How Did The Strengths And Weaknesses Of Progressivism

Progressivism began as a reform movement in response to the speedy growing industrialization of America in the early twentieth century. Many of the progressives were against the philosophy of Social Darwinism, and sought to reform the countries problems using government influence. Progressives believed reform could fix social problems and not just have to suffer, waiting for nature to take its course. There were many strengths and weaknesses to progressivism during the early twentieth century.
Progressivism created much needed reform, and “political reformers focused on four main goals: cleaning up politics, limiting the power of big business, reducing poverty, and promoting social justice” (Henretta 579). Progressives launched their reform at the State and National level to pass legislature
to combat some of the atrocities that were accompanying industrialization.
Progressives at the State level “advocated worker's compensation, child labor laws, minimum wage and maximum hours legislation (especially for women workers), and widows' pensions” (Lagasse). They were able to gain momentum at the State level, and at the National level they showed their true strength by influencing the passing of several bills in an attempt to bring America out of the slums industrialization was creating. “Congress passed two bills regulating railroads, the Elkins Act (1903) and the Hepburn Act (1906). The Pure Food and Drug Act and the Meat Inspection Act were passed (1906) to eliminate the worst practices of the food industry. The Federal Reserve Act of 1913 reformed the currency system; the Clayton Antitrust Act and the Federal Trade Commission Act (1914) extended government regulation
of big business; and the Keating-Owen Act (1916) restricted child labor” (Lagasse). Perhaps the greatest achievement of the Progressive Movement was the promotion of the Sixteenth Amendment to the Constitution, which authorized income to be taxed. This Amendment assisted federal funding growth to achieve national power. Now that the government was fully involved, progressivism was establishing reform as a template for the future in an attempt to more effectively fit the needs of industrialization.
The passing legislature on the surface seemed like a win for the progressive movement, but it was not without flaws. Progressive’s weaknesses were found in their oversight of the individual, “they displayed little interest in free speech, were indifferent to racial segregation, promoted eugenics and immigration restriction, pursued quixotic campaigns against vice, and supported prohibition” (Ely 256). Additionally, many of the legislature that was passed did have negative effects. Some of the regulations hurt the economic health of the railroad industry, while the legislation designed to protect women workers limited them in the certain jobs.
The Progressive movement provided many good things for the American people as a whole, but it failed to focus on the individual. Progressives pushed for federal influence and the movement became extremely political. Through all the political turbulence this movement was gaining traction until the start of World War I, when America’s attention was diverted from internal problems to supporting the War.