissolved ninety trusts under the Sherman Anti-Trust Act (these trusts were saving huge taxes in the name of charity and were involved in certain illegal activities). He strengthened the cause of democracy when he propagated the idea of direct elections for the senators and introduced seventeenth amendments in the U.S. constitution. Woodrow is the next in the row for progressive presidents.He introduced far-reaching economic reforms and adopted a number other progressive measure to qualify the entire American spirit with purpose. Hs foremost priority was the revision of obligation and approach of viable reforms. Secondly, he introduced another Act to reconstruct the fiscal and banking sector. Although his program of more progressive reforms were cut short but the bam or WW II but two more constitutional amendment (eighteenth and 19th) became impressive in his presidency.1Progressives could not bring about the revolutionary transformation of the political and economic system. The evident disappointment of the Progressive movement was its disinclination to deal with racial discrimination. Although it had a national agenda but it was meant for Whites only. The Afro-American suffered from the victimisation at the social and state level through disfranchisement, Jim Crow laws, and poverty.  Additionally, it failed to call the questions of class conflict and ended in despair for small owners and businessmen. even so it cannot be denied that through their reforms they tried to revitalize democracy and made the rulers responsible for(p) and accountable to the public. Perhaps the best known results of this era are the 18th and 19th Amendments, Prohibition and woman suffrage respectively. But this leg islation sincerely came at the tail end of the period that has come to be known as the Age of Reform. The amendments were actually the byproducts of an immense social and political exhilaration which changed forever the expectations of the role government would play in American society. (PBS)ReferencesNevins, Allan&type A Commager, atomic number 1 S. 1966. A short history of the United States. New            York A. Knopf.Parkes, Henry B. 1959. The United States of AmericaA History. New York Knopf.PBS. The Progressive Era 1900-1918. On-line. operational from Internet,http//www.pbs.org/wgbh/amex/eleanor/peopleevents/pande08.html, accessed 23 March 2008.1 18th Amendment of U.S. Constitution the process of introduction of Prohibition was completed whereas 19th Amendments granted the right of vote to the women on equal terms with men.