Chapter 31: Progressivism and the Republican Roosevelt

 

 

Themes:

 

The strong progressive movement successfully demanded that the powers of government be applied to solving the economic and social problems of industrialization. Progressivism first gained strength at the city and state level and then achieved national influence in the moderately progressive administrations of Theodore Roosevelt.

 

Roosevelt’s hand picked successor, William Howard Taft, aligned himself with the conservative Republican Old Guard, causing Roosevelt to break away and lead a progressive third party crusade.

 

Key Ideas:

 

1. The Progressive movement of the early 20th century became the greatest reform crusade since abolitionism. Inaugurated by Populists, socialists, social gospelers, female reformers, and “Muckraking” journalists, progressivism attempted to use governmental power to correct the social and economic ills associated with industrialism and unregulated capitalism.

 

2. Progressivism at the city and state levels attacked party “bossism”, political patronage, graft and corruption. The initiative, referendum, recall, and the direct election of US Senators, were the fruits of progressive political reform. Social and economic evils were then attacked.

 

3. At the national level, Roosevelt’s Square Deal used the federal government as an agent for the public interest in conflicts between labor and the corporate trusts. Also, consumer protection laws and environmental conservation were “middle class” concerns that Roosevelt promoted

 

4. Taft was a poor politician and was “captured” by the conservative wing of the Republican Party, outraging Teddy Roosevelt and resulting in the Bull Moose rebellion in the election of 1912.

 

5. Notably absent from the Progressive Reform agenda were minority groups such as blacks, Hispanics, and Native Americans.