Issues During The Progressive Era

Throughout the time period of the Progressive era, there were numerous issues in race equality, the distribution of wealth, and the corruption of the government. These issues killed people, sent people into a life of hardship, and crippled the integrity of the politician and business owner. While some of these issues were addressed, they were not eradicated.
While slavery was ended, there was still harsh racial tension in some areas and in the south where segregation or the ideology of equal but separate was a very relevant issue. African Americans were tormented in the south for making a stand, especially in politics. The segregation caused for the African American youth to grow up with little to no education. What education they did get was not beneficial to their future. Only a few of the wealthier African American children gained an education that meant something and even then they didn’t have much of a spotlight.
Wealth was a big issue during the Progressive era because of over 60 percent of the nation was in poverty. The gap between the rich and poor was huge and still growing. The owners of big business such as mine
owners, sweatshops, or steel factories exploited their workers, paying them little for working extensively long hours and very dangerous jobs. Labor laws protecting women made sure that they relied upon husbands and fathers for that extra income. Rising ideas among agricultural workers, businesses, and corporations were Social Darwinism and the Gospel of Wealth. Social Darwinism was survival of the fittest from an economic standpoint. Some of those select few believe that nature would take its turn in deciding who succeeded. The Gospel of Wealth was the idea that you earn what you deserve or how much you work and that you can work your way to success when really corporations and businesses were oppressing the working class, making it very hard for them to go anywhere but down. One business owner, Andrew Carnegie, thought that a difference could be made by investing in the communities of poverty to give them a better chance to succeed. He donated to community centers, libraries, schools, and activity centers. Barely anyone followed in his footsteps making what could have been a promising opportunity for those in poverty into a pile of dust.
The political corruption during this time period was borderline unimaginable.
Everywhere you would look at every step in the process and see corrupt politicians, whether it was local, state, or even the federal level. The politicians were corrupt because of business owners. The politicians would make money off of brides from the business owners and corporations. The politicians would then allow the business do practically anything to make a profit. Even when the working class would vote it wouldn’t mean anything. At the beginning, senators were elected by the state legislature which was small even to get bribed. Once the 17th Amendment passed there was a huge difference. The 17th Amendment gave the voting power to the people so they could elect senators and officials. Taking away a lot of the leverage the big businesses
had.
This time period was as chaotic as possible. Everywhere you’d look you would see problems, changes that needed to be made. Racism, poverty, and corruption lying at your feet. As obvious as possible. But nothing changing. The Progressive era was horrifying for those people Jacob Riis called, “The other half.”